In Georgia, tipping has never been obligatory, but as the number of tourists grows, the custom is gradually becoming the norm in places frequented by visitors. The main rule is to check the bill first. Many restaurants in Tbilisi, Batumi and Kazbegi already include a service charge, usually between 10 and 15 percent. If such a line is on the bill, leaving money on top of it is a pleasant gesture but not an obligation. If there is no such line, 10 percent of the order total is considered the generally accepted norm.
Beyond restaurants there are no uniform rules, and each service sector has its own customs. Guides and drivers work at a daily rate that does not include tips, while for a taxi ordered through an app the price is calculated in advance, and most passengers simply round up the amount.
Restaurants and cafés
By law, prices on Georgian menus are shown including VAT, but restaurants in tourist areas add a service charge at their discretion. If the bill has only been brought in Georgian, you can ask the waiter whether service is included. This charge replaces a tip but does not always reach the staff, so many regular guests still leave a few lari in cash for good work. If a service charge is not included, the standard is 10 percent of the bill. In a café or bakery, it is enough to round up the amount or leave 1–2 lari. At a traditional feast, a supra, if invited musicians perform for the guests, it is customary to give the ensemble 20–50 lari separately.
Guides and drivers
On private tours, the announced rate is the fee for a day's work by the guide or driver, and tipping remains at the traveler's discretion. The approximate sums usually left as thanks for a good day are: 10–20 lari for a driver on a group tour; 20–40 lari for a private driver or a city guide for a full day. A guide on a specialized tour, such as a wine tour or a walking hike, receives 30–60 lari. On multi-day trips, it is customary to give the whole sum at the end, divided between the guide and the driver.
Hotels
In family guesthouses, even in Tbilisi and Kutaisi, tips are not expected, although they are always welcome if the hosts have shown special attention. In large hotels in Tbilisi and Batumi, international norms apply: a porter is given 2–5 lari per bag, and 5–10 lari per day is left for room cleaning. A concierge is thanked for a specific service, for example help with a complicated booking, with 10–20 lari.
Taxis and sulfur baths
The Bolt and Yandex Go apps, which are used in Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi, show the cost of a trip in advance, and tipping is not built into their culture. You can round the amount up to the nearest lari, or add 2–5 lari if the driver helped with heavy luggage. With a street taxi, the price should always be agreed before the trip; after that, nothing needs to be added on top of the agreed sum.
In the famous sulfur baths of the Tbilisi district of Abanotubani, the attendant who performs the traditional cleansing and soap massage, the kisi, receives a tip in addition to the fixed fee, and sometimes instead of it, depending on the rules of the particular bath. It is customary to add 10–20 lari per person to the cost of the visit, handed directly to the attendant.
Tips are best given only in the local currency, the lari. Staff are not always able to change euros or dollars, and payment terminals rarely offer an option to add a tip. It is therefore worth carrying small denominations.
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