"Tipping" Top 5 Page for this destination Middle East Local Custom Tip by JohnniOmani

Tipping is expected in almost every Middle Eastern country other than Oman and Yemen where the practice does not exist. Baksheesh is staple in all of the countries and depending on your past experiences it can be irritating or an experience that you will get used to right away. The worst countries by far for requests for baksheesh are the folks in Egypt and Turkey. Salaries and wages are a lot lower than in Western countries so it is way of supplementing their income rather than depending on it. For Western travellers who are not used to tipping in unfamiliar circumstances, baksheesh can be given to a person for opening a door or pointing out the nearest toilets. One tip is to carry around a lot of small change so that you never have to snub a local in a situation where he has helped you out. Ive been asked for baksheesh in every situation ranging from a man supplying me with toilet paper to turning on my lights in a hotel room. Get used to because it is a fact of life here ;)