Tipping in Pattaya — the simple version
Tipping in Thailand is appreciated but not expected. The rules are different by venue type:
| Venue | Standard tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Street food / market stalls | Round up | Not expected; round nearest 10 baht |
| Casual Thai restaurants | 20-50 THB | Optional; a small token is friendly |
| Mid-range restaurants | 5-10% if no service charge | Check bill — 10% may already be added |
| Upscale restaurants | 10% on top of service charge if exceptional | Service charge is standard, tip extra is generous |
| Hotel restaurants | 50-100 THB or 5% | Service charge usually included |
| Bartenders | 20-50 THB per drink round | Round up; bar staff appreciate visible tipping |
| Drivers (Grab/Bolt) | 10-20 THB | Optional; round up the fare |
The "++" pricing puzzle
Many Pattaya restaurants quote prices as "500++", which means: 500 baht + 10% service charge + 7% VAT = 588 baht actual.
This is the most common source of bill confusion for travelers. To avoid surprises:
- Look at the menu's footer — there's almost always a note saying "All prices subject to 10% service charge and 7% VAT" or similar
- If you see "++" after the price, it's tax-and-service-extra
- If prices are listed without symbols, it's almost always net (all-in)
- For tipping math, service charge already counts as tip — you don't need to add more unless the service was exceptional
Use our bill split calculator to figure the exact total.
Restaurant etiquette — what locals do
Greetings and seating
Most Thai restaurants greet you with a wai (palms together, slight bow) — return it for upscale places; a smile is fine at casual ones. You'll usually be shown to a table; don't seat yourself at sit-down places. Walk-ins to busy restaurants in high season may get a 15-20 minute wait — book ahead at the better places.
Ordering rules
- Order in stages, not all at once. Thai dishes are meant to arrive when ready, not synchronized. Order more later if needed.
- Family-style is default. Multiple dishes for the table, plain rice for each person, share everything. Personal plate-of-one-thing is foreign at most Thai restaurants.
- Ask for spice level explicitly. "Thai spicy" at most places means very hot. Westerners default to "mai phet" (not spicy) or "phet nit noi" (a little spicy).
- Ice in everything. Drinks come with ice unless you specify "mai sai nam keng" (no ice). Most ice in Pattaya is now factory-made and safe.
- Sticky rice is for Northeast/North dishes. Order plain steamed jasmine rice with most central/southern dishes; sticky with Isaan/Northern.
Eating
- Fork pushes; spoon eats. Thai-style eating uses fork in left hand to push food onto spoon in right hand. Knives are rare. Chopsticks for noodle soups only.
- Don't pour your own drink. Companions pour for each other; it's a small kindness ritual at sit-down places.
- Sharing dishes don't get split between plates. Take small portions to your plate as you eat; let everyone else do the same.
- Thank the staff with "khop khun ka/khap" (women say "ka", men "khap"). Goes a long way.
What NOT to do
- Don't put your feet up on chairs or tables. Feet are considered the lowest part of the body in Thai culture; pointing them at people or food is rude.
- Don't touch heads, even of children — heads are considered sacred.
- Don't raise your voice. Confrontation is deeply uncomfortable in Thai culture; even when there's a problem, address it calmly.
- Don't haggle over restaurant prices. Markets yes, restaurants no.
- Don't waste food obviously. Better to order less in stages than over-order and leave half.
The smile rule: Thai service culture runs on smiles. Smile at staff, smile when you make a request, smile when you say thank you. It's not performative — it's the basic social currency of Thai interactions.
Special situations
- Buddhist holidays: No alcohol served at most restaurants on a few specific days each year (Buddhist holy days). Check in advance if your trip includes one.
- Songkran (mid-April): Most restaurants are open but the city is essentially a giant water fight. Plan dinner indoors and dress accordingly.
- Chinese New Year (late Jan/early Feb): Many Thai-Chinese restaurants close for several days. Check before going.
- Royal mourning periods: Subdued atmosphere across the country. Music may be muted; staff may wear black.