Travelling Britons are terrible tippers In previous surveys on tipping etiquette, many Britons have cited the state of the economy as one of the key reasons for not tipping, even though some 30 per cent of those questioned for the ICE research said they felt "mortified" if those they were with someone who did not leave anything. Despite such stinginess, most Britons seem to be getting away with it: of those questioned only nine per cent said they had been challenged by someone angered at not being left an expected tip. Tom Johnson, Head of ICE Online Business, said: "Tipping etiquette seems to take many of us outside our comfort zone and while most respondents tend to use a 10 per cent rule of thumb it was surprising to see that so many tip five per cent or less. This is well below what's expected in some parts of the USA and Canada where tips can be in the region of 20 per cent. That's £200 out of a budget of £1,000, making it a serious expense. In order not to be caught short when abroad, Mr Johnson suggested travellers factor in tips when planning their holiday spending - and equip themselves with low value denomination notes of the local currency to be dispensed as and when the butler or bellboy calls. Some British travellers clearly do prepare themselves and perhaps surprisingly, those most likely to tip in line with local expectations are aged between 25 and 34. According to the survey, those with whom they are most generous include porters and room service and restaurant personnel, while those to whom they give least include bar staff, taxi drivers and beauticians. Survey conducted on behalf of ICE by Populus, October 2013. It involved 2,000 participants who had been on a foreign holiday within the last three years. The ICE Tipping Guide (for restaurants) Brazil 10 per cent (included) Bulgaria 10 per cent Canada 15 per cent Croatia 10 per cent Czech Republic 10 per cent Egypt 5-10 per cent France 5 per cent (optional) Germany 10 per cent (if satisfied) Ireland 10 per cent (optional but usually included) Latvia 10 per cent Netherlands 10 per cent Spain 5-10 per cent Thailand 10 per cent Turkey 5-10 per cent United States 15-20 per cent