How much to tip in Canada: restaurants, cafés, bars and takeout

Tipping in Canada catches visitors out in two ways. It is expected far more than in most of Europe, and the card machine asks you about it at places where you might not expect a question at all. Neither is a trick. Once you know the norms, it takes about two seconds.

How much do you tip at a restaurant in Canada?

At a sit-down place with table service, 15 to 20 percent of the bill before tax is the normal range. Fifteen is fine for service that did its job, 18 is a very common everyday figure, and 20 or a little more says the evening went really well.

Servers in Canada are paid wages under provincial rules, but tips are still a large part of what they take home, so leaving nothing at a full-service table reads as a complaint rather than a neutral choice.

The short version: at a table with a server, tip 15 to 20 percent on the subtotal. Everywhere else, tip if you want to.

Should you tip on the amount before or after tax?

Before tax is the usual rule, and it is the fair one, because the tax is not service. On a bill with a subtotal of $80 and tax on top, an 18 percent tip is worked out on the $80.

Card terminals do not always do it that way. Some calculate their suggested percentages on the total including tax, which quietly nudges every tip up. In Quebec, the rules now require the suggested percentages on a terminal to be calculated on the price before tax. Elsewhere, if you want to be exact, choose the custom amount option and type in your own figure.

How much do you tip in different provinces?

The tipping norm is broadly the same across the country. What changes is the tax line above it, which is why the same meal looks more expensive in some provinces than others.

Province	Sales tax you will usually see on a restaurant bill	Normal sit-down tip
British Columbia	5% GST on food (alcohol carries extra provincial tax)	15 to 20% before tax
Alberta	5% GST only	15 to 20% before tax
Ontario	13% HST	15 to 20% before tax
Quebec	5% GST plus 9.975% QST	15 to 20% before tax

Do you tip at a café or a coffee shop in Canada?

At a counter where you order, pay and pick up your own drink, a tip is optional. Many people leave the change or tap a dollar or two for a coffee order, and plenty of people choose "no tip" and nobody minds. If the café brings food to your table and clears it, you are closer to table service, and 10 percent or more is a kind gesture.

Do you tip for takeout and pickup orders?

Tipping on a takeout order you collect yourself is optional. Some people leave around 10 percent when the order is large or complicated, because somebody still packed it carefully. For delivery, tipping the driver is customary, and through a delivery app that usually happens at checkout.

How much do you tip at a bar in Canada?

At a bar, a dollar or two per drink is common when you order at the counter, or 15 to 20 percent if you run a tab or have table service. Cocktails that take real work tend to attract the higher end.

What if the service charge is already on the bill?

Larger groups sometimes get an automatic gratuity added, often for parties of six or eight and up. Check the bill before you tip. If a gratuity is already there, you do not need to add another unless you want to. If you are not sure, ask; nobody is offended by the question.

How do you tip in Canada without it being awkward?

• Look at the subtotal first. It is the number your percentage should come from.
• Use the custom option on the terminal if the presets are based on the after-tax total.
• Bring a little cash for a coat check, a busker at the market, or a bartender on a busy night.
• Tip on the full value if part of your meal was comped or discounted. The server did the same work.

Mosey is built around rating the places you actually ate at, dish by dish. Good service is part of that, and so is noticing which places make a counter coffee feel like a welcome rather than a transaction.

More guides to read next:

• Richmond's Golden Village food guide: Alexandra Road, malls and food courts
• The Richmond Night Market has closed: what it was and where to find summer night markets now
• Ordering delivery in BC: what the fee cap covers, what you still pay and how to save

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.