Tipping is a very common practice in service sectors like restaurants and goods services especially in the western countries. When you travel to your favorite destination and attend a dine-in restaurant or a drink in a bar, you are expected to offer a tip to the waiter or bartender.
With the rising tipping culture, there is a very common question among customers – Is it compulsory to tip in Canada? Though Canada is not the sole country that encourages the tipping culture; the USA, Australia, UK, etc are among them. However, today I am going to cover only the Canadian region which has emerged sharply recently.
What is Tipping Culture in Canada?
Tipping often known as gratuity, is an award or appreciation by a customer to the service provider or by the owner to an employee. As it has become very common in recent times, it is referred to as “tipping culture” by the users and customers. In the countries like USA and Canada, giving a tip to the service provider becomes normal though it is not compulsory.
The amount of tipping solely depends on the giver and his/her offering capacity. However, recently we have found from various research that the amount of tipping is from 10 to 15 percent of the total bill. Again it varies from location to location and what services you are availing. Generally, for a bartender, it could be 15 to 20 percent while for a food delivery service, it could be up to 10 percent.
Is it Compulsory to Tip in Canada?
No, it is not compulsory to tip in Canada; it solely depends on the satisfaction of the customers if they want to tip. But in general conception, you are expected to tip in Canada when you dine out or take a service. The tipping amount could be anything from 10-20% or could be higher or lower.
As I said, there are no hard-and-fast rules for tipping, you are expected to tip to a service provider. This shows your generosity and humanitarian behavior to appreciate the service you availed. In restaurants, bars, spas, and other service sectors, waiters and bartenders expect tips, and not doing so may lead to an awkward situation for you.
The most interesting thing is the amount of tips you offer to a service provider. Again, you are not bound to offer a compulsory tip in Canada, there are certain loose rules for various industries that you can consider if you don’t understand how much you should tip. Keep reading to understand this better and how much you should tip.
Also read: Vancouver, BC: Why Vancouver is So Expensive City in the World
How Much I Supposed to Tip in Canada
It is quite normal to tip in Canada when you are attending a service in a restaurant, bar, spa, or any other industry. Though it is not compulsory, it shows your generosity towards the service provider who is typically a waiter or bartender.
You can resonate tipping culture in Canada with tipping in the USA which follows almost similar tipping culture across America. Following are a few rates (not compulsory) for various sectors if you don’t know how much you should tip –
- Restaurants and bars: 15–20% of the pre-tax sale
- Taxi drivers: 15–20% of the fare
- Hotel staff: $5–$20 per night
- Bellhops: $1–$2 per bag
- Uber Taxi: 10 to 20% tip.
- Uber Eats/Food Delivery: Minimum $5 tip.
- Grocery Delivery: $5-$20 tip
- Hair stylist: 15 to 20% of bill
Note – Whenever you wish to tip the service providers, always ensure that it directly belongs to them instead of the owner or to any middleman.
What if I don’t tip in Canada?
It costs you nothing if you don’t tip but tipping is considered customary and every service provider expects it especially in restaurants and bars. Not tipping for the services you availed represents you as of rude personality. However, it is up to you how much you want to tip, but not giving a tip is something that is not expected.
There may be circumstances when you are not satisfied with the service, you can talk with the manager or higher authority for compensatory service instead of tipping. The situation varies for various industries and services you are getting and again, the tipping amount solely depends on you and your capabilities; you are not obliged to tip.
Conclusion
In this article, you have learned if is it compulsory to tip in Canada. With comprehensive discussion, we concluded that tipping is not compulsory in any country nor is there a bounding rule to do so. Even though the tipping culture is growing rapidly, you can make your own decision if you seriously want to pay for any service that too only after satisfaction. Meanwhile, I recommend tipping to the service provider if you are capable of it, as it may add to their extra earning of them.
