Insider's Guide to Tipping on Your Mexican Journey

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Ever found yourself fumbling with foreign currency or second-guessing the right amount to tip while on vacation? Say goodbye to those awkward tipping moments in Mexico as we navigate you through the customs and conventions of expressing gratitude through gratuities. From the bustling eateries of Mexico City to the serene resorts of Riviera Maya, our latest episode ensures that you're always on point with your pesos, whether you're rewarding your server, hotel staff, or tour guide. We dissect the often-debated topic of tipping in US dollars versus local currency, offering insight on the most respectful and practical way to show your appreciation without causing inconvenience to those on the receiving end.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
As US expats in Mexico, a lot of us keep in
touch with what's going on inthe US via social media.
We also get a lot of questionsfrom US friends and family who
are thinking of coming to visitand see a lot of questions from
tourists planning a trip.
One of the most frequentquestions we get revolves around
tipping at hotels, restaurants,drivers and other people while

(00:23):
in Mexico.
Here are the answers.
The first question we get abouttipping is always how much
should I tip?
The answer varies but, likeeverywhere in the world, it's up
to you how much you tip.
But the recommended amount inMexico is between 10-20% of the
total bill.
An expensive tourist area's 15%of the restaurant bill is a

(00:44):
pretty good standard.
Same for the bartender, spatreatments, massages, barbers
and hairdressers 25-50 pesos perday.
For hotel housekeeping, 40-50pesos for hotel porters.
For a tour guide in a largegroup, around 100 pesos.
For a smaller private tour,200-400 pesos per person.
Another question we often get isshould we tip in US dollars or

(01:08):
Mexican pesos?
This one has an easy answer.
While tips in either currencyare greatly appreciated, the
preferred currency is always thelocal currency of the country
you're visiting.
So in Mexico, give tips inpesos whenever possible.
The first problem with tippingin dollars is that those tips
require the person who receivesthem to exchange their dollars

(01:28):
to pesos in order to spend them.
This means going to the Casa deCambio or currency exchange,
and these places require apassport to exchange the money.
Most of the locals don't havethe necessary documentation to
do this and even if they do,they get a less than ideal
exchange rate and pay high feesfor the exchange.
Second, while some banks willexchange dollars for pesos, few

(01:51):
service people have bankaccounts, particularly bank
accounts, that they can depositUS dollars into.
Third, any businesses that takeUS dollars are generally large
chain stores like Walmart, andare few and far between
requiring locals to travel,sometimes great distances.
And fourth, when you'revisiting a foreign country, it's

(02:11):
always a sign of respect to usethe local currency.
You wouldn't even think oftipping in pesos in the US.
Why would you tip in dollars inMexico?
And finally, there may besituations where you may have no
choice but to tip in UScurrency.
Maybe you spent all your pesosand only have US dollars.
It's okay.
These tips are stillappreciated, but remember, don't

(02:32):
use coins and be sure yourdollars are in pristine
condition.
Mexican law states that legalcurrency must not be torn,
marked or marred in any way.
If you follow these guidelines,you'll be making sure that the
service people you tip are ableto make the most of their hard
earned money.