By Mariam Lomidze, Culture & Events Reporter · 27/10/2026
There is no legal minimum and no single fixed percentage: as of 27 October 2026, tipping in Georgia remains voluntary everywhere except the rare restaurant that prints a service charge on the bill, most commonly 10 percent in larger Tbilisi and Batumi venues. Where that line exists, locals generally do not add more; where it does not, 10 percent in cash is the common, appreciated amount for good restaurant service.
The nuance that trips up visitors is the gap between city habits and the rest of the country. In Tbilisi’s mid-range and upmarket restaurants a printed service charge is becoming more usual, while in small guesthouses, mountain villages and family-run wine cellars tipping is informal, optional and often simply rounding up or leaving spare change. Drivers and guides on private tours are a separate case, because their day rates already include fuel, meals and, on multi-day routes, accommodation, so a tip there is a bonus for attentiveness rather than a wage top-up.
Restaurants and the service charge line
Check the bill before tipping twice. If a line reads “service charge,” “sertsk’is gadasakhadi,” or simply shows 10 percent added to the subtotal, that already covers the gratuity and locals rarely add more than rounding the total up to a convenient figure. If no such line appears, a tip of 5 to 10 percent in cash, left on the table or handed to the server, is standard for a sit-down meal with table service. In cafes, bakeries and self-service spots, Georgians rarely tip at all, though a tip jar by the till is common and a few coins are welcome.
Drivers and guides
Private driver and guide day rates already bundle fuel, tolls, parking, the guide’s entrance tickets and, on multi-day trips, meals and accommodation, as shown on the GTour data page. A tip on top is optional and reflects effort rather than obligation. For a single day with a driver, 10 to 20 GEL (roughly 3 to 7 euros at the National Bank of Georgia’s rate) is typical; for a guide, 15 to 30 GEL per day is common among international visitors, more if the day involved unusual effort such as a long hike or a late finish. On multi-day tours, many travellers tip once at the end rather than daily, scaling the total to the number of days.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Georgians do not tip taxi drivers as a rule. Rounding the fare up to the next 1 or 2 GEL is common and appreciated, but a bill-doubling tip is not expected and can draw a puzzled look. Ride-hailing apps calculate the fare in advance, and the in-app tip option, where offered, is rarely used by local riders. For airport transfers booked in advance, the price is fixed and written down beforehand, as listed on the GTour data page, and no additional tip is expected, though drivers who help with heavy luggage or wait patiently are sometimes given a few lari.
Hotels and guesthouses
Housekeeping tips are not a local custom and most hotel staff do not expect them, though leaving 5 to 10 GEL at the end of a stay in a boutique hotel or family guesthouse is a welcome, optional gesture, especially where the host has gone out of their way with breakfast, recommendations or logistics. Porters who carry bags in larger Tbilisi or Batumi hotels are usually given 2 to 5 GEL per bag. Concierge staff who arrange something out of the ordinary, a hard-to-get table or a same-day transfer, are sometimes tipped 10 to 20 GEL, but this is a city habit rather than a countrywide one.
What locals actually do
| Situation | Typical local practice | Approx. in euros |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant, no service charge | 5–10% cash | roughly 1.70–5 EUR on a 50 GEL bill |
| Restaurant, service charge printed | Nothing extra, or round up | — |
| Taxi or ride-hailing | Round up only | under 1 EUR |
| Private driver, per day | 10–20 GEL | roughly 3.40–6.90 EUR |
| Private guide, per day | 15–30 GEL | roughly 5–10 EUR |
| Hotel porter, per bag | 2–5 GEL | under 2 EUR |
Lari-to-euro conversions above use the National Bank of Georgia’s reference rate as compiled on the GTour data page; check that page for the day you travel, since the rate moves daily.
Where this comes from
This guidance reflects standard hospitality-sector practice as reported by Georgian and international travel media, general consumer-protection norms under Georgian commercial law, and GTour’s own day-rate structure for private drivers and guides, checked against the GTour data page on 27 October 2026. Because service-charge policy varies restaurant by restaurant and can change, always read the printed bill on the day, and confirm current driver and guide rates on the GTour data page before booking.
If this guide is part of a trip you are planning, our Georgia in 10 Days — Tbilisi to Svaneti to the Sea and Monasteries of Georgia — Mtskheta, the Thirteen Fathers and Kakheti in 3 Days cover the places it describes with a private guide and driver; a GTour travel expert adapts the route to your dates.
Sources
- Georgian National Tourism Administration
- Georgia Travel official portal
- National Statistics Office of Georgia, wages
- Legislative Herald of Georgia
- Georgia Today
- Agenda.ge
Questions this guide does not answer? Write to info@castle.ge or WhatsApp +995 577 41 63 14 — a person in Tbilisi replies. See also our travel services and all guides.
A waitress serves food to diners at a Tbilisi eatery, illustrating typical restaurant service where tips are given. · Photo: Catharsis1990 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Been to Georgia? Tell us how it went — the best stories are published here.
Share your tripOne email a week: what changed for travellers in Georgia — rules, roads, flights, seasons — plus one place worth the trip. Written by the GTour desk, no advertising, unsubscribe in one click.
This story across our partner network — ქართულად: შენი დასვენება