Yes—plan for 15–20% before tax at sit-down restaurants, 10–15% in taxis, C$1–2 per bag and C$2–5 per day for housekeeping. Check for an included gratuity before adding more. A payment-screen suggestion is not a fixed fee.
15–20% before taxDining quick answer
Guidance applies to the services described below; customs can differ by provider. How we research our guides
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Canada tipping cheat sheet
Amounts, whether a tip is expected, and the exceptions that matter. Open a row to see the supporting source.
RestaurantsAdvice & exceptions15–20% before tax
For table service, calculate the tip on the meal subtotal. A C$60 subtotal means C$9–12.
When & how: Check for an included gratuity before adding anything.
Cash or card: Cash or the card terminal; enter a custom dollar amount to use the pre-tax subtotal.
Airport transfersAdvice & exceptions10–20% for airport taxis
Vancouver airport taxi guidance recommends this range and confirms card acceptance. It does not establish a gratuity for courtesy shuttles or transfers sold with tips included.
When & how: Pay after arrival; check prepaid bookings for included gratuity.
Cash or card: Canadian cash or the taxi’s card terminal.
A gratuity is appreciated for helpful arrangements. The older country guide sets no useful current benchmark for substantial concierge work, so we do not present a fixed tariff.
When & how: Thank the concierge after the assistance.
Tour guidesAdvice & exceptions10–20% of tour price
Sun Life’s percentage approach suits separately priced tours. For multi-day trips, Authentik instead suggests C$5–10 per person per day. These are alternatives, not amounts to add together.
When & how: Give it after the tour; check whether gratuities were prepaid.
Keep a prepaid airport transfer separate from a metered taxi or a full-day driver. For tour budgets, check the unit and whether guide and driver tips are separate.
A terminal percentage may use the tax-inclusive total. Enter the dollar amount yourself when calculating a pre-tax tip. Beauty-service advice differs: Sun Life suggests 10–15% for hair and 5–10% for spa, below Authentik’s 10–20%. Sun Life Canada · Authentik Canada
If you choose to give a personal cash tip, use a currency the recipient can spend and make its purpose clear. Card payment for the bill does not guarantee a card-tip facility. Check the final total before approving it.
For a prepaid tour or resort stay, read the gratuity inclusions. A service fee, a staff tip pool and an individual guide tip may cover different people.
RESEARCH YOU CAN FOLLOW
Sources & review notes
Last reviewed . Each service answer links to its evidence. Official visitor guidance, operator recommendations and older publisher examples are identified separately. A review date records our check; it does not make an old source new.
World Travel Guide — Canada: food & drink ↗Country-specific dining reference; publication date not stated. Amounts are guidance, not fixed fees. Accessed September 17, 2026.
Intrepid Travel — Canada: tipping FAQ ↗First-party tour-operator guidance, cross-checked with the dining reference where available. Not a rule for every local provider; publication date not stated. Accessed September 17, 2026.
Authentik Canada — tipping guide ↗Canadian tour operator, August 20, 2024. Service-specific ranges; compared with Canadian consumer and tourism guidance. Accessed September 17, 2026.
Sun Life Canada — how much to tip ↗Canadian consumer guidance, 2022. Its hotel and beauty-service figures are lower than Authentik’s 2024 ranges; the differences are disclosed. Accessed September 17, 2026.
Welcome Pickups — Vancouver airport taxis ↗Transfer-provider guidance specific to Vancouver airport taxis; not a rule for every shuttle or prepaid transfer. Accessed September 17, 2026.
SmarterTravel — Canada tipping guide ↗Established travel publisher; originally published in the 2017–2018 period. Used for service-specific etiquette, with older cash examples treated as suggestions rather than a current national standard. Accessed September 17, 2026.
No amount is inferred from a neighboring country. Operator examples are not national tariffs, and a documented “optional” answer does not imply a fixed amount exists. Next editorial review due March 17, 2027; monitoring is not automated.
