I hope this question is allowed here.
A random cafe asked for 10/20/30% for takeout.
Don’t let the POS machines anchor what is considered reasonable… I will always take the extra effort to do 10% because their suggestions always start at something gross like 20%+. And only for dine in too…
It’s common in restaurants and the like, over the last decade it’s been creeping into more and more places.
Minimum wage for servers used to be lower to reflect this but they were brought up to everyone else a few years ago.
I’ll tip for table service but not takeout.
I’m surprised how varied the responses are. I’m not living in toronto but I always feel guilty not tipping when it prompts. I usually only tip the older typical tippimg establishments.
It’s a hold over from days when restaurant service staff were paid a lower than normal wage and customers were expected to supplement their earnings with a tip. Wage laws have changed and they now earn as much as any other service worker. So no reason to tip for simply moving a plate from the kitchen to your table. This will cover 90% of what they do.
For takeout, it’s ok and totally normal not to tip, by machine or tip jar. If it’s a local joint you like, feel free to add 50c, in my head I will cover part of the credit card transaction fee for them sometimes.
Sit down restaurant with table service with waiters has had tipping culture as the norm.
I only tip for the wait staff at a restaurant, I never tip for orders I am picking up for myself. But generally speaking tipping is the norm in Canada.
AFAIK “the norm” is…
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15% for table service. But some places changed the default options to start at 18%. IMO anything above 15 requires genuinely good service.
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Flat amount for beer / barista counter service. I usually tip $1 per beverage. 0.25 for drip coffee if they roast their own beans.
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Takeout you don’t have to tip but people often do tip their favorite mom & pop restaurants.
POS machines have tips enabled by default these days. Generally if you care about tipping retail workers you should leave cash. Outside of barista/bar environments it’s almost certain POS tips don’t go to the person who served you.
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If eating at a cafe or restaurant I generally tip, but only if these is table service.
If I am purchasing and leaving then I consider that “shopping” and I don’t tip at grocery stores as a example, so I am not tipping.
You will find most small businesses program their POS (point of sale) system one way, so if they need the option for tipping it’s their default for all their POS.
No, it’s an American thing.
The expectation for tipping everyone all the time is another negative American export, but tipping a waiter at a sit down restaurant if they give good service has been the norm since my grandparents were young.
People tip here all the time at restaurants. Tipping at Starbucks or some bullshit - no not as much agreed.
Tell them that we don’t do that.
If you’re at a sit down restaurant where the server comes to your table then tipping is absolutely expected in Canada.
While this is debatable we believe in paying a living wage unlike the Americans so we consider tipping to be unnecessary.
@ComradeMiao Yes, and it’s annoying AF!
Yes it’s ok not to tip on takeout. I generally do 0 or 10%. If there is a cup I’ll throw a dollar or two in there.
I think tipping is the norm across Canada.
The 10/20/30% is most likely pre-set on the system and can’t be changed based on take-out or dine-in.
Most times a tip is not expected on take-out (depending on what kind of service of course) , but it is still appreciated by the person who served you, or the kitchen who made your food, again, depending on the type of service.
Oh really? I did not know it was the norm… thought that was a more American thing.
Our tipping culture is the same as the US except older Canadians tend to be a bit more thrifty with their tipping than Americans I have found. I grew up in the US where anything less than 20 percent was an insult at nicer restaurants. I find that here people reserve that amount for exceptional experiences but tipping at restaurant where you are served at the table is at least 15%
For takeout or fast food? Fuck that shit. Ignore and just tap and be on your way.
Moreso in the US for sure, because the service industry doesn’t make a living wage in most states (tipped minimum is something like $2.15/hr there!) . Tipping has been normalized in Canada as well, but as far as I know no one is making less than $15/hr across Canada, so our service industry doesn’t rely on it for survival in the same way the US does.
sadly it’s something that infected Canada. be the change the world needs, don’t tip.
This isn’t the answer though. At a broader societal level we should remove tipping as standard, but as an individual it just means you’re freeloading. Unless you’re getting take-out, the price is 10% more than it is listed as.
How am I freeloading? I paid for a good and/or service.
free loading my ass… I’m buying cooked food. asking for handouts like tips while already getting paid to do the job is free loading.
wtf is wrong with people and their assbackwards logic
but as an individual it just means you’re freeloading
You are frustratingly close to getting it my dude.
I’ve heard that the banks are shipping the credit card terminals with tipping enabled by default, so it is up to vendors to disable it and most are not doing it. There are all sorts traditionally non tipping business across Canada that now ask for tips on the terminal. There is almost always an option for either no tip or custom where you can enter 0.
Thank you for your reply. That is interesting to know.
Is it still culturally okay to not tip? I found the options also shocking.
Places that have traditionally relied on tipping such as waiters and delivery drivers it would be considered uncouth to not tip.
Places that have not traditionally relied on tips such as fast food or take out it is considered perfectly normal to not tip. Anecdotally I have seen stories online that the employees of these traditionally non tipping business often don’t receive the tips anyway, so all the more reason not to do so.
Those places that relied on tips also traditionally got paid less than minimum wage, after covid that carve out was removed. Now it’s the higher minimum wage + tips.
