Tipping is now fairly commonplace in Kiev’s restaurants, with 15% being the unwritten rule. Check your bill carefully as some restaurants automatically include a service charge (usually 10%).
Unofficial taxi drivers rarely receive gratuities, but official drivers usually get around 10% of the fare.
This is a locally owned pro Ukraine tourism website. Of course they want you to spend more money and therefore tip. In reality locals rarely tip. Tipping take place in high end places. Otherwise feel free to tip 5%.
Taxi drivers are the same all over the world in countries like this. They will, 99% of the time as soon as see you, judge you to be a ‘rich’ westerner and try and rip you off. Never get into a taxi without agreeing the price. I learnt the hard way in Kiev my first time when a taxi driver tried to charge me $95 to go to a night club. It was only when I got the club’s security involved that he backed down. They are real chancers. We went around the same locations 4 times on my way to the destination.
Author is either not knowledgable about Ukraine or is lying. In most cafes and restaurants, tipping is rounding up to the nearest 10 uah. Even in good restaurants, the bill will come with the recommended tip: 8 percent.
Actually 10% is the unwritten rule.
It’s still not uncommon for locals to not leave a tip.
I’ve only had one taxi driver ever turn on the meter (or have one) in the years I have been going to Kyiv. Settle on the price before you get in the taxi. Otherwise you are in for a rude shock when you get to your destination.