Tipping (baksheesh) is part of daily life in Morocco, but nobody tells you the actual amounts — so here they are, from someone on the receiving and arranging end. What to give your guide, driver, riad staff, waiters, and the hammam attendant, when not to tip, and why small cash matters.
Tipping — baksheesh — is woven into daily life in Morocco, but almost no one tells you the actual amounts, so here they are. Quick answer: tip in cash, in dirhams, with small notes; allow roughly 5–10% in restaurants, 100–200 MAD per day for a private guide, 50–150 MAD per day for a driver, and 10–20 MAD per bag for porters. It is not compulsory in the way it is in the US, but good service is normally acknowledged with a tip.
Use 10 dirhams ≈ 1 US dollar as a quick mental shortcut, then check the live exchange rate because it moves. Keep a stash of 10s, 20s and 50s — the single most useful tipping habit in Morocco. The figures below are customary local ranges, not official tariffs; group size, trip length and service quality should change the final amount.
What is the average tip in Morocco?
There is no single nationwide average. For most travellers, the useful anchors are 5–10% at restaurants, 100–200 MAD for a full-day private guide, and 50–150 MAD per day for a private driver. Smaller services are usually thanked with 2–50 MAD. Here is the full cheat-sheet:
| Who | Typical tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Private guide (full day) | 100–200 MAD/day | More for an excellent, knowledgeable guide; given at the end |
| Private driver (per day) | 50–150 MAD/day | Multi-day driver-guides do a lot — tip toward the top end at trip's end |
| Restaurant | 5–10% | Round up at casual spots; 10% for good service in nicer places |
| Café / mint tea | 2–5 MAD | Round up the change |
| Riad / hotel housekeeping | 20–50 MAD/day | Leave it daily, not just at checkout (different staff) |
| Porter / luggage | 10–20 MAD/bag | Including the medina cart that hauls bags to your riad |
| Hammam attendant | 20–50 MAD | For the scrub-and-steam; more at a spa |
| Restroom attendant | 2–5 MAD | Keep coins handy |
| Parking attendant (gardien) | 5–10 MAD | The men in vests who watch your car |
“The tips that matter most are the two travellers worry about least: your guide and your driver. They shape the whole trip — give those generously and at the end, in cash.”
— Youssef El Alaoui, Lead Morocco Specialist
How much do you tip a tour guide and driver in Morocco?
These are the tips people most want a straight answer on. For a private guide, 100–200 MAD per day is normal — lean high for someone who clearly went beyond. For a driver (or a driver-guide who does both), 50–150 MAD per day, given as a lump at the end of the trip rather than daily. On a group tour, a common convention is to pool roughly 50–100 MAD per traveller per day for the guide. If a guide arranges a shop visit and you buy nothing, you owe nothing extra — a polite thank-you is fine.
When should you NOT tip in Morocco?
- Unsolicited 'help'. Someone who attaches themselves to guide you unasked (then demands money) is running the fake-guide hustle — you don't owe them. A firm 'la, shukran' (no, thanks) is enough.
- Photos with someone's animal/costume unless you agreed a price first — settle it before, not after.
- When you genuinely got poor service — tipping isn't mandatory, so don't feel obliged.
Tipping etiquette: the small things that help
- Cash, in dirhams, small notes. Hand it directly; don't leave guides/drivers chasing change.
- Tip discreetly and with a smile — it's a thank-you, not a transaction.
- Withdraw a little extra at the airport ATM so you're never short on small notes (you can't tip with a card).
- Budget it in. Across a 10-day private trip, tips add up to a meaningful but small line — plan ~$10–20/day total across everyone.
Wondering what the trip itself costs beyond tips? See is Morocco expensive, then use our money in Morocco guide for cash, cards, ATMs and small-note planning. And if you travel with us, your driver-guide is the person who'll make or break the trip — we'll tell you honestly what's customary so there's no awkward guesswork. Plan your trip here.
Written by
Youssef El Alaoui
Lead Morocco Specialist
Born in Fes, based in Marrakech. Designs private itineraries for Morocco Beauty Spots and still argues mint tea is best in the Atlas.
