South Africa guide › Plan your trip to South Africa
How much should you tip in South Africa?
Tipping is part of everyday life in South Africa: around 10 to 15% in restaurants, and small cash tips for a whole cast of people you won't meet at home, from car guards to petrol attendants. The currency is the rand (ZAR, written R), and cards, including contactless, work almost everywhere.
Paying without hassle:
- Withdraw cash from ATMs inside malls or banks during the day, not at the airport or on the street.
- Keep your card in sight: in restaurants, the waiter brings the card machine to your table.
- Carry R10, R20 and R50 notes for tips. At US$1 ≈ R16.5, a R20 note is barely over a dollar.
Who to tip, and how much:
- Restaurants: 10 to 15% if service isn't included. You can add it to the card, but cash reaches your server more reliably.
- Car guards: these attendants in hi-vis vests watch parked cars, often for nothing but tips. R5 to R10 (about US$0.30 to US$0.60) when you leave.
- Petrol attendants: R5 to R20 (about US$0.30 to US$1) depending on what they do (windscreen, tyres).
- On safari: about R150 to R200 (about US$9 to US$12) per guest per day for the ranger (your guide), a little less for the tracker, plus a shared envelope for lodge staff. Most lodges give guidelines.
- Hotels: around R20 (about US$1) a night for housekeeping.
Verdict: cards for everything else, small notes for tips.
Tip: check your bank's foreign transaction fees before you go: over a three-week trip, the difference between cards can cover a very good dinner.
Information checked in November 2026; confirm before you travel.