How Much to Tip in Canada (2026) | Tipping Guide by Service
Updated
Tipping in Canada is a custom, not a rule: no law sets an amount, so the figures on this page are the ranges Canadians commonly use. Card terminals now often open with suggested tips starting above 15%, including at counter-service spots where tipping was traditionally uncommon, which is why many people find the prompts confusing.
Commonly cited figures differ by source. CTV News’s etiquette guide gives 15% to 20% at a sit-down restaurant, 15% to 20% for hair and spa services, 10% to 15% for taxis and rideshares and $2 to $5 a day for hotel housekeeping, while Hardbacon’s 2024 survey found people most often leave 15% at a sit-down restaurant and 10% at hair salons, on rideshares and on delivery apps. Card terminals often suggest more. At counter service and coffee shops a tip is optional, and choosing “no tip” on the terminal is common. Most people work the tip out on the pre-tax amount; the tax shortcuts below use the sales tax line on your receipt to do it. This guide is part of the consumer guides for Canadians.
Quick Tipping Reference
Ranges follow CTV News’s etiquette guide unless noted; survey averages for salons, rideshares and delivery apps are lower (about 10%).
Service
Tip Amount
Restaurant (sit-down)
15-20%
Takeout
Small change, or 10-15% for good service
Delivery (food)
10-20% (about $5 minimum)
Coffee shop
Small change or at least 10%
Bar
$1 or more per drink, or 10-20% of the tab
Taxi/Uber
10-15%
Hair salon
15-20%
Spa services
15-20%
Hotel housekeeping
$2-$5/night
Hotel bellhop
A couple of dollars per bag
Valet
Around $5
How this tip calculator works
Enter the total bill amount as shown on your receipt (including tax), select your tip percentage (or enter a custom amount), choose how many people are splitting the bill, and decide whether to tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount. The calculator instantly shows the tip amount, total bill, and per-person cost. A quick reference table displays all common tip percentages at a glance.
Tip Amount
Bill (pre-tax)
Tax
Tip
Total
Each Person Pays
Quick Tip Reference
10% tip
15% tip
18% tip
20% tip
25% tip
Restaurant Tipping
Sit-Down Restaurants
Service Level
Tip Percentage
Poor
10-12%
Average
15%
Good
18%
Excellent
20%+
Calculating Tips
Pre-Tax Bill
15% Tip
18% Tip
20% Tip
$50
$7.50
$9.00
$10.00
$75
$11.25
$13.50
$15.00
$100
$15.00
$18.00
$20.00
$150
$22.50
$27.00
$30.00
$200
$30.00
$36.00
$40.00
Important Notes
Rule
Details
Calculate on pre-tax
Tip before HST/GST
Automatic gratuity
18% common for 6+ people
Fine dining
20% expected minimum
Buffet
10-15% (less service)
Takeout & Counter Service
Scenario
Tip
Counter service pickup
$0-$2
Curbside pickup
$0-$5
Takeout (complex order)
5-10%
Takeout (simple)
Optional
Delivery Services
Food Delivery
Service
Tip
Restaurant delivery
10-20%
Skip the Dishes
10-20%
DoorDash
10-20%
Uber Eats
10-20%
Delivery Tip Factors
Factor
Adjust
Bad weather
Tip higher
Long distance
Tip higher
Large order
Tip higher
Stairs/difficult access
Tip higher
Late (not driver’s fault)
Normal tip
Other Delivery
Service
Tip
Grocery delivery
10-15% or $5+
Instacart
15-20%
Package delivery (courier)
$0-$5 optional
Furniture delivery
$5-$20/person
Appliance delivery
$5-$20/person
Personal Services
Hair & Salon
Service
Tip
Haircut
15-20%
Color/highlights
15-20%
Blowout
15-20%
Barber
15-20%
Spa Services
Service
Tip
Massage
15-20% (not expected from a registered massage therapist providing a medical service)
Facial
15-20%
Manicure
15-20%
Pedicure
15-20%
Waxing
15-20%
Other Personal Services
Service
Tip
Transportation
Taxis & Rideshare
Service
Tip
Taxi
10-15%
Uber/Lyft
10-15%
Airport shuttle
$2-$5
Limo
15-20%
Extra Service
Situation
Adjust
Help with luggage
Add $1-$2/bag
Wait time requested
Tip higher
Long trip
Tip higher
Hotels
Standard Tipping
Service
Amount
Housekeeping
$2-$5/night
Bellhop
A couple of dollars per bag
Concierge (directions)
$0
Concierge (reservations)
$5-$20
Valet
Around $5
Room service
15-20% (check if included)
When to Leave Housekeeping Tip
Method
Details
Daily
Leave on pillow daily
End of stay
Leave with note “Thank you”
Envelope
Marked “Housekeeping”
Coffee Shops & Cafes
Current Norms
Scenario
Tip
Counter service
$0-$2
Complex drink
$1-$2
Regular coffee
Round up or $0
Table service
15-18%
Tip Prompt Suggestions
Many payment terminals now suggest tips starting above 15%. You can:
Select custom amount
Select “no tip”
Not feel obligated at counter service
When NOT to Tip
Generally No Tip Expected
Situation
Why
Fast food
Counter service
Retail stores
Not tipped industry
Self-serve gas
Not applicable
Medical professionals
Inappropriate
Government workers
Often barred by gift rules
Professional services
Fee-based
Where It’s Included
Venue
Check For
All-inclusive resorts
Usually included
Cruises
Daily gratuity added
Some restaurants
Auto-gratuity
Catering
Often included
Tipping Culture Changes
Post-Pandemic Trends
Change
Impact
Bigger suggested tips
Terminals often start above 15%
Tip prompts everywhere
Pressure to tip more
Delivery explosion
More tipping occasions
Tip fatigue
Pushback growing
How to Decide
Question
Action
Was there personal service?
Tip
Counter service only?
Optional
Good service?
Tip well
Terrible service?
Reduced tip
Just picking up?
Minimal/none
Tax Calculations
Tips are usually worked out on the bill before sales tax, and the tax line on the receipt makes a handy starting point. Multiplying it by the factor in the last column gives a 15% tip.
Quick Methods
Method
How
Double the HST (Ontario)
HST × 2 = 26% of the pre-tax bill
1.5 times the HST (Ontario)
HST × 1.5 = 19.5% of the pre-tax bill
Move the decimal, add half
$80 bill: $8 + $4 = $12 (15%)
By Province
Province
Tax on a restaurant bill
Multiply the tax by (for 15%)
Ontario
13% HST
1.15
British Columbia
5% GST (BC PST doesn’t apply to restaurant meals, but liquor carries 10% PST)
3
Alberta
5% GST
3
Quebec
14.975% GST + QST
1.00
The Bottom Line
Etiquette guides put sit-down restaurants and personal services at 15% to 20% of the pre-tax bill and rides at 10% to 15%, though survey averages for salons and rides are closer to 10%. Tips for counter service and takeout are optional, whatever the terminal suggests. Many people tip more for delivery in bad weather or for large orders. In Ontario, the HST line on the receipt is 13% of the pre-tax total, so matching it gives a tip of that size; multiplying it by 1.15 gives 15%.
If you earn tips rather than leave them, whether tips are taxable explains how the CRA treats them.