Tip creep and tip-flation leading to a review of tipping culture in Canada

Tipping has gotten out of control in Canada. Not only are restaurants’ automated payment systems prompting patrons for tips of up to 30%, there are even some tip prompts at self-serve kiosks. More than half of Canadians say they’d prefer a no-tip, service-included model that ensures higher base wages for employees. For now, shoppers should be reminded that tipping is discretionary, says Associate Professor Vivek Astvansh in an article for The Conversation. Canadians should not feel pressured into tipping unless they wish to reward workers for good service. “Canada is not the United States, which has an abysmal minimum wage of US$2.87 for tipped workers,” writes Astvansh. “In Canada, only Quebec still maintains a tipped wage — the other provinces have minimum wages ranging from $14 to $16.77 an hour.