Tipping in Russia
Tipping not customaryService Breakdown
Notes by Service
Not traditional; a small tip is appreciated but not expected.
Not expected.
Exact fare; rideshare apps include payment.
Not customary.
Not expected.
Not customary.
A small tip is welcome for private guides.
Not expected.
About Tipping in Russia
Overview
Tipping is not a traditional part of Russian service culture, though it has become more common in Moscow and Saint Petersburg restaurants since the 1990s. A small tip of 5–10% is appreciated at restaurants but rarely expected, and in most settings exact payment is standard.
When to Tip
Tip at sit-down restaurants in cities where table service was good. Taxi drivers — especially through apps like Yandex Taxi — don't expect tips; fares are fixed by the app. Hotel housekeeping and hairdressers don't routinely receive tips in Russian culture.
How to Tip
Leave cash on the table or add a tip percentage on a restaurant card terminal if the option is available. For guided excursions at historical sites, handing the guide a small amount in rubles at the end of the tour is a welcome gesture.
Cultural Context
Russian tipping norms were shaped by Soviet-era economics, in which wages were state-set and gratuities were neither expected nor culturally meaningful. Post-Soviet capitalism brought restaurant culture to major cities, and with it a gradual adoption of tipping in contexts serving international visitors. Attitudes vary significantly by generation — older Russians rarely tip as a matter of course; younger urban service workers in Moscow increasingly expect it.
Tipping is not customary in Russia. Offering a tip may cause offence in some situations.