In short. Tipping in Morocco is normal and expected in many places, but the amounts are small. A tip of 10 percent in a restaurant is good. A tip of 20 to 50 dirhams for a guide or driver is normal. This guide explains how much to tip, when to tip, and when not to tip, so you can pay with confidence and without stress.
The basic rule
Tipping in Morocco is a thank you, not a duty. People tip for good service, and the amount depends on the service. In restaurants, 10 percent is normal. In cafes, round up the bill or leave a few coins. For a guide or a driver, tip at the end of the day or the trip. For a hotel porter, tip 10 to 20 dirhams per bag.
Pay tips in cash, in dirhams. Cards do not work for tips in most places. Keep small notes and coins in your pocket for the day. A 20 dirham note, a 50 dirham note and some 5 and 10 dirham coins cover most tips. Change a large note in a shop or a cafe before you need it.
Restaurants and cafes
In a restaurant, a tip of 10 percent is normal if the service is good. Some restaurants add a service charge to the bill. If the bill says service is included, you do not need to tip, but you can leave a few coins. Lunch on the road costs about 8 to 20 euros per person, so a tip of 10 to 20 dirhams is normal.
In a cafe, round up the bill or leave 5 to 10 dirhams. For a mint tea that costs 10 dirhams, leave 2 or 3 dirhams. In a small street cafe, a few coins are enough. Do not tip in a fast food place or at a market stall. Pay the price you agreed and move on.
Guides and drivers
For a local guide in Fes or Marrakech, tip 50 to 100 dirhams for a half-day tour, and 100 to 200 dirhams for a full day. The amount depends on the length and the quality. For a desert tour driver, tip 100 to 200 dirhams per person for a 3-day tour, or more if the driver was good. Tip at the end of the trip, in cash, with a thank you.
For a camel guide at the desert camp, tip 20 to 50 dirhams per person. For the camp staff, a tip of 50 dirhams per person for the night is normal. You can give the tip to the camp manager, who shares it. Do not tip every person you meet. One tip for the team is enough.
Hotels and riads
For a hotel porter who carries your bag, tip 10 to 20 dirhams per bag. For housekeeping, leave 20 dirhams per day on the bed or the table. For a riad host who helps you a lot, a tip of 50 dirhams at the end of your stay is kind. You do not need to tip at check-in or for a simple question.
If you stay in a small riad, the host often does many jobs. A tip at the end shows you noticed. If the service was poor, you can tip less or not at all. Tipping is a thank you, so it should match the service. Do not feel you must tip for every small thing.
Taxis and small services
For a taxi, round up the fare or add 5 to 10 dirhams. If the driver helps with bags or waits for you, add more. Agree the price before you get in, because most taxis in the medina do not use a meter. A small tip does not change a bad price, so agree first and tip after.
For a toilet attendant, tip 2 to 5 dirhams. For a person who watches your car, tip 5 to 10 dirhams. For a shoe cleaner or a street helper, tip a few coins if you use the service. Do not pay for help you did not ask for. A polite no is enough.
When not to tip
Do not tip in a shop or a market stall. The price you agree is the price. Do not tip a person who follows you and offers help you did not ask for. Do not tip in a government office or at a museum ticket desk. Do not tip if the service was rude or the price was unfair. A tip is a thank you, not a tax.
Do not tip in euros or dollars if you can pay in dirhams. The person has to change the money, and they lose value. Change your money in a bank or a bureau in the city, and keep small notes for tips. If you have only large notes, ask a shop for change before you tip.
How much cash to carry for tips
For a 7-day trip, carry about 300 to 500 dirhams in small notes and coins for tips. That covers restaurants, guides, drivers and hotels. For a 3-day desert tour, carry about 200 to 300 dirhams for tips. Keep the tip money in a separate pocket, so you do not open your wallet in the street.
Take cash from an ATM in Marrakech or Fes before the desert. There are no ATMs in the desert or in small villages. A small amount of cash per day is enough for tips, lunch and drinks. Cards work in hotels and in big restaurants, but not for tips.
A tipping checklist for your trip
Use this checklist for tipping on a Morocco trip. Keep 300 to 500 dirhams in small notes and coins for a 7-day trip, and 200 to 300 dirhams for a 3-day desert tour. Keep the tip money in a separate pocket, so you do not open your wallet in the street. Tip 10 percent in a restaurant if the service is good, and round up the bill in a cafe. Tip a half-day guide 50 to 100 dirhams, a full-day guide 100 to 200 dirhams, and a desert tour driver 100 to 200 dirhams per person for a 3-day tour. Tip the camel guide 20 to 50 dirhams per person, and the camp staff 50 dirhams per person for the night.
Tip a hotel porter 10 to 20 dirhams per bag, and leave 20 dirhams per day for housekeeping. Tip a taxi by rounding up the fare, and agree the price before you get in. Do not tip in a shop, a market stall, a government office or at a museum ticket desk. Do not tip for help you did not ask for. Pay all tips in dirhams, because the person has to change foreign money and loses value. Take cash from an ATM in Marrakech or Fes before the desert, because there are no ATMs in the desert or in small villages.
