Service compris (service included)

"Service compris" is a French legal term meaning "service included", and in France, it's not just a custom, it's the law since 1987. The price you see on a menu or hotel rate already includes a 15% service charge built into the total, which goes to staff as part of their salary. So when you eat at a restaurant or stay at a French hotel: tipping is NOT required, regardless of how good the service was. Many French diners leave a small extra (€2-5 for a meal, €1-2 per bag for a bellhop) to recognize exceptional service, but it's discretionary and small, not the 18-22% expected in the US. If a French waiter or bellhop seems surprised at a large American-style tip, that's why: they're already paid for the service.