Are you visiting the UK for the first time?  Or maybe just want to learn a few more tips before traveling to London?  London quickly became one of our favorite cities with the seemingly endless attractions, great restaurants and pubs, and abundant shopping   The hustle and bustle of the city is contagious, but there are a few things to know before visiting London for the first time.

Things to Know Before Visiting London

1. The UK uses the British Pound (£) and the value to USD does fluctuate so be mindful of conversions when planning your budget.

2. Since we’re on the topic of money, lets talk about tipping.  In restaurants, the average tip is 10-15%, although you need to confirm it hasn’t automatically been added to your bill.  You can add the tip to your credit card, but cash is preferred.   Not all establishments pass on the tips paid on a card to the servers.  You’ll even see on some menus that all tips are given to the servers.  Personally, I found this rather curious. I would have assumed the servers always got the tips, but apparently that is not the case.

You can tip the same 10-15% rate for taxis, but most people just round up or leave £1.  Tip more if its a long ride or the driver helped with luggage.

You don’t tip at the pub if you’ve ordered drinks from the bar.  However, if you are getting table serve you’ll want to tip.

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