Tipping
 

What is the protocol for tipping in Canada. Is it automatically added to the bill or is it up to the discretion of the customer. Is it a necessary wage top up as it is for the American working poor or is it just a amount of money commensurate with the degree of happiness with the service. We don't have tipping in Australia, so pardon my ignorance.

Hello! Tipping is not included and usually, you should leave around 15% of the bill. In Quebec, an easy way to calculate this is to leave a bit more than the taxes which represent 14,5%. However I don't know of the tax rates in other Provinces. Of course, if you are very happy with the service, a little extra is always appreciated! :) Have a nice trip!

Tipping usually brings up a firestorm of diverse responses so you'll probably find there are no hard and fast rules on this!

I'll start you off...

Apart from large groups (8 or more), very few places include the tip automatically on the bill.

Pretty well all servers, maids, etc. are paid close to minimum wage so there is the "working poor" issue here as well in terms of wages. The servers in finer establishments probably make very good wages if their tips are included (especially since much of that is usually "income tax-free").

That's the basics of with which I think most posters would agree. The following is the opinion/practise part...

I used to be one that thought I should support service staff with tips regardless as they do a hard job and get very little pay. But, after several incidents where service was not only not-existent, but outright rude, I decided to switch my tipping practice. Now I tip according to the level of service.

10% seems to be the very minimum level of tipping (tho on a couple of occassions I have been one of those nasties that tips a nickel to show that I know I should tip but that is all that they deserved is service was outrageously unacceptable).

Generally tipping seems to be 15% of the bill up to 20% for better service, and 25% for excellent. Having said that if I eat at diner for breakfast and the service is great, I'll leave a 50% tip since the tab is so low.

You will also probably find there is debate on whether to tip pre or post tax. There is a 7% GST (government goods and services tax) on meals in Canada. Many people just double the tax and round up to get close to 15%.

(And just to confuse you, if you are in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, or Newfoundland in Atlantic Canada they charge a HST (harmonized sales tax of provincial tax & gst combined) of 15% on your bill.)

Cabbies and porters expect tips as well. I usually give 10% for cabbies and porters $1/bag.

There is some discussion usually on whether to tip maids. Every morning before I head out, I always leave $2 on my pillow for the maid even tho I'm one of those that kinda makes my bed before I go and am pretty neat in the room. I appreciate the work they have to do.

You'll probably get a lot of responses to your post; hope this starts you off.

Enjoy-la!

In Alberta you generally just double the gst (which is 7%) as a quick way to figure it out. Our tipping practices are a bit over the top in my opinion but you are expected to do it - even in the face of bad service (which is stupid but most of us do it anyway).
In the face of really really bad/rude service - a lone penny is quite the snub.

Have a great trip,

Cheers.

Hey guys, don't forget that the GST will drop to 6% on July 1.

I agree with what has been posted about tips: in restaurants with table service 15% is par. More or less depending on service quality. It is common to add the tip in the provided line on credit card reciepts. (I recently asked a waitress if this money went to the right place and I was told it did in that particular pub.) No need to tip in fast food places although some of them do have tip jar on the counter.

I find that in some hotels I consistently find that money left out on a daily basis does not disappear. There is likely a policy to not take anything from the room until the guests check out. So you see the tipping thing sometimes confuses us too.