Tipping Etiquette
Tipping has no set in stone guidelines. Tipping is entirely up to you; if you can, contribute what you can, but in general, follow these rules. In Israel, it is customary to leave a waiter or waitress a 10–15% tip. Check your bill; some restaurants include a service charge, which may be 10% or 15% of the total. You can put the tip on your credit card at several establishments. Although convenient, like in many other nations that provide it, the tip may go to the management rather than the wait staff and servers.
Taxi drivers are not expected to accept tips. Your taxi fare should be pre-negotiated before the trip or decided by a metered rate. It is acceptable to leave a 5 or 10 shekel tip for the worker washing your hair at the hair salon, unless the owner is there.
Even though you are paying for the delivery of your groceries, it is acceptable to leave the delivery person a tip. The top recommendation is 5 to 10 shekels. The magnitude of the gratuity would depend on the delivery's size and accessibility to your home. People who deliver takeout are also tipped. Give what you see necessary. In this case, 5–10 NIS is likewise appropriate.
No need to tip the plumber, electrician, or other tradesperson's assistant, but please make sure they have something to drink, especially if it's hot outside. It's also nice to provide a small snack, such as fruit, cookies, or anything similar, especially if the craftsman needs to stay in your house for a while.
Use your best judgment when tipping hotel employees and tour guides in these situations.
If someone is delivering an appliance or piece of furniture, do not tip them until they have gone above and beyond for you. For delivery of large products, appliance and furniture stores typically add 200 shekels to your bill at the time of purchase.
A 100 shekel tip per person would be a nice tip for your Aliyah or relocation shipment or container, whether you are moving in or out. It can take several hours to unload, so be prepared with plenty of drink refreshments and a small food to share with them. The bottom line is that you should always feel free to leave a tip if you believe that the service you received was satisfactory.
