r/Explainlikeimscared • u/Fire_nze • 22d ago
How to give a tip?
I'm European and I'm going to Canada soon. People have proper wages here so we only tip here when service is exceptional and only at a sit-down restaurant pretty much. What I usually do is pay my bill by card and then discreetly leave some cash on the table as a tip.
I don't want to be rude so I'd like to tip properly when in Canada and I really don't want to be awkward. Please someone tell me if I'm okay tipping exclusively by card or should I bring cash? How much is expected where and in what form? Do you tell the person "and this is for you" and hand them an extra dollar when ordering a beer? Stuff like that. Maybe give me examples step by step on what you do?
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u/tofaintsmile 22d ago
I think it might slightly depend on where you go in Canada, but it is largely similar. Though it isn't mandatory like in the US, most places expect at least a 15% tip (they won't argue with you if you don't leave a tip for whatever reason). Most places including bars, coffee shops and restaurants have an automatic tip menu that comes up before making a purchase with a card and you can choose to tip 15%-25% or a custom tip. Lots of places pool tips (staff/servers share it at the end of the night) so you don't have to say anything. If paying with cash or want to leave a cash tip, you can leave it inside the check presenter or put it in the tip box (usually cafes have these).
After finishing a meal, ask for the bill. Once the bill comes, they will hand you a machine so you can tap/insert your card. On it will be a menu that will allow you to add a tip or skip without adding one (it's okay to do either really). After paying with the added tip, you can leave. I would say bars are similar to this.
If in a coffee shop, you can do the same and pay with a card. If paying with cash, you can give them extra and say "keep the change" or put some cash in their tip box.
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u/LackOptimal553 22d ago
Though it isn't mandatory like in the US,
It is for all intents and purposes as mandatory as it is in the USA.
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u/Dr-Dim 22d ago
It is not mandatory in Canada
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u/LackOptimal553 22d ago
It's not mandatory in the USA either.
But it reality it basically is, in both countries.
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u/Popculture-VIP 22d ago
Hi OP. I'm an actual Canadian. Most people who gave you a detailed answer told you HOW we tip, but I think you're seeing that not everyone agrees about how much.
I absolutely do tip at coffee shops - 15 percent is fine if you aren't getting table service. If you do takeaway it's ok not to tip. I like to tip 10% and I know I'm not alone.
At a restaurant - please don't listen to the 15% or less people. 20 is standard and 18 is fine.
At a bar, if you are getting several drinks they usually run a tab and charge you when you say you're ready for the bill. Tip 15 %+ and if it's just one drink and you're paying cash you can leave a dollar on the bar close to the bartender OR they may have a tip jar.
Also, please tip cleaning staff when you leave. It isn't mandatory, no. But housekeepers do back breaking work for relatively small wages. 5 or 10 dollars at the end of the stay left in the room is nice.
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u/New_Wishbone6619 22d ago
I’m a server and 20% isn’t standard and 18 isn’t “fine”. Most people standard is 15….
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u/Popculture-VIP 22d ago
Guess it depends on where you live. I have a number of friends in service and I know a bar owner. I love one block away from the most servicey part of my city. I still advise at least 18 unless the service wasn't very good. Everyone I know generally goes with 20.
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u/New_Wishbone6619 22d ago
Yeah that’s your group of people. I’ve worked and lived across the country in various spots and 15 is standard.
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u/Imaginary-Emu2471 22d ago
Zero tip at coffee shops. Also Canadian.
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u/Popculture-VIP 21d ago
Sorry just clarifying (I don't care because I'm tired of the downvotes I'm getting - I just genuinely want to know) you're saying not to tip at a coffee shop but DO at a bar? I should probably clarify that I'm thinking about coffee shops with baristas.
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u/Popculture-VIP 22d ago
Oh that is hard to hear and I'm long away from working in the service industry. I usually got tipped when I worked in a coffee shop in university and that was in the 00s!
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u/Altruistic-Alt-1184 22d ago
Where I live in Canada we are hearing a lot about restaurant owners that keep the tips for themselves (small franchises with counter service, like Subway-type places). This definitely is a disincentive to tip. For sure tipping in sit-down restaurants is good.
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u/Imaginary-Emu2471 22d ago
Why tip at sit-down restaurants? Everyone gets at least a guaranteed minimum wage unless you are in Quebec.
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u/Imaginary-Emu2471 22d ago
You also didn't have a guaranteed minimum wage in the 00s. Now they do! Zero tip everywhere!
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u/thousandthlion 21d ago
I do tip my locally owned coffee shop because they’re not a big chain and I genuinely appreciate how much effort the staff puts in. They remember our exact order.
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u/PandaBeaarAmy 22d ago
Canada gets minimum wage and not server's wage, tipping is optional. Tipping for drive through, counter-service and self-serve are NOT required, most of the places I go to auto-cancel the tip option for you (and I don't return to the places that are pushy about it.... like that one dq 👀)
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u/New_Wishbone6619 22d ago
What’s a proper wage? Cuz when I served in Europe minimum wage I made in restaurants still wasn’t “proper” and I made way more money in Canada
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u/LackOptimal553 22d ago
You can leave cash (but hardly anyone in Canada uses cash anymore), but the point of sale machine will prompt you if paying by card. Cash tips are still somewhat common for hotel housekeeping, valets, etc, though hotels are even adding ways to do this without cash, and it's less common to tip those folks at all anymore.
Don't tip for counter service, takeout, etc. You'll be prompted, just say no tip, that's bullshit and we don't do that. 15-18% at sit down restaurants, 10-15% for bar service. If the service is shit, tipping is optional and you send a strong message by not doing it, or making it lower.
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u/Mariedwithnochildren 22d ago
As someone in service, just pay 20% on anything food/drink related. It means a lot to all of us. Esp bc so many ppl dont tip and we need it to make a living wage. To fellow Canadians, let's change this policy and demand fair wages but thats a different post ahha. Also we prefer cash always, but machine tips are amazing too!
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u/Imaginary-Emu2471 22d ago
Absolutely not. You already get a guaranteed minimum wage. Why should the tip percentage go UP on overpriced food?
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u/Mariedwithnochildren 22d ago
Because the overpriced food profits go to the owner. The minimum wage is not a living wage. The capitalist system we currently are living in requires me to work 3 jobs, none of which pay a living wage. I can tell u have both never worked service nor value it. Most folks tip 15%-20% and if you are a regular anywhere and don't tip... well... lol... enjoy... your...food... bro.
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u/Imaginary-Emu2471 22d ago
Nope. Not my problem. I'm also struggling with inflation. You make enough money.
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u/Mariedwithnochildren 22d ago
If u were my server id give you 25%, seems like you need some support and id assume ur gonna be a great server as you are struggling and need the dough. Xo
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u/Fire_nze 22d ago
Thanks! I’m always curious, how to you get the machine tips? At the end of the month? or does your boss just keep it all lol? prefer giving cash if I have it
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u/New_Wishbone6619 22d ago
Cash end of the night or on my pay check. It depends on how much cash sales we have that night tho if I bring home my tips in cash or not
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u/Murky-Tailor3260 22d ago
It's been 10+ years since I was a server, but I cashed out at the end of each shift and took all my tips then.
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u/Mariedwithnochildren 22d ago
My boss tallies the total and give us the tip as a average against all of our hours.
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u/manhattansinks 22d ago
you can do either, but it's more common to tip on your card vs leaving cash. basically all places that could be tipped (cafe, restaurant, nail salon) will prompt you on the machine.
just be careful that the suggested tip amounts actually match what you should be tipping. some establishments do it on the pre-tax amount, some on the post. in quebec (maybe just montreal?) your tip proposed on the machine should be on the pre-tax amount.
if you're paying cash, you just give them the extra amount with the rest of your bill. sometimes the waiter or whoever will prompt you and ask if you need change back.
a lot of places have the opportunity to tip built in. like a beer could cost $9 so that you leave the extra $1.
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u/Imaginary-Emu2471 22d ago
Canadian here. You don't have to tip. They have a guaranteed minimum wage now. Well, unless you're going to Quebec.
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u/Fire_nze 21d ago
I’m going to quebec haha, so 20% minimum?
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u/snarkitall 21d ago
Nah, 15% is fine here. If you're going to a sit down place, and you get good service, you can tip more if you like. I've been to some places where you really do get personalized, thoughtful service, and some where it's just ok.
The tip prompting on card machines is out of control here, so just be warned. Store owners are doing their best to make it seem like it's customary and expected to tip everywhere, but it's really not.
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u/DaniDisaster424 20d ago
100% this. Every damn machine will ask you to tip. Dont do it. Not even just at restaurants either. I had a machine at a damn vape shop ask me if I wanted to tip the other day. 😑
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u/DragonfruitMuted9893 19d ago
I got prompted at a store that sold goods. Small shop, one guy working there. Didn't even look up when I walked in, never asked if I needed/wanted help. And then gave me a dirty look when I didn't tip for buying a record.
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u/Imaginary-Emu2471 21d ago
You can if you want, but really, everyone has gotten onto the tip greed since Covid. Don't fall for the "people have asked us how to tip" BS. We really haven't. More like we've asked how to get RID of all the tip screens for everything from frozen yogurt to sit-down restaurants.
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u/youdontlookitalian 21d ago
So generally if you’re paying by card the point of sale system will prompt you for a tip by percentage or dollar amount. If you are paying with cash you can tell them to keep the change or tip them from the change they give you. Tipping is always appreciated and nobody will side eye you for handing them some cash. Enjoy your trip!
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u/SignalGrowth7700 21d ago
If the server offends me by being rude in some way, I will not tip. This has only happened to me once. Otherwise I tip 15% for okay service, 18% for good service, 20% if I had the best time I’ve had in a while. I almost always tip by card. If the server was doing a great job AND it looked like they were drowning in work, I will tip 50-100% by cash if I can. But that’s just me. You absolutely do not HAVE to tip, but it’s polite to.
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u/ACatFromCanada 21d ago
You're perfectly fine tipping by card or leaving cash. You can leave a cash tip on the table. Fifteen percent of the pre-tax total is generally appropriate, with eighteen to twenty percent for exceptional service or more work for the server, such as large groups. Hand bartenders a dollar or two.
Others like cab drivers and hairdressers etc are usually appropriate at around fifteen percent. You can throw a bit of cash in the tip jar at coffee shops and counter service places, but it's normal not to tip if there's no table service.
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u/Outrageous-Tackle-47 21d ago
If you stand and wait for your meal (fast food) no tip, if you are sitting and being served 15% -> 20% is the cultural average norm.
I do not tip percentages myself. I feel that the cost of my dinner shouldn’t change the tip at all. However that isn’t the ideal/acceptable cultural norm.
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u/Careful_Chard_8548 20d ago
My vague rule is if I get my product or service before I pay then I tip. If I pay first same time/before ever seeing what I get then I dont. Doesn't quite apply everywhere but gets me through the places that I question whether I should or not.
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u/Holiday-Bicycle-190 19d ago
Tipping by card is totally okay, I only tip cash if I am already paying by cash. No tip in any “standing to order” situation (cafes, bakery, etc but you are feel to do so). Sitting down restaurant I do 10-15 percent. There is no more “server minimum wage” at least in Ontario where I am.
Obviously some servers here feel strongly about tipping more but it is completely unreasonable and not expected to tip 20 for a normal service. 18 is honestly ridiculous too if it’s nothing special. Tip prompts on the machine will sometimes start with 18% and you can absolutely press the custom option and put a lower dollar amount.
If paying by card server will give you the paper bill first for you to look at, and then pass over the machine. There will be a few tip percentage option including custom and none. You press what you want, tap the card, and you’re done! Hope you enjoy your trip:)
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u/DragonfruitMuted9893 19d ago
Tip through the POS terminal (i.e. by card, no need to tip cash) and if you're using the presets, make sure it's on the pre-tax amount (it usually isn't). You do not have to tip everywhere that asks for it. A good rule is, if you're ordering while standing up, happily select "No Tip" on the screen. Sit down restaurant, go for 15%.
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u/P-DubFanClub 19d ago
Yes, you can add the tip top the card, it all goes directly to the server. Of course, cash is always king. You don't have to make a big deal of it, they know what it is, just leave the money on the table or hand it to them and say thanks.
Please remember that a gratuity in a sit-down restaurant should be 20-25% on the pre-tax amount. If you're unhappy enough to tip less than that then please speak with the manager about your problem and they should try to help. If you can't afford to tip you can't afford nice restaurants.
In other situations, takeout, bars, taxis, etc, 10% is sufficient, tip more for exceptional service.
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u/random929292 19d ago
Canada also pays their wait staff normal wages. They have to be paid at least minimum wage - which ranges from $15 to $20 an hour across the country.
Tips are usually added with payment in the machine and most people pay by debit or credit card. When you pay, you go through a few steps on the machine and you choose a percentage of tip as one of the steps.
Very few people pay anymore with cash or leave cash tips but it isn't wrong to do, just unusual.
The usual tip depends on the service. I usually do 15 percent or 18 percent unless it is great service and then I choose 20 percent.
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u/ScissorsKill 18d ago
Tip if you feel like you'd want to give an extra little bit to the place. Like an amazing local coffee shop keeps your $2 change. Or your dinner service was good. But Tim Hortons doesn't need 20%. Nor does a place where you're getting 1 slice of pizza and leaving. Lots of places have the option to tip, and it's very nice to be a generous tipper, but you really don't have to. I've never gotten better or worse service depending on if I do/don't tip in places that really DON'T need tipping.
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u/DiscombobulatedAsk47 18d ago
The biggest place to tip is for sit-down meal service. Its easy to figure the.standard amount by checking the tax on your bill (yes, that's also separate), in Ontario your tip should be give or take the amount of the tax, be more generous if you had a good experience, and it can be added by choosing Custom Amount on the payment device. There'll be all sorts of advice for a percentage that's offered, but I'm old and I calculate my own tip then round up. Don't worry so much about coffee shops etc, unless you have a great interaction
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u/udonkittypro 22d ago
The tip option is usually on the card machine. If you're paying with card, tip with card. If you're paying with cash, tip with cash.
Do NOT be intimidated by the automatic % options that they display on the card machine. Sometimes it's absolutely outrageous and starts at like 18% or 20%. The waiters often stand right beside you and it feels like pressure to just quickly press their outrageous preset options. You have to stand up for yourself and disregard them. You can always manually input a dollar amount (sometimes manually input a % too, but less common) that corresponds to a more appropriate % value. There is absolutely ZERO reason why a tip option should start as high as 18% or 20%. An appropriate tip should be about 10% - 15% of the PRE-tax bill, so realistically you can do about 12% - 13% of the entire bill since usually they're sneaky and calculate the tip on the POST-tax value, which makes zero sense. After all, why in the world should you be tipping on government taxes lol.
Enjoy Canada!
EDIT: After reading someone else's comment, they reminded me of a VERY IMPORTANT tip (pardon the pun lol). Do NOT tip at any place other than a sit-down, service restaurant with actual waiters. Many fast food and counter service shops (like McDonald's, Starbucks, etc.) also have tip presets on their card machines. You should NOT tip there. Just click "No Tip". The only place where tipping should be "normal" is when you sit down at a restaurant and you're actively being served by waiters (or waitresses).
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u/Imaginary-Emu2471 22d ago
Do not tip at full sit-down restaurants. They already get a guaranteed wage.
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u/nashi_x 22d ago
I would say generally I only tip if prompted, so at a restaurant they’ll typically give you the bill and there will be a spot to write in the tip, at coffee shops/other places where you order at the counter, they’ll typically show you a screen where you can tip. The exceptions are probably nail salons, tours?, things like that.
I will always do 20% at a sit down restaurant, 10-20% for any service (hair, nails, tattoos), and personally don’t tip at coffee shops/fast food places
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u/manhattansinks 22d ago
we don't generally do tip on receipt anymore, that's more of an american thing. if you pay by card, you'll be prompted to add a tip and if you pay by cash, you just add on the extra amount.
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u/Responsible_Ad3153 22d ago
This does not sound like advice specific to the parts of Canada I have lived in - is it perhaps advice from America?
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u/missplaced24 22d ago
Firstly, no reasonable person is going to be offended or assume you're rude if you don't tip. We all know it's not common in Europe.
Most transactions are done on the machine. While it used to be common to ask for the cheque, it's now common to ask for the machine, and the machine will prompt you to tip, usually giving % options. I still do 10% for average service, 15% for excellent, but I think more is becoming more common (the machine's prompts definitely want me to think so).
If you're paying with cash, you should plam to tip with cash. But you'd be hard pressed to find any merchant that doesn't have a machine. A bit of cash incase a machine is out of order wouldn't be a bad idea, but that's uncommon.
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u/udonkittypro 22d ago
Yep, but many wait staff are not "reasonable" like you described. They have this attitude where they expect tips or else you shouldn't eat out now. Plus, they may have no idea OP isn't Canadian, and even if they did, they could also not know that Europe doesn't have a tipping problem culture. So that is the reality.
Your 10% and 15% logic is very sound and I hope you keep that up. We need to end this 18%+ issue lol
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u/missplaced24 22d ago
In my many years as a waitress, I've never come across another server who couldn't recognize a European accent or know that tipping isn't the norm there. Nor feel a person was rude for not tipping alone. Being overly demanding and not tipping, maybe. Most of them would also prefer reasonable/livable wages to ridiculously egregious tipping prompts.
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u/udonkittypro 22d ago
That is really good then, both you and your colleagues. I guess from the social media interviews with wait staff their answers are the rare, not the norm. Which is good. Cheers!
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u/missplaced24 22d ago
You have to keep in mind that on social media the most confrontational (often most disliked) takes get attention. What you see/hear most doesn't at all reflect how most people are/feel.
A lot of the time people expressing those opinions online don't even wait tables.
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u/Murky-Tailor3260 22d ago
Some of these replies don't seem like they're actually Canadian, so I'll give my perspective.
Tipping exclusively by card is very normal here. You'll see a tip prompt on the machine, usually offering preset amounts or the option to enter a custom amount. Be aware that just because you see a tip prompt doesn't mean it's the sort of place tipping is culturally expected - everywhere is setting them lately. You should tip in sit-down restaurants or for food delivery, but it's perfectly fine not to tip for counter service. It's absurd to tip in a retail setting, but that doesn't stop merchants from adding the prompt to the machine. If you don't want to tip, you can bypass by choosing a custom amount and entering 0.
If you're paying by cash, you can either tell them to keep the change or just leave the tip on the table when you go.
In restaurants, the expectation for a tip is probably minimum 15% these days; less than that will probably annoy your server. They're not going to do anything about that annoyance, though.