# Do you tip in New Zealand, is it rude not to, and what should you do when the card machine prompts?

> Tipping is not expected in New Zealand. Why the terminal still asks, what locals do, when rounding up is the right move, and how holiday surcharges work.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/tipping-in-new-zealand-restaurants-guide
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries)
- Published: 2026-03-08

New Zealand sits at the far end of the tipping spectrum: not expected, not customary, and adding a tip can even feel slightly awkward. The usual confusion is the card terminal, which prompts for a tip because of imported software, and the holiday surcharge, which looks like a service charge but covers legal penalty rates instead.

## Quick answer

**Restaurants and cafés:** no tip expected. Rounding up or 10% for exceptional service is enough.

**Card machine prompts:** skip. That is what locals do and staff expect it.

**Bars:** no tip.

**Taxis:** round up if convenient.

**Holiday surcharge:** not a tip, and it is unavoidable.

## The wage structure explains it

Hospitality staff in New Zealand are paid at least the minimum wage, with no separate lower tipped rate. A tip is not making up a shortfall, so there is no informal obligation.

Menu prices include service. The listed price is what you pay, plus GST which is already included in displayed prices in New Zealand.

Service is not worse because of this. That is the part visitors find hardest to believe, and it is true.

## When rounding up is the right move

Rounding up on a card payment or leaving the coins is a normal, low-key gesture and nobody will object to it.

At a high-end restaurant, 10% for genuinely excellent service is appreciated and appropriate.

Leaving a large tip is not rude, but it can read as a misunderstanding of how things work here rather than as generosity.

## Surcharges and the terminal

A **public holiday surcharge** of roughly 10–15% is common and legal, covering the higher penalty rates businesses must pay on those days. It is not discretionary and not a tip.

Card terminals frequently prompt for a tip because the software is imported. Press no or skip; nobody is judging.

Our [New Zealand guides](https://clevertourists.com/guides/new-zealand) cover the driving rules and the South Island routes if you are planning a longer trip.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do you need to tip in New Zealand?

No. It is not expected and not customary. Rounding up or 10% for exceptional service is plenty.

### Is it rude not to tip in New Zealand?

No. Staff earn at least the minimum wage and do not depend on tips, so leaving nothing is completely normal.

### Why does the card machine ask for a tip in New Zealand?

The payment software is usually imported and prompts by default. Locals press skip.

### What is the public holiday surcharge in New Zealand?

A 10-15% addition on public holidays to cover higher penalty wage rates. It is not a tip and cannot be declined.