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Visitor essentials

Tipping in Canada: what people tip, and a calculator

Photo: Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tipping in Canada is a custom, not a rule. For a sit-down restaurant, Daily Hive reports an industry standard of 15–18% and Authentik Canada reports 15–20% of the bill before tax. Other services differ, and the two sources do not always agree, so this page shows each range with its source. The calculator below works the tip out on the pre-tax or the post-tax amount.

Last updated October 18, 2026 · Prices and schedules checked October 18, 2026

Tax and tip calculator

What do you know?
Work the tip out on

Each tax is worked out on the pre-tax price and rounded to the nearest cent, so a receipt can differ by a cent where a shop rounds differently. The tip carries no tax in this calculator: it is treated as a voluntary amount. If a restaurant adds a mandatory service charge, read the bill; BC does not charge PST on mandatory gratuities.

Rates: GST 5% (CRA), PST 7% general, 10% liquor, 8% accommodation (BC Government). Checked October 18, 2026.

What named sources say people tip

Customs, not rules. Two Canadian publications are quoted side by side; where they differ, both ranges are shown. Checked October 18, 2026.

Tipping ranges by service, by named source
ServiceWhat each source reports
Sit-down restaurant
  • 15–18% of the bill (Daily Hive, January 22, 2024)
    Cites a Restaurants Canada spokesperson: industry standard 15–18%; 15% is typically the bottom of the range, the average closer to 18%, sometimes 20%. Suggests working it out before tax on large bills.
  • 15–20% of the bill before tax (Authentik Canada, August 20, 2024)
    Says big cities may expect 18–20% and rural areas about 15%.
Check the bill first: some restaurants add a service charge for large parties (Daily Hive: more than five people; Authentik: groups of six or more).
Bar or pub
  • $1–$2 per drink, or 15–20% of the final tab (Authentik Canada, August 20, 2024)
  • No figure given (Daily Hive, January 22, 2024)
    Says bars rank below restaurants in tipping expectations.
Café, coffee shop or takeout
  • 10–20% at a café; not required for fast-food or coffee-shop takeout (Daily Hive, January 22, 2024)
    Says tipping at cafés is not mandatory but appreciated; $1–$2 in the tip jar helps. Recommends 15% on large takeout orders.
Food delivery
Taxi
Rideshare
  • 15–20% (rule of thumb quoted from Ridester) (Daily Hive, January 22, 2024)
    Short rides under $10: a dollar or two; longer rides over $10: $5. Uber and Lyft say 100% of the tip goes to drivers.
Hotel housekeeping
  • $10 a night as one expert’s rule of thumb, left once at the end of the stay (Daily Hive, January 22, 2024)
    Says it is not mandatory and some hotels have no-tipping policies.
  • $2–$5 per day (Authentik Canada, August 20, 2024)
The two sources differ by a wide margin.
Bellhop or baggage help
Valet parking
Hair salon
  • 5–10% (Daily Hive, January 22, 2024)
    Notes nail technicians suggest a $5 minimum.
  • 10–20% for hair, beauty and spa services (Authentik Canada, August 20, 2024)
Spa or massage
  • 5–10% for non-insured massage (Daily Hive, January 22, 2024)
    Says massages covered by insurance, treated as professional services, do not need a tip.
  • 10–20% for hair, beauty and spa services (Authentik Canada, August 20, 2024)
Guided tour
  • $5–$10 per person per day for the guide (Authentik Canada, August 20, 2024)
    Mentions bus drivers but gives no amount.
Coat check
  • $2 per coat (Daily Hive, January 22, 2024)
    Says there is no need to tip if a coat-check fee is already charged.

Customs, not rules

No law in the sources we checked tells a visitor how much to tip. What exists is custom, and the two publications quoted here describe it in slightly different terms. The table lists each range next to the publication that gave it, with the date of the article, so you can see where they agree and where they do not. The widest gap is hotel housekeeping, where one reports $10 a night as an expert’s rule of thumb and the other $2–$5 per day.

The calculator’s starting tip of 15% is the low end of the restaurant ranges both sources give. Change it to whatever you choose.

Before tax or after tax

The two sources lean towards working a restaurant tip out on the pre-tax amount. In BC, the tax on a meal is the 5% GST (restaurant meals carry no PST, but liquor carries 10%), so the difference between the two bases is small on a small bill and larger on a big one. The calculator shows the tip on both so you can see the difference before you decide.

What BC law says about tips

The BC Government says tips belong to the staff who earned them, and that employers generally cannot keep them. That covers where the money goes, not how much you should leave. For the tax on your bill, see the BC sales tax calculator.

Cash and cards

Card terminals often offer preset tip amounts. Daily Hive quotes a source who says using the machine’s presets is reasonable for small bills. Check whether the preset is worked out before or after tax.

Frequently asked questions

Is tipping required in Canada?

No. Authentik Canada describes tipping as not technically mandatory but highly expected in a restaurant, and Daily Hive calls tipping at cafés not mandatory but appreciated. Nothing on this page is a rule. Check your bill: some restaurants add a service charge for large parties.

Should I tip on the price before or after tax?

Sources differ. Authentik Canada says a restaurant tip is 15–20% of the bill before tax, and Daily Hive quotes an expert who suggests working it out before tax on large bills because the tax goes to the government, not to the staff. Many card machines suggest an amount on the total including tax. The calculator shows both amounts side by side.

Who keeps a tip in BC?

The BC Government says gratuities are paid by customers to the person who served them, and that employers generally cannot withhold tips or force employees to give them up, apart from tip pools and where the law requires it.

Do I tip on a bill that already has a service charge?

Read the bill first. Daily Hive and Authentik Canada both say some restaurants add a charge for large groups. The BC Government treats a mandatory gratuity or service charge as part of the tips staff are owed, so an added charge may already be the tip.

Does PST apply to a mandatory gratuity?

The BC Government says restaurants do not charge PST on mandatory gratuities, because they are not part of the purchase price paid by the customer.

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Sources

This is an independent planning site, not the operator or a government body. Prices checked on October 18, 2026; confirm with the operator before you book.