In Cancun – Mexico Tipping is Customary and expected in many situations. Most of the workers in Mexico live off modest wages so rely on tips to earn a living wage.
You can Tip in most major currencies such as US Dollars, Euros and Canadian Dollars however best practice is to tip in Mexican Pesos or US Dollars. These currencies will be easier for the service provider to use and exchange. Please note that best practice is to tip with Bills only not coins.
In Cancun – Mexico there are standards for tipping. The amount you tip can vary depending on the type and quality of service you have received.
To make things easier we have drafted a rough guide on how much to tip when staying in Cancun.
SUGGESTED TIPS
- Bartender: $1 per round of drinks
- Taxis: Tip only if the driver asists with bags (10 Pesos per Bag)
- Tour Guides: 10-20% of total cost of tour
- Waiter Service: 10-20% of the Bill (Check Bill first for service charge)
- Bellmen: $1-3 per bag
- Housekeeper: $1-5 a day, if you have special requests tip extra
- Pool Boys: $5 if they save you prime chairs by the pool
- Concierge: $5 if they get you into a fully booked specialty restaurant
BARS/CLUBS
When drinking at either your All Inclusive Resorts Hotel or in Cancun’s infamous Party Zone, it’s customary to tip from $1 per round of drinks. We recommend tipping the same bartender to get served faster. In most cases if you tip more they make your drink stronger.
TAXIS & TRANSPORTATION
It’s not customary to tip a Taxi driver unless they help you with your luggage. We recommend from 10 Pesos per suitcase.
GROCERY STORES
In Mexican Grocery stores its common to see workers (Grocery Baggers) who will bag your purchases. These workers are not employees of the store and do not receive a salary other than the tips they receive. Everyone tips them – Its common to tip them 10 – 20 Pesos for a bunch of bags.
TOUR GUIDES
Tour guides in Cancun will make up the majority of their Wage via Tips. Your guide will expect a tip at the end of your tour. For tipping Tour Guides we recommend tipping from 10-20% based on your experience. If you have a driver then they will also expect a tip which we recommend $2 per day.
HOTELS
A Bellhop who assists with greeting and carrying your luggage to your room is commonly tipped 20 – 55 Pesos per bag. For Housekeepers it’s best to tip on a daily basis as you may not always have the same cleaner in your room. The general rule for tipping housekeeping is 20-60 Pesos per night. If you require any extras such as special mini bar requests then its always helpful to tip more.
RESTAURANTS
On average Waiters in Cancun earn around $2.17 an hour + Tips. It’s customary to tip from 10-20% depending on the size of the Bill and the quality of service. Always check your Bill before tipping as some restaurants will automatically add a service charge to your Bill. If no service charge has been added, we recommend a minimum 10% to 20% based on your experience.
*TOP TIP: Always keep a pocket of spare $1 Bills and Pesos for Tipping
