I Tip At Least 15% Every Chance I Get & Here's Why I Believe All Canadians Should Do The Same
Yes, even when you're just getting a coffee.
A debit transaction. Right: Someone's empty plate in a restaurant.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Tipping can be a hot-button issue for a lot of Canadians.
There seems to always be a debate over when you should tip, how much is enough, and even if tipping in Canada has gone "too far."
Well, I'm here to say I don't think Canada's tipping culture has gone too far. In fact, I tip nearly every single time I have the option to and it's almost always at least 15%.
What's more, I believe that everyone should do the same, especially if they have the money to spare.
To some, this might sound wild — but hear me out.
Customer service is a hard job
Anyone who's worked a job in customer service knows how incredibly hard and draining it can be.
Whether you're a coffee shop employee dealing with people before they've had their caffeine or you're a restaurant worker juggling six packed tables — these jobs aren't easy.
Take it from me, someone who's worked in a theatre, a coffee shop, a bakery and a fish market. It is hard work.
Of course, the counter to that from the tip skeptic might be "well, my job isn't easy and you don't see me asking for a tip!"
I don't doubt your job is hard — few jobs in the world are truly easy (asides from being a "consultant") — but there's a good chance you make much more money than a minimum wage service worker.
And if that's not the case, honestly, my heart goes out to you.
But if you know the pain of having to put on a happy face all day while getting berated by customers because their coffee isn't hot enough, you understand why I'm keen on giving them a few extra dollars.
I can't change the system
I agree that Canada's tipping system is weird and maybe even a bit broken. I don't think it should be up to the customer to subsidize the wages of staff so employers can save some money.
Who's doing all the work after all?
That being said, not tipping just makes that economic exploitation of the customer service worker all the more intense.
When you don't tip, not only are they only getting minimum wage, but now they're not getting the supplemental money that, in some cases, they survive on.
Of course, if I could snap my fingers, all customer service jobs would get a major pay increase.
But this is the system we currently have, and the only way to make it more humane in the short term is to just give that smiling face serving you a coffee a 15% tip.
Heck, maybe even a 20% one.
I can afford to
Another common argument against tipping is affordability. And I think this is a fair point.
If you're in a financial situation where tipping 15%, or at all, is a problem, it's totally fair not to do so.
There is a limit to this, however! It's hard to plead poverty as the reason you're not able to tip when you're out at a trendy $30 lunch spot or buying a $6 coffee.
That aside, I'm fortunate enough to be in a place where 15% isn't going to cause me any trouble, so I can't, in good conscience, say it's too expensive.
At the end of the day, if I have the money for a $5 latte, I have the money to give the person making minimum wage to brew and serve it to me a tip.
It's a nice thing to do
When it really comes down to it, I tip because I love and respect my fellow humans and know life is hard out there.
So many customer service jobs are thankless and can make people feel like they're drones working at the whims of their employers.
And if giving a person a few extra bucks when they bring me my drinks and dinner makes their life a little nicer, then that's reason enough.
Life's hard out there for workers and tips can hopefully ease that pain.
So, these are the reasons why I tip at least 15% at every chance I get! From grabbing a $2 to having a $200 meal, it's all worth a tip to me.
Of course, I understand that some folks may disagree with me.
Notably, a recent Reddit thread dug into Canadian tipping culture, saying that it had "gotten out of hand" and things got pretty heated.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.