Tipping in the Netherlands grows as more card machines use tip menu

A growing number of businesses in the Netherlands have decided to display the tip menu during transactions on card machines, resulting in customers tipping more often.

Tip requests become more common on Dutch card machines

After enjoying a meal at a restaurant or ordering a coffee at a cafe, when it comes time to pay, more and more card machines in the Netherlands have a menu pop up listing tip options. These tip menus give customers the option of tipping 5, 10 or 15 percent, or to choose their own amount. Of course, there is also an option to not tip at all.

Tipping isn’t normally expected in the Netherlands as staff in the service industry are paid a minimum wage and do not depend on tips to supplement their income. If someone does choose to tip, it’s common to round their bill to the nearest 5 or 10 euros.

Based on figures from payment company Adyen, the number of establishments choosing to display the tipping menu is on the rise. In 2026, 22 percent of restaurants use the menu, up from 19 percent last year. A similar pattern was seen in bars and cafes, rising from 46 to 53 percent. 

"This indicates that this is increasingly becoming a standard part of modern payment processes in the hospitality industry," Benelux manager Julien Marlier told NOS.

More customers tipping in the Netherlands

Research gathered by NOS showed that when the tip function is active on card terminals, 61 percent of customers choose the “no tip” option. The remaining 39 percent who do choose to tip give an average tip of 4,31 euros. 

Payment and software company Tebi noted that most people (40 percent) who tip on card machines choose the 5 percent option, while around one in four type in their own tip amount. 30 percent of customers choose the 10 percent option, and only 3 percent tip as high as 15 percent.

However, when the tip menu is available on card machines, customers tend to tip more often. With the example of a coffee counter, Tebi saw that almost no one paying by card would tip normally, but with the addition of a tip request, over 20 percent of customers tipped. 

There are mixed reactions to card machines with tip requests. When speaking on the topic with NOS, some patrons said they found it less personal and felt pressured into tipping, while others liked being able to choose for themselves how much to tip. "People work hard for it. So it's nice to give a little something extra."