Tipping guide to Canada: When, where and how much to tip for restaurants, taxis and more

Navigating the unwritten rules of Canada's tipping culture can be confusing enough for people who live here. For visitors and newcomers from countries where tipping is uncommon, the shifting social norms of when, where and how much to tip can be even less straightforward.

In countries like Canada and the U.S., you're expected to tip your server in settings like dine-in restaurants and bars. For a coffee on-the-go or takeout food, a tip is appreciated but not strictly necessary. Prompts for tips are also increasingly popping up on payment machines in unlikely places like bottle shops and jewellery stores, where there are no established expectations to tip.

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"This is a social norm, it is not a rule, there is no law about tipping," University of Guelph professor and food economist Mike von Massow told CTVNews.ca. "To me, the strongest social norm is tipping in a sit-down restaurant. The rest have been sort of fuzzy in the past and have become more broad in recent years, particularly I think because [payment] machines can now make it easy to ask for it."

The case is very different in countries like France, Japan, China and Australia, where workers generally don't depend on tips to make a living.

"With the arrival of [payment] terminals, the pandemic, the manpower shortage, there is an increase in places where we are solicited for tipping," etiquette expert Julie Blais Comeau told CTVNews.ca. "When you're not sure, find out and don't be intimidated by the terminal."

While any advice on tipping is debatable, CTVNews.ca consulted with Blais Comeau and von Massow to create an entirely unofficial guide to tipping in Canada for visitors, newcomers and curious Canadians.

Restaurants – expected – 15 to 20 per cent

Tipping is expected at restaurants at 15 per cent of the bill before tax, or more. A good experience and service can warrant higher tips of 18 or 20 per cent. You may be prompted to tip 25 per cent or more, which is generous but not customary.

Bars – expected – At least $1 per drink

A tip of about a dollar or more per drink is expected at a bar, or pay 10 to 20 per cent on an entire tab. If ordering food or getting table service, tip like you would at a restaurant.

Takeout food – appreciated – Small change or at least 10 per cent

Tipping for takeout food that you pick up yourself is appreciated, but not usually expected. To acknowledge good service, you can leave your change or a percentage of 10 to 15 per cent or more. Tips are generally not accepted at Canada's larger fast-food chains.

Food delivery – expected – At least $5 or 10 per cent

Tipping at least 10 per cent for food delivery services is expected, with a minimum of about $5 for an order. Consider tipping more for fast service, larger orders and during bad weather.

Cafés, coffee shops, bakeries – appreciated – Small change or at least 10 per cent

Tipping your change or at least 10 per cent is appreciated at places like cafes, coffee shops and bakeries. While not always expected, consider tipping if you're a regular, using a table, or if you have a complicated or specific order.

A customer drops a coin in a tip jar at a sandwich shop Tuesday, November 13, 2012 in Montreal. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)

Taxis and rideshares – expected – 10 to 15 per cent

A tip of about 10 to 15 per cent is expected for taxis and rideshares. When paying cash, round up your payment to at least the nearest five or zero. Consider tipping your driver more for good service, like carrying your heavy bags to the door. For rideshare apps, giving a good review is also important unless there were serious problems with your ride.

Tour guides and hotel staff – appreciated – A few dollars

A tip of about $5 would be appreciated by a good tour guide, although it is not expected. Hotel bellhops should receive a couple dollars per bag for helping with luggage, up to about $10. Hotel housekeepers can be tipped daily at $2 to $5, depending on how much work you leave them.

Wellness and beauty services – expected – 15 to 20 per cent

A tip of about 15 per cent and up is expected by hairdressers, stylists, barbers, manicurists and estheticians. A tip would also be expected for a spa treatment, but not for treatment from a registered massage therapist providing a medical service.

More tips on tipping

With more tip prompts popping up at unconventional places, both von Massow and Blais Comeau say you should not feel obliged to tip in situations where it is not expected or customary.

"By presenting the terminal in sectors of the economy where tipping does not traditionally exist, there's also another element of a perceived intimidation," Blais Comeau, chief etiquette officer at etiquettejulie.com, said from Gatineau, Que. "You have the option of no tip. Go 'no tip' and don't feel intimidated or cheap, it's your right because it is unconventional."

von Massow says set tip prompts subtly nudge customers towards the middle of a proposed range, because people don't want to be perceived as cheap. And if a payment machine only prompts you to tip more than what's typical, don't be afraid to enter 15 per cent or another number as a custom amount.

"The numbers that show up on the machine are the restaurant's choice, they aren't reflective of what a social norm is," von Massow said. "I think it is also completely reasonable to opt out of those nudge numbers that show up on the point-of-sale machine and say, 'No, I'm going to go back to 15 to 20 per cent.'"

Blais Comeau says there are few situations that would warrant leaving less than the customary percentage or nothing at all when tips are expected, even if your meal and service is bad.

"You could go to 10 per cent, but I would say voice your concern," Blais Comeau said. "You may go to the washroom and find the manager, hostess, and speak to that person, and I'm pretty comfortable to say that they would compensate or do something to make you happy."

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von Massow disagrees and says tips should be seen as a reward for good service.

"Most of us as Canadians feel guilty if we don't tip, we feel the pressure of that social norm, and we will, most of us, if we have a bad experience, might knock a point or two off our tip, but won't go to zero," he said. "But I think if your service has been abysmal, I think it's perfectly reasonable to say, 'If this is a reward for good service, if we're going to position it as that, then in the circumstance of poor service, it's fine not to tip.'"

When in doubt, both Blais Comeau and von Massow say simply ask someone nearby what's customary.

"The social norm is now much more aggressively presented, and people are being prompted to tip more than I would argue that the broad consensus is in society as to what the tip should be," von Massow said. "It's OK to ask. It isn't a law. It isn't a regulation, so do what you're comfortable with and that's fine."