Country menu guides

Cover charge vs service charge vs tip

A cover charge is a fixed amount per person for sitting down, usually covering bread and the place setting. A service charge is a percentage of the bill set by the restaurant. A tip is voluntary money for the staff. Countries mix them differently: Italy has the coperto, Japanese izakaya serve an otoshi, Thailand adds "++", and in Mexico the tip is customary but optional.

Updated 8 October 2026

On the menu: Coperto · Couvert · お通し · Servizio · Service compris · ++ · Propinaotōshi (お通し)
Meaning: Cover charge = fixed fee per person; service charge = percentage set by the restaurant; tip = voluntary.

Country by country

Italy: a coperto of typically €2–4 per person, banned in Lazio (Rome); occasionally servizio, a flat amount or typically 10–15%. Tips are optional.
Portugal: the couvert — bread, olives, butter or pâté brought unasked — can't be charged if you didn't order it and left it untouched.
Greece: a charge for the place setting (κουβέρ, kouvér) isn't allowed; bread and bottled water may be charged only if you accepted them — see bread charge.
Spain: usually no cover; prices include service and IVA. Madrid's consumer rules allow charging for bread or cover only if the menu says so, and Andalusia bans a separate cover or service charge; terraces may cost more (suplemento terraza).
France: prices are by law service compris; a tip is optional, and tap water comes free with a meal.
Japan: izakaya serve an otoshi, a small dish that works as a per-person table charge; hotels and upmarket restaurants may add a service charge. Tipping isn't customary.
Thailand: "++" adds a service charge (typically 10%) and 7% VAT, about 17.7% in total.
Mexico: no cover; the propina is voluntary by law, typically 10–15% in restaurants.

What to do

Read the bottom of the menu before ordering: covers and service charges must usually be shown there.
Ask if service is included before tipping, so you don't pay twice.
Query charges you weren't shown on the menu or price list.

On a menu in a language you don't read, MenuGuide translates the dishes and converts their prices from a photo; for cover and service lines in the small print, ask the staff if you're unsure.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a cover charge and a service charge?

A cover charge is a fixed amount per person, the same whatever you order, and usually pays for bread and the place setting. A service charge is a percentage of the bill, so it grows with what you spend. Both are set by the restaurant and must normally be shown on the menu. Neither is a tip, which is always voluntary.

Do I need to tip if there's a service charge?

No. A service charge already pays for service, so an extra tip is optional everywhere covered here. Some people still leave small change for exceptional service. A cover charge is different: it isn't a payment for service, so it doesn't replace a tip where tipping is customary.

Is a cover charge legal?

It depends on the country and region. In most of Italy a coperto is legal if it's printed on the menu, but Lazio, the region around Rome, bans it. Greece doesn't allow a charge for the place setting, and Portugal forbids charging for a couvert you didn't order and didn't touch. Anything not shown on the menu can usually be queried.

Which countries have a cover charge?

The best-known are Italy (coperto), Portugal (couvert, the bread and starters brought to the table) and Japan, where izakaya serve an otoshi with a per-person table charge. France, Spain and Mexico generally don't have one, and in Greece a charge for the place setting isn't allowed, though bread you accept may be charged.