Forum: travel.stackexchange.com
Tags: <turkey><restaurants><tipping>
Title: Should I tip in restaurants in Turkey?
Question: I will be in Istanbul for a week.   Do I have to tip in restaurants or not?

Answers:
sents: text: I'm in Istanbul right now, and when I got here
text: I asked a friend who has been here before.
text: According to her, no, it's not required, but is always welcome.
text: I have not got any noticeable negative reactions over the past week from not tipping, and very gracious thanks when I have done so, but I'm still new to the country and may have trouble 'reading' people if they are being polite when I haven't tipped.
text: Usually it's been when I haven't liked the service or felt it was already very overpriced for what was offered - not unusual in extremely touristy restaurants, for example, which you may want to avoid.
text: Corrections welcome from native Turks, of course :)
text: I just got a bill a minute ago for 18 lira for a coffee and two beers, and paid with a 20 lira note and no change.
text: 2 lira = 1 dollar
text: US/CA/AU - honestly, at that amount, it barely matters.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/1841/David
score: 21
sents: text: "keep the change" will work in many situations, or simply leaving the change on the table.
text: There is no percentage expectation whatsoever.
text: In Turkish culture, tipping is more of a nice gesture than social obligation.
text: As mentioned in other answers, it will always create a nice reaction from the serving staff or owner (if it's a small place), and they may even do a small gesture (offer candy, etc.)
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/3614/inchlk
score: 13
sents: text: I went to reasonably cheap restaurants and I tipped a bit, depending on how I liked the food quantity/quality.
text: I always got nice reactions.
text: Also, food is reasonably cheap anyway, so a tip will not make much difference.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/3582/Michel Keijzers
score: 5
sents: text: It really depends.
text: If it's a high or mid-range restaurant, you are not obligated to but it is considered 'nice' to leave a tip since you can afford an expensive meal.
text: At most cheap eateries where food costs a few lira, you aren't expected to tip.
text: I mostly just left the coin liras as tips whenever I felt uncertain about how 'posh' a restaurant was.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/108/Ankur Banerjee
score: 3
sents: text: In most of the restaurants or cafes, there is no expectation of a tip from the table.
text: In addition, in touristic areas the prices are very high.
text: The local people and the tourists are seeing different menus, where of course, the touristic prices are way too expensive.
text: So, especially in those places you should not feel obligated to tip, but if you like the taste or the atmosphere or even the service, you are welcomed :)
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/19542/Cagri
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
Tipping is considered a nice gesture rather than an obligation, and cheap eateries in particular will not expect you to tip. Tipping will often create a nice reaction, but you are unlikely to receive a negative reaction if you leave without tipping.
Turkey is not a country with a tipping culture. In fact, tipping is seen as a nice gesture but not an obligation. Some customers feel the need to leave a tip in a more expensive restaurant. However, there is no percentage, leaving the change from the bill is fine.