I recently moved from Ireland and I need to be honest about Canada's tipping culture
Sorry not sorry. 😬
I need to be honest about Canada's tipping culture.
I have lived in Toronto since April 2024 and love this country, but there were some social norms that I struggled with at the start — Canada's tipping culture being the main one.
I moved here from Ireland, where there isn't a huge tipping culture. I wouldn't be expected to tip if I ordered a drink from my local pub or got a coffee in a cafe. Where I'm from, you might tip for exceptional service at a sit-down restaurant, or if somebody has gone above and beyond to accommodate you. However, it's just as acceptable to not tip as it is to tip.
While it's not legally required here in Canada, it quickly became clear to me that tipping is the social norm and it's considered terrible manners if you don't.
While I always aim to tip 20% now I'm living here, there are occasions when I feel there's no need to, and I think there are some flaws with the system.
I'm not the only one, either.
A recent H&R Block survey revealed that 90% of Canadians feel tips have become too high, while 82% say tipping is expected in more places than ever.
It also revealed that, on average, people believe 9% is the correct amount to tip, which goes against the 15%, 18%, 20% and sometimes 22% we so often see on screens, tablets and card machines here in Canada.
My intention is not to offend anyone in the hospitality industry. However, these are my observations from my almost-14 months of living here.
Restaurants are taking advantage of customers
Thankfully, it's never happened to me — usually the server gives a heads-up. But I’ve heard plenty of stories where people get caught off guard.
When you receive the bill, a gratuity fee is often already included in the total (which I disagree with for a start!). Then the server brings over the card machine, and those 18%, 20%, and 22% tip options pop up.
Some people don't catch the fine print and end up tipping twice.
It's probably not on the server and more likely the restaurant’s doing. Either way, the customer is getting tanked in their pocket.
Gratuity fees need to go, especially if you're still asking for a tip after that.
Tips aren't always necessary
I should say up front — I don't mind tipping. I always do. But sometimes, it just doesn't feel necessary.
For instance, I was at a recent Toronto Blue Jays game at the Rogers Centre, and my partner and I ordered a can of Bud Light each.
The prices, like at most sporting events, were already extortionate, so when all the server did was grab two cans from the fridge and hand them to me, I struggled with handing over an additional 20% — a big tip for the two items.
If they had poured a pint or done anything more than a quick grab-and-pass, sure. But this felt like a grey area.
It's happened to me at the Scotiabank Arena, too. I bought a popcorn and a Coke Zero — nothing fancy. Yet I still got the spin-the-tablet moment asking for a tip.
Am I being unreasonable? I still tipped! It just made me feel cheesed off.
I feel the same way when I order coffee from a cafe, too, and the tablet gets spun around to tip.
Ontario needs to keep up with Joneses
On May 7, Quebec changed how suggested tips are calculated and displayed at restaurants, bars, and cafes.
Businesses can still suggest tip amounts like 15%, 18%, or 20%, but the percentages must now be based on the pre-tax total, not the end figure.
In Ontario, tips are calculated on the post-tax bill, which makes the tip amount even higher for the customer.
I think that Quebec's new tipping rules are very reasonable, especially when it comes to big bills at restaurants.
As part of the change (named Bill 72), the tip suggestions must also be presented so that the larger percentage doesn't stand out over the others.
That's very common here in Ontario. The 22% tip is usually the first option, and it's so easy to hit that one without realizing it.
Come on, Doug Ford, follow the lead of your Quebec neighbours!
Again, I know tipping isn't mandatory, but with how expensive everything already is in Canada, you sometimes feel like you're being held emotionally hostage when you see the size of some suggested tips!
Maybe servers and bartenders should be paid more by their employers rather than customers footing the bill.
A tip should be a reward for warm and good service, not an obligation.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
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