No, tipping is not expected in Iceland and there is no tradition for it. This means you don’t need to think about tipping on your trip to Iceland. If you insist on tipping, people are probably not going to reject it in most cases though. However, some people might reject your offer of a tip and even get offended and find the offer patronizing. Therefore, a good rule of thumb to respect Icelandic culture and traditions is not to offer a tip on your trip to Iceland. There have been numerous heated discussions about this topic in travel related Facebook groups about Iceland, with questions about tipping being met by the majority of people commenting with firm statements about not tipping in Iceland.
There are some nuances worth mentioning though, e.g. that in many service jobs and for tour guides, a large percentage are foreigners that might be used to a tipping culture where they are from. In some places, you might see a jar on the counter for tips, which some tourists find confusing when all they hear is “no tipping in Iceland”. This is probably in most cases a response to frequent questions about tipping etiquette. If you really insist on tipping, you can put the tips in such a jar.
The main reason why tipping has never been a thing in Iceland is the country’s strong labor laws, which ensure that workers receive fair wages, eliminating the need to rely on gratuities.
- See also: The Culture of Iceland
Should I tip my tour guide?
The simple answer again is no, you should not tip your tour guide but of course you could if you really feel like it. Bear in mind however that tipping may not be well received and might be taken as offensive.
Again, there is a certain nuance here though that is summed up well in a response to a thread on Reddit from January 2025. Things have changed in recent years. Someone asked there whether tour guide attitudes on tipping have changed and one of the best answers was this:
Yes. Much to the chagrin of the vast majority Icelanders, tipping has become much more commonplace in recent years. Many tour guides have come to expect tips and many businesses like coffee shops have started leaving out tip jars. Americans are largely to blame for this, because we think it’s somehow rude to not bring our obligatory tipping culture to other countries, even when the locals in those countries are begging us not to. I’d say tipping a tour guide is probably the most “acceptable” form of tipping, especially if it’s because you genuinely enjoyed the tour or the tour guide went above and beyond in some way. But you should never feel obliged to tip anyone in Iceland, not even a tour guide, and any tour guide who behaves otherwise is an asshole.
In other words, tipping tour guides is the closest to being an exception from the rule but still not expected.
But I surely should tip in the restaurant, right?
No, also a clear no. Even if you have the most outstanding service and the meal of your life, you are not expected to tip.
But I still tip the cleaning staff at my hotel, right?
No, that is also not customary. Cleaning staff at hotels are paid well and do not rely on tips as a part of their income.
How can I show appreciation if I don’t tip?
An appreciated gesture you can make that will benefit both the employee and their company is leaving a positive review online, e.g. on Google or TripAdvisor. This can have a positive impact in a way of letting others know about the positive experience and thereby bringing in more business for the employee and their company.
Another possible positive feedback for outstanding services in Iceland is a good old smile and maybe a sincere compliment. Nobody will get offended by these.
Last but not least, enjoy the fact that the price you will see listed on a menu or a price list is exactly the same as you should pay. What you see is what you get.
