In China, tipping isn't generally expected in restaurants.
Want the full guide? Get a PDF covering restaurants, taxis, hotels, and tour guides in China — free.
✓ Save it for offline use, and see what else is worth checking before this trip.
Tipping isn't generally expected in China's restaurants. Tipping is not customary in most of mainland China and can sometimes cause confusion — it's not expected in local restaurants.
No — tipping is not a standard part of dining culture in China.
Cash is generally the safer choice for tips almost everywhere, including China — card payment systems often don't have a clean way to add a partial tip, and cash ensures the money reaches the server directly.
Beyond restaurants, rounding up for taxis/rideshares and a small daily cash tip for hotel housekeeping is appreciated in most countries, including China, even where restaurant tipping norms differ.
Banks and airport kiosks quietly add 3–7% to every exchange through worse rates and fees. A Wise account converts your money at the real mid-market rate, holds 40+ currencies, and comes with a card that works at ATMs and terminals in China like a local one — usually the cheapest way for travelers to spend abroad.
See how Wise works →Disclosure: if you buy through this link, TravelSmarter may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It keeps our tools free.