Tipping in Lima Restaurants: Know What to Expect in 2026

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You’ve just had an incredible meal — ceviche in Miraflores, handmade pasta in San Isidro, or maybe a tasting menu that was pure magic. The waiter brings the check. You smile, reach for it, and the—

Your brain slams on the brakes.

Do I tip? How much? What if I don’t? What if I tip too much?

It’s a worldwide traveling conundrum.

Most of us carry our home-country tipping habits into every new place we visit — some countries tip on everything, others never tip, and some think in percentages while others think in a round number that “feels right.”

Here’s what nobody tells you:

Lima is one of the easiest places on earth when it comes to tipping.

Different Countries, Different Tipping Cultures

• In the U.S., tipping can feel mandatory — sometimes requested before anything is even served.
• In Europe, service charges are often built into the bill, and tipping is modest.
• In parts of Asia, tipping isn’t customary and may even be refused.

Peru sits comfortably in the middle.

There is tipping —but it’s not built on guilt, pressure, or screens forcing you to choose a percentage.

When Tipping Jumps the Shark

Recently, I went to lunch at a café in Los Angeles where my friends and I:

• Seated ourselves
• Ordered from a QR code
• Fetched our own water
• Practically had to beg a waiter when I wanted ice

…and yet before the food even arrived, the screen demanded we choose a tip of 23%, 25%, or 30%. That’s not gratitude. That’s coercion. Peru (thankfully) does not operate like that.

Meanwhile… Peru is refreshingly sane

In Lima, the tipping culture runs on three truths:

1. Tipping is appreciated.
2. Tipping is not required.
3. Tipping is usually small.

After asking a large Lima community group — a mix of Peruvians, expats, and long-term residents — the consensus was incredibly clear:

• Locals rarely tip at everyday restaurants.
• When people do tip, 5–10% is considered more than generous.
• People think in soles, not percentages. (For example: S/ 10 feels generous, regardless of bill size.)

Peruvian servers earn a wage — often not high, but their paycheck is not structured around expecting tips. Unlike in the U.S., their income isn’t dependent on gratuities.

At our family restaurant in northern Peru, we almost never receive tips. It’s not rude — it’s cultural.

And in tourist neighborhoods (Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro), tipping is becoming more common simply because travelers bring their tipping norms with them — not because tipping is required.

The Simple Tipping Plan

• Step 1: When the bill arrives, look for servicio (service charge).
• Step 2: If servicio is not included, leave ~10% — or a few soles.
• Step 3: Walk out feeling confident and like a local.

That’s it. No math olympics. No tablet guilt screen.

How Much to Tip in Lima Restaurants

Standard tip in Lima restaurants: 10%.

Where You Are	Do You Tip?	How Much
Sit-down restaurants (Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro)	Optional	10%
If the bill shows “servicio / service charge”	Already included	No extra tip
Casual cafés or bakeries	Not expected	Round up a few soles
Local menú del día / markets	No	Just pay the bill
Hotel bellhop / housekeeping	Yes	S/ 5–10
Cabify / Uber	Optional	S/ 2–5
Local taxis	No tipping culture	Round up

On your bill, look for:

• Servicio (10%) → tip already included
• Propina sugerida → suggested, but optional

If you see servicio, you’ve already tipped.

When Tipping Is Expected: Hotels & High-End Service

While restaurants tend to follow the “tip if you want to” approach, hotels are different.

Eric — our friend and driver who worked in luxury hotels — explained that hotel guests tip far more often, and sometimes generously. He saw tips of 15%, 20%, even higher, especially from international guests. He also said that drivers rarely receive tips, but it truly makes a difference when they do.

In his words (summarized): Drivers don’t expect tips in taxis, but it means a lot when it happens.

André’s Joyful Tipping Philosophy

My husband put himself through college working in restaurants. He remembers exactly what it feels like to be on the receiving end of an unexpected tip.

Now, when we’re in Peru, he loves surprising people:

• S/ 10 to a taxi driver on a S/ 10 ride,
• S/ 5–10 to hotel staff,
• rounding up without hesitation.

Because in Peru, tipping is pure generosity, not social obligation.

There’s no performative moment, no guilt and no judgment.

Just kindness.

Tipping in Peru Frequently Asked Questions

Lima Tipping Snapshot

• Sit-down restaurant: ~10%
• If “servicio” appears: tip already included
• Cafés / bakeries: round up
• Uber/Cabify: S/ 2–5
• Hotel housekeeping: S/ 5–10

Locals think in soles — not percentages.

Final Takeaway

In Lima restaurants: Tip if you want to. Not because you feel pressured.

In some places, tipping feels like a tax. In Peru, tipping feels like kindness — as it should.

Now feel free to send me a tip @ohlalima.com…just kidding!