How much do you tip in Toronto? Tipping and HST on Ontario restaurant bills

A Toronto restaurant bill has two numbers that are not on the menu: 13 percent HST, and the tip. Here is how both work, so the total is never a surprise.

How much should you tip in Toronto?

At a sit-down restaurant with a server, 15 to 20 percent of the bill before tax is normal in Toronto. Fifteen is fine for good, ordinary service. Eighteen is a very common figure. Twenty or more says the service was excellent.

Tip on the subtotal before HST. If the terminal's suggested percentages are based on the total with tax, use the custom option.

What is HST on a Toronto restaurant bill?

Ontario uses the Harmonized Sales Tax, which combines the 5 percent federal GST and an 8 percent provincial portion into a single 13 percent tax. It applies to restaurant meals and drinks. For example, a dinner that adds up to $100 on the menu becomes $113 with tax, before the tip.

Is there tax on a coffee in Ontario?

Ontario has a useful exception. When the total price before HST of the qualifying prepared food and drinks you buy at one time is $4.00 or less, the provincial part of the HST is rebated at the till, so only the 5 percent GST is charged. A cheap coffee or a single pastry may therefore be taxed at 5 percent rather than 13. Alcohol does not qualify, and once the total goes over $4.00 the full 13 percent applies. The Canada Revenue Agency sets the rule.

How do you work out a tip in Toronto?

Take the subtotal before HST. For example:

Pre-tax subtotal	15% tip	18% tip	20% tip
$40	$6.00	$7.20	$8.00
$80	$12.00	$14.40	$16.00
$150	$22.50	$27.00	$30.00

A quick mental shortcut: find 10 percent by moving the decimal point, then add half again for 15, or double it for 20.

Do you tip at Toronto coffee shops and counters?

At a counter where you order and pick up your own food or coffee, tipping is optional. The card terminal will often ask anyway. A small tip or no tip are both normal. If a café brings food to your table and clears it, leaving around 10 percent is a kind gesture.

Do you tip on takeout and delivery in Toronto?

For takeout you collect yourself, tipping is optional; some people leave around 10 percent on a large or complicated order. For delivery, tipping the driver is customary, usually at checkout in the app. Tip a little more in bad weather or for a long trip.

How much do you tip at a bar in Toronto?

A dollar or two per drink at the bar, or 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax tab with table service. Remember the drinking age in Ontario is 19, and ID is checked often.

Do Toronto restaurants add automatic gratuity?

Some do for larger groups, often six or eight people or more. If a gratuity appears on the bill, it is your tip, and you do not need to add more unless you want to. Check before paying, especially on a big group dinner.

Do you tip on the discounted price or the full price?

Tip on what the meal would have cost before the discount. If part of your bill was comped, covered by a gift card or reduced by a promotion, the server still did the full amount of work. This applies to festival menus, birthday freebies and deals alike. It is a small detail that servers notice.

What about festivals like Summerlicious?

During Toronto's prix fixe festivals, Summerlicious and Winterlicious, the menu price is fixed, but tax and tip are still added. Tip on the full value of the meal, as you would any other time. Servers often work their hardest during these busy weeks.

What else should you know about paying in Toronto?

• Tap to pay is everywhere, and servers usually bring a portable terminal.
• Ask to split the bill before the server prints it.
• Bring your own wine is possible at restaurants with a special endorsement, usually with a corkage fee.
• Check for added fees. If a line on the bill is unclear, ask what it is.

Mosey is about the places people actually ate at, and what was worth ordering. Knowing exactly what the bill will look like lets you enjoy the meal instead of doing sums at the table.

More guides to read next:

• Mississauga and Brampton food guide: Punjabi, Pakistani and Caribbean food in Peel Region
• Kensington Market food guide: how to eat your way through it
• St. Lawrence Market guide: what to eat and when to go

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