Mags6666

Hi,

I am currently in Vancouver and wanted to know the percentage one should add as a tip in restaurants and if you also need to add tax and if so what is the percentage for this also.

How much should one tip in a taxi?

Thanks.

Aviator

10 - 15% before tax price for good service, some do more. Crappy service 0%.

With margins so high in the food industry I can never understand why employers don't pay their staff a decent living wage instead of expecting cusotmers to do it for them!

ExcitedBrit

I think customers (who are shareholders in big banks) should tip above the range

Aviator

How does one differentiate as to which customers are bank shareholders, do they wear 't' shirts or special bank shareholder hats?

albertabound

My son is a chef and this is the only place where he has received a share of tips. Makes me leave a bit more because everyone gets a share. Only for good food and service though.

Chookie

I always tip a minimum of 10% unless the service was incredibly poor (I was reading a waiter blog, and he suggested tipping even if the service was poor - if you don't tip, they assume you either forgot or are ignorant about tipping. But tipping a few cents gets the message across loud and clear that you were not happy and don't think the service you received was more than a couple of cents)

Often I will tip more, especially for good service. At one particular pub we frequent, we have been known to slip the server some additional cash in addition to the regular tip on the bill because they divide the tips between all the staff at that particular place and we wanted to reward her for particually good service.

dthomas

Meh. I never tip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-qV9wVGb38

Alan2005

I guess that's one advantage of HST. You'll just have to match the tax rather than calculate a tip.

Mags6666

Hi,

Thanks for all your replies. I'm still a bit unsure as in say my meal costs $20 on the menu, do I personally need to add the tax on plus the 10-15% tip? I was out with a friend who lives in Vancouver and she said I would need to add 30% to include tax and an appropriate tip?! So, instead of paying $34 I paid $44. So do I need to add the tax as a customer myself?

el_richo

You pay what YOU feel comfortable paying

YorkshireMatt

Having worked in the food industry for a number of years, I always thought this is where the UK falls short. By giving staff in the food industry a good basic wage or higher, there is no incentive for staff to give really great customer service (and with a smile, I might add).

While in the US and Canada, by making the staff live off a minimum wage PLUS TIPS, it makes them more considerate to giving a great service to the customer in order to WOW them and thus get a great tip.

Personally, I think the US and Canada have it right.

Posidrive

30% ish may be the end result, but the bill you get should inlcude the tax. If it isn't I would suspect that the restaurant owner is trying to pull a fast one with with the tax authorities

In Alberta the GST is a nice round 5% so most people just leave 3 times the GST as a tip.

el_richo

Balls.

Tipping wouldn’t be so objectionable if it weren’t for the expectation and the sense of entitlement by the server and the establishment no matter what level of service is provided.

Tips should start at zero. If a server does an extraordinary job, you give them a little something to show you liked the level of service.

It is unfortunate that servers don’t get paid more, but tipping could exacerbate the problem. Why would a restaurant owner pay more when the onus of a wage shortfall is picked up by the patron.

YorkshireMatt

I just think that tipping is a great way to make sure the staff serving your meal do it in a friendly, efficient manner that leaves the customer feeling that they have had a great, enjoyable meal with pleasant staff. An experience that they will want to do again at the same establishment.

Too many times in the UK, I have been served by someone who clearly does not give a rats arse. The food is almost thrown at you without even a glimmer of a smile. And at these times I will not tip and never had in the UK.

When in the states, I have always enjoyed the service I have received as I have felt the staff could not do any more to make my meal ejoyable. Always with a smile, and trust me, a smile can make all the difference.

Just my view.

james_smith99

why is this something particular to the food industry though ? when they low paid guy sweeping the streets does a good job - in the cold, and amongst the filth - who tips him !! i'm all for the staff getting more money, but all jobs should be based on if you do a good job you get a fair wage and if you don't you get sacked, simple as that.

now obviously thats not the system we have and i feel obliged, like most people, to come up with the tip, but i don't think its right. and the idea that service in the us and canada is better because of it didn't fit with our most recent trip to BC, when i had almost a whole week of something being missed off the order (usually my order as well which is not going to help with the tip when i'm doing the paying !!)