Vent: The 'free' walking tour in Prague wasn't free at all...

I was in Prague last month and joined one of those famous 'free' walking tours in Old Town. The guide was great, but at the end, he gave a 10 minute speech about how we needed to pay him for his time, suggesting 20 euros per person. It felt really awkward, like a guilt trip. I only had 10 euros cash on me and he looked disappointed. It's not a free tour if you pressure people for a set amount. Has anyone else run into this? What's a good way to handle it without feeling cheap?

3 comments

3 Comments

karen_perry381mo ago

Wait 20 euros per person? That's crazy, they really expect that much after calling it free. I've done those tours before and usually toss in like 5 or 10 bucks if the guide was good. Making a whole speech about it is so awkward and pushy.

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jadew631mo ago

Yeah the "free" part is always a bit misleading. They're basically working for tips only, so that speech at the end is how they get paid. Twenty euros is a big ask though, I agree. I usually look up what regular paid tours cost in that city and tip based on that. It stops feeling like a tip and more like a set price, which is annoying.

lucaslee1mo ago

It puts you in such a weird spot. You just enjoyed the walk and then get hit with a big number that feels required. Looking up regular tour prices is smart, but it does kill the whole idea of a free tour. The whole model just sets up a bad feeling at the end.