Travel Tips
Tipping in Canada: How Much, Where and How
Tipping in Canada: what is normal in restaurants, bars, taxis, hotels and on tours, how to tip on a card terminal, and which sales taxes apply in each province. Updated for 2026.
In Canada, the tip is part of the bill. In a restaurant, 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax amount is normal, and 18 to 20 percent for good service. On top of that, almost all prices are shown without sales tax, so the total at the till is often higher than visitors expect. Here is how much to tip where, how to do it on a card terminal, and which taxes apply in each province.
Why tips matter in Canada
For servers, tips are a fixed part of their income. Wages in restaurants are often at or near the legal minimum. Québec even has a lower minimum wage for tipped workers: 13.30 CAD an hour instead of 16.60 CAD (since May 2026). Other provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia have abolished the lower server wage, but staff still count on tips.
Leaving no tip is therefore a clear sign that you were unhappy. For poor service, 10 percent is fine.
How much to tip where
| Where | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 15 to 20% of the pre-tax bill, 18 to 20% for good service |
| Bar | 1 CAD or more per drink, or 10 to 20% of the tab |
| Café, bakery, takeout | optional, your change or about 10% |
| Food delivery | at least 10%, no less than about 5 CAD |
| Taxi, Uber, Lyft | 10 to 15% |
| Hotel housekeeping | 2 to 5 CAD per night |
| Bellhop | 1 to 2 CAD per bag |
| Valet parking | 2 to 5 CAD |
| Hairdresser, beauty, spa | about 15% |
| Tour guides and drivers | 5 to 10 CAD per person per day, up to 20 CAD for full-day small-group tours |
Two exceptions: big fast-food chains do not expect tips, and medical massage by a registered massage therapist is usually not tipped.
Before or after tax?
The usual advice is to tip on the amount before tax. That makes a difference of several dollars, because depending on the province 5 to 15 percent tax is added.
In practice, your server brings a card terminal to the table. It suggests amounts such as 18, 20 or 25 percent, which outside Québec are usually calculated on the total after tax. You do not have to pick any of them. Use the “Custom” or “Other” button to enter your own percentage or dollar amount.
In Québec, a law in force since May 2025 requires the terminal’s suggestions to be calculated on the pre-tax amount, and entering your own amount must be easy.
Tipping fatigue: what is changing
Do you also get asked for a tip when buying a coffee or at a self-checkout? Many Canadians are fed up with these prompts. In an H&R Block and Angus Reid Forum survey from February 2026, 89 percent said suggested tip rates have become too high, and two thirds choose “no tip” more often than before. A survey of hospitality workers from summer 2026 found that two thirds receive less in tips than two years ago.
For you as a guest: in a restaurant with table service, 15 to 20 percent is still the norm. Where you order at a counter and pick up yourself, a tip is optional, even if the terminal asks.
Groups and automatic gratuity
For parties of about six or more, sometimes eight or more, many restaurants automatically add 15 to 18 percent. It appears on the bill as “gratuity” or “service charge”. Check the bill before you add another tip on the terminal, or you will pay twice.
Cash or card?
You can pay by card almost everywhere, including the tip. Cash is still welcome, especially for housekeeping, bellhops and tour guides, so it helps to carry a few loonies and toonies and small bills. See our guide to the Canadian dollar (in German) for exchange rates.
Prices without tax: what is added at the till
In shops, restaurants and hotels, prices in Canada are almost always shown without tax. The tax is added at the till, and the rate depends on the province:
| Province or territory | Tax | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut | GST 5% only | 5% |
| British Columbia | GST 5% + PST 7% | 12% |
| Saskatchewan | GST 5% + PST 6% | 11% |
| Manitoba | GST 5% + PST 7% | 12% |
| Québec | GST 5% + QST 9.975% | 14.975% |
| Ontario | HST 13% | 13% |
| Nova Scotia | HST 14% | 14% |
| New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island | HST 15% | 15% |
An example from British Columbia: in a restaurant, food only carries the 5 percent GST, while alcoholic drinks carry 5 percent GST plus 10 percent PST. Exceptions where tax is already included: gasoline at the pump, and alcohol in Ontario’s LCBO stores.
A worked example from Toronto: dinner costs 80 CAD on the menu. Add 13 percent HST (10.40 CAD) and an 18 percent tip on the pre-tax amount (14.40 CAD), and you pay about 105 CAD.
How does it compare with the US?
The principle is the same in the United States, but the amounts are a little higher. In restaurants, 18 to 20 percent is normal and 20 percent is common. There is no federal sales tax; each state sets its own. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax, while elsewhere combined state and local rates can exceed 10 percent.
Planning your trip? Our flight prices to Canada show the cheapest months to fly from your city.
Frequently asked questions
How much do you tip in a restaurant in Canada?
15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax amount. For good service, 18 to 20 percent is usual; for poor service, 10 percent is fine.
Do I have to choose one of the tip options on the card terminal?
No. The amounts on the terminal are only suggestions and outside Québec are usually calculated on the total after tax. Use “Custom” or “Other” to enter your own amount.
Do you tip at a coffee shop in Canada?
It is optional. If you order at the counter and pick up yourself, a small tip is nice but not expected.
How much do you tip tour guides in Canada?
Usually 5 to 10 CAD per person per day, and up to 20 CAD for full-day small-group tours.
Are prices in Canada shown with or without tax?
Almost always without. Depending on the province, 5 to 15 percent is added at the till; in Yukon and Alberta it is only 5 percent.
Sources
- Canada Revenue Agency: GST/HST rates by province (opens in a new tab)
- Government of British Columbia: PST for restaurants and liquor (opens in a new tab)
- CTV News: Tipping guide to Canada (opens in a new tab)
- Association Restauration Québec: pre-tax tips on card terminals (opens in a new tab)
- Canadian HR Reporter: Québec minimum wage from May 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- H&R Block Canada: tipping survey, March 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- BNN Bloomberg: State of Tipping 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Authentik Canada: tipping in Canada (opens in a new tab)
- Canada Rail Vacations: tipping on tours (opens in a new tab)
- Bankrate: tipping in the US (opens in a new tab)
- Tax Foundation: state sales tax rates 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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