Linkat wrote:Mame wrote:I think everyone here is labouring under a misapprehension...
Canadians do tip, it is the norm here, and tipping is usually 15 - 20%. Most everyone DOES tip. I hope that's clear now.
Reyn merely stated he doesn't because he disagrees with it in principle, and I stated I do (so as not to be mean/cheap), but don't like to, because of all the reasons I have already listed.
When I was a waitress, barmaid and bartender, I found American tourists to be cheap; they also complained loudly and frequently. So, there's no point in pointing fingers at one another. I don't think every American is a complaining, loudmouth, cheapskate, but some certainly are. And I've seen that behaviour abroad, as well. I also saw some rude Canadians.
Didn't mean to offend or point fingers - I never actually said Canadians didn't tip; but now have clarity of why in the restaurants that Canadians have a reputation of not tipping well. More of a cultural difference or a non-understanding of the US restaurant system as opposed to being cheap. We took a Canadian friend to the restaurant my husband was managing. This friend offered to leave the tip as I paid. My husband ran to me as we were leaving and said - did we have a problem or something with the service as the tip was so low. I said no it was great - that was when I heard from my husband of low tipping Canadians.
In a restaurant where I'm seated, I generally tip 15% on the entire bill, for "regular" competent service. If the service is exceptional, I'll leave a 20% gratuity or higher. I know some people add up the tax (about 15% here) and pay that, but I've never been inclined to do that. If they're required to tip share with dishwashers/bussers and bar staff, it's often 1% or 2% of the entire night's sales, regardless of what they actually earned, and I just tip on all of it. If the service was only adequate and I'm feeling irritated by it, I'll leave 10% (not a common occurrence). It would have to be abysmal before I would consider leaving nothing, and I think that may have happened once, a long time ago, but maybe I dreamed it.
I tip the waitresses at my local take out lunch spot; even if it's just take out coffee, but I don't worry about percentages then: 50 cents - to a buck and change, depending on what I ordered and how much money I have handy. I don't tip the owners, though, when they're on cash.
I waitressed/bartended for about a decade (quite a few years ago now) but back in the day, waitresses etc were paid a lower legal minimum wage than general workers. I presume that is still the case in Ontario. I lived and worked for a short time in Newfoundland and tipping is customary there, as well. I was a bartender in The Florida Keys, too, and the one difference I noticed between there and here is that even if folks pay for cocktails as they get them, they only tip when they leave. Here, if it's a pay as you go affair, you tip each and every time. Running a tab is different, obviously.
I literally don't know a soul who doesn't tip in these parts (though some are and can afford to be more generous than others)
so if you visit us (please do!), I'd hate for you to think it's unusual to leave a gratuity.
(Gratuities here must also be reported on Income Tax returns.)
Maybe times have changed, but I saw no difference between American and Canadian tippers back when I was in the industry. There wasn't a cultural difference or lack of understanding in this area, IMO. Your Canadian buddy left a crappy tip is all...not indicative of "Canadians."
