Good to know
Good to Know
- Carry multiple small bills (ones, fives, tens)—tipping happens frequently and many informal venues are cash-only for tips.
- Hawaii has no standard sales tax; instead, a General Excise Tax (GET) is applied and may vary by county. Always calculate tips on the pre-tax subtotal shown on your receipt, not the final total.
- Service workers in Hawaii rely heavily on tips as part of their income due to relatively low base wages—tips are not optional social gestures but a genuine part of compensation.
- Automatic gratuity is commonly added for groups of 6+; check your bill before adding additional tips to avoid double-tipping.
- For hotel housekeeping, tip daily (each morning) rather than only at checkout, since different staff may clean your room on different days.
ATM Fees
- Status
- Information not currently available for Maui-specific ATM fees
Tipping Norms
- Currency For Tipping
- USD (cash or credit card). Tip on pre-tax subtotal, not on the final tax-inclusive total.
Bars
- Per Drink
- $1-2 per simple drink
- Alternative
- 15-20% of tab if running a check
- Complex Cocktails
- $2-3 for drinks requiring significant preparation
Hotels
- Valet
- $2-5 when car is returned
- Bellhop
- $1-2 per bag
Housekeeping
- Amount
- $5-7 per night
- Important Note
- Tip daily (leave cash on pillow/nightstand each morning), not just at checkout, as different staff may clean on different days.
Other Services
- Nail Salons
- 15-20%, cash preferred in smaller salons
- Spa Services
- 15-20% of service cost
- Parking Valet
- $2-5 when car is returned
- Taxis Ride Share
- 15-20% of fare
- Hair Salons Barbers
- 15-20% of service cost
Automatic Gratuity
- Trigger
- Parties of 6 or more at many restaurants
- Shown As
- Service charge, auto gratuity, or gratuity on receipt
- Your Obligation
- No obligation to tip additionally, though $1-2 extra for exceptional service is common
Food Trucks Casual
- Amount
- $1-3 per plate into tip jar
- Notes
- Common at food trucks, plate-lunch spots, and casual counters.
Restaurants Sit Down
- Percentage
- 15-20%
- Calculation Basis
- Pre-tax subtotal
- Notes
- 20% is increasingly expected given Hawaii's high cost of living and service workers' lower base wages.
Tours And Activities
- Private Tours
- 15-20% of total tour package cost
- Snorkeling Tours
- $10-20 per person
- Group Tours 2 Hour
- $5 per person
- Boat And Helicopter
- $10 per hour per person
- Group Tours Full Day
- $20 per person
- Group Tours Half Day 4 Hour
- $10 per person
Restaurants Counter Service
- Style
- Tip jar or optional add-on at payment terminal
- Amount
- 10% or a few dollars per plate
- Notes
- No obligation, but appreciated. Rounding up is common.
Card Acceptance
- Overview
- Credit and debit cards are widely accepted across Maui at restaurants, hotels, shops, and most tourist-facing businesses. The U.S. standard payment infrastructure applies.
- Widespread
- Yes
- Notes
- Cash is still preferred for tips and small informal transactions (food trucks, tip jars, casual vendors).
Banking
- Setup Difficulty
- Moderate
- Account Types Available
- Checking, savings, credit accounts available
- Requirements For Visitors
- Most US banks (Bank of Hawaii, First Hawaiian Bank, American Savings Bank) require valid ID, SSN or ITIN for US citizens; non-US citizens face more restrictive policies. Remote account opening options limited.
Major Branches
Bank of Hawaii
- Locations
- Multiple (Kahului, Lahaina, Wailea, Kihei)
First Hawaiian Bank
- Locations
- Multiple locations across Maui
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this money & payments research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Maui
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.