Tipping in Canada?

[BIG_Steve]

I tried a search, but came up with tons of threads with no reference :confused:

 

Wondering about tipping in Canada. Pretty much the same as in the USA? If not, who gets tips, who doesn't, and how much?

 

We're cruising (obviously) so I'm interested in wait staff, cabbies, tour guides, etc.....

 

Thanks!

[Putterdude]

The tipping culture and expectations in Canada is/are identical to that in the US.

[maryann ns]

I don't think we are known to tip quite as much in terms of dollars as our neighbours to the south.

[Tweedy]

15% - 20% is the general range for tips

 

One thing to keep in mind, in BC we are taxed on restaurant meals so when you tip, don't tip on the total price of the bill, tip on the subtotal.

[no fuss travel]

In BC a lot of people tip the HST which is 12%. Watch out for the credit/debit card machines in restaurants. In some restaurants they will add automatically a 20% tip to your bill, but you can change it to what you are comfortable tipping.

[sail7seas]

We tip the same in Canada that we tip in U.S.

 

[BIG_Steve]

Thanks.

[Ephraim]

Tipping in restaurants is generally about 15% before tax. GST is 5% so we often just triple it. Bars are usually $1 the first drink and 50c the next... unless it's an "adult" bar or you are flirting with the bartender. We generally tip housekeeping $2 to $3 a person per day. Taxis get a few bucks or to the nearest full $1 if it's a short trip. Full service gas stations and porters get tipped. Don't tip government officials. The "gold" coin is the $1 (loonie) and the "silver & gold" coin is the $2 (toonie).

 

If you have no choice, you can tip in USD, but it's preferable to tip with CAD. Remember that they will lose about 5% on the exchange at the bank.

 

Also, don't leave pennies, many service people think pennies are a way to say that the service was bad, even if it's part of a larger tip. And in the Prairies it's consider bad form to tip with a $2 bill, the coin is fine and it's an old superstition.

[Sally Forth]

I tried a search, but came up with tons of threads with no reference :confused:

 

Wondering about tipping in Canada. Pretty much the same as in the USA? If not, who gets tips, who doesn't, and how much?

 

We're cruising (obviously) so I'm interested in wait staff, cabbies, tour guides, etc.....

 

Thanks!

 

Here's something a lot of people don't know. If you are in a large group, some restaurants automatically add a gratuity. If you tip on your own free will, the tip is not taxed. If you are automatically being charged a tip, it will be taxed!!! So, if you have a large party, ask them if you can be exempted from the automatic tip.

 

Viv

[Sailingpeace]

Tipping in restaurants is generally about 15% before tax. GST is 5% so we often just triple it. Bars are usually $1 the first drink and 50c the next... unless it's an "adult" bar or you are flirting with the bartender. We generally tip housekeeping $2 to $3 a person per day. Taxis get a few bucks or to the nearest full $1 if it's a short trip. Full service gas stations and porters get tipped. Don't tip government officials. The "gold" coin is the $1 (loonie) and the "silver & gold" coin is the $2 (toonie).

 

If you have no choice, you can tip in USD, but it's preferable to tip with CAD. Remember that they will lose about 5% on the exchange at the bank.

 

Also, don't leave pennies, many service people think pennies are a way to say that the service was bad, even if it's part of a larger tip. And in the Prairies it's consider bad form to tip with a $2 bill, the coin is fine and it's an old superstition.

 

 

I so wish you were referring to all provinces when mentionning the 5% GST. Actually to keep things interesting it varies from province to privince and there are also variations in porvincial taxes. I you want to see the rates ( or need a good read to put you to sleep ) here is a link : http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/gst-tps/rts-eng.html

 

From reading some of the gazillions of heated debates about tipping, I agree with another posted that we do do it a little differently in Canada than our more southern neighbors.

[Tenn4ever]

15% - 20% is the general range for tips

 

One thing to keep in mind, in BC we are taxed on restaurant meals so when you tip, don't tip on the total price of the bill, tip on the subtotal.

 

This is actually what is supposed to be done universally (yes, in the U.S. too) but almost no one knows this in the U.S. You are supposed to tip on the meal total before the tax. Why? Because the tax changes from city to city, county to county and state to state in the U.S. People will argue this in the U.S. backwards and forwards and every which way but you tip before the tax. That's why you look at the meal total before you give your cc because when the server brings back the ticket the second time for you to add your tip it will only have the total listed with the sales tax added in. This can be substantial in a high tax location. We only tip on the meal total. The tax has nothing to do with the restaurant/establishment. It only has to do with the governance.

[Putterdude]

I suspect that many people do tip on the total bill including any tax. However, I always tip on the subtotal on the premise that the server has done nothing to earn a tip on the tax. Having said that I always round the tip up to the nearest dollar which in many cases may equal a tip on the tax.:)

[gentlemancruiser]

In recent years many restaurants have begun using the wireless hand held machines for patron paying by credit card. These machine mean that your CC is no longer out of your sight. The server will bring the machine to the table. One feature these machine have it to apply the tip by, $ or % or not to apply a tip. If you choose to apply by % then you have the option of 10% 15% or 20%.

 

Beware when using the %, the machines calculate the tip based upon the TOTAL bill after tax!!!! I found this out the hard way at The Keg!

[BIG_Steve]

I generally only pay attention to tipping on the tax if the bill is very high, or the server has been below average in their duties.

 

More places are starting to add gratuities to the bill, so I have to remind myself to look for it.