Swiss stick to tipping in cash

Swiss stick to tipping in cash Keystone-SDA

The vast majority of Swiss people tip in restaurants – and preferably in cash. However, there are regional differences.

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Despite digitalisation, people in Switzerland remain loyal to cash. A study by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) shows that 69% of guests prefer to tip in coins or notes. This is true even if they pay by card or mobile phone.

For 27% of those surveyed, it is important that the amount is paid directly to the staff. “This need for control and transparency is particularly pronounced in a cashless context,” write the authors of the study. This is because many feared that cashless tips would not be distributed fairly.

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However, the ratio to cash varies depending on the language region. For example, the proportion of cash tips in Ticino is 82%, while it is only 67% in German-speaking Switzerland. In addition, people in German-speaking Switzerland usually add 5% to 10% on top, whereas those in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino tend to add 5%.

For the representative study, the ZHAW conducted an online survey on behalf of Bank Cler in April 2025 among 1,000 people aged 18-81 in the three major language regions of Switzerland.

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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