Tips & Shopping
Tips (Napiwek)
Tipping is customary in Poland but less ritualized than in the USA:
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Restaurant | 10% (for good service, not automatically on the bill) |
| Café/Bar | Round up or 2–5 PLN |
| Taxi/Bolt | Round up to the next Złoty |
| Hotel room cleaning | 5–10 PLN per day |
| Tour guide | 20–50 PLN (depending on tour duration) |
| Bar Mleczny | Not customary (self-service) |
Important: If you pay by card, ask the waiter "Czy mogę dodać napiwek?" (Can I add a tip?) — often there is the option to round up the amount. Or leave the tip in cash on the table.
Shopping & Opening Hours
- Sunday rest: Since 2018, most shops and shopping centers are closed on Sundays (exceptions: 1st and last Sunday of the month, before Christmas). Restaurants, cafés, and gas station shops remain open.
- Żabka: Poland's ubiquitous convenience stores (green-yellow) — on every second corner, long opening hours (even Sunday!), snacks, drinks, basics
- Supermarkets: Biedronka (cheapest), Lidl, Kaufland, Auchan
- Amber: Poland's most popular souvenir. In Gdańsk, the largest selection and best prices. Check for authenticity — test with a UV lamp (real amber fluoresces)
- Ceramics from Bolesławiec: The famous blue-white ceramics from Silesia — hand-painted, dishwasher safe, a beautiful souvenir
💡 Tipp
The Żabka kiosks (pronounced: Schaab-ka) are Poland's answer to the convenience store: Everywhere, always open (even Sunday!), and you can get everything there — from coffee and sandwiches to SIM cards. Over 10,000 branches across Poland.
