Tipping Guidelines in Canada
Everything you need to know about tipping in Canada.
Canadian Tipping Practices Explained
In Canada, tipping is a customary way to show appreciation for quality service, especially in industries such as hospitality, food service, and tourism. Although tipping practices in Canada resemble those in the United States, they can differ considerably from countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, or Germany, where service charges might be included or tipping is less frequent. In Canada, it is typical to leave a tip of 15% to 20% for good service, with higher amounts for exceptional experiences.
Offering a fair tip, whether in cash or through a positive review, is an important way to acknowledge excellent service and support those dedicated to creating memorable experiences.
Tipping By Type of Service in Canada
While travelling in Canada, tipping is customary on trains, at hotels, in taxis, and for hotel services such as luggage assistance and housekeeping. A small gratuity is appreciated to recognize good service in these settings.
Tipping for these services will require cash, either CAD or USD:
Bellhops: $5.00 for luggage handling.
Housekeeping: $5.00 to $10.00 per night, left in your room.
Concierge: $5.00 to $10.00 for exceptional or extra service.
Tipping for these services can be done by card or cash, either CAD or USD.
For sit-down service in a restaurant:
15% of the total bill for good service.
20% of the total bill for exceptional service.
For takeaway service:
Tipping is not expected but is appreciated. No more than 10% of the total bill.
Some restaurants may charge an automatic 15% to 18% gratuity for foreign guests or small groups. If you have a bad restaurant experience, many people — especially those in the food service industry — feel quite strongly that refusing to tip is not the best way to respond. If there are issues with your food or service in a restaurant, tell your server right away so they can remedy the situation. In many restaurants, servers are required to “tip out” – that is, to give a percentage of their total sales to cover tips for hostesses and similar service staff. Since their “tip out” is based on total sales, not on what you leave them, if you do not tip a server, they could lose money on the time they spent serving you.
Gratuities for Guest Services staff while aboard the Rocky Mountaineer have already been included in the cost of the train ticket. This prepaid amount covers the service provided on the train only, and tipping remains customary for other parts of the journey, such as tours, hotels, and transfers. The included tip amount can be found below, and is dependent on the route and level of service:
First Passage to the West Route: $55.00 to $65.00
Journey Through the Clouds Route: $55.00 to $65.00
Rainforest to Gold Rush Route: $85.00
Gratuities can be paid when service is received on VIA trains, as the staff attending to you at the beginning of your trip may differ from those attending to you at the end. On multi-day trips aboard VIA Rail’s ‘The Canadian‘ train, the staff will change when you reach Winnipeg, Manitoba.
It is recommended to have cash on hand for snacks and drink purchases. Credit cards are accepted onboard; however, as it is sometimes not possible to use Digital Payment Terminals due to remote locations, a credit card imprinter may be used to take a copy of the card, which will be charged at the end of your trip.
Tipping for these services will mostly require cash, either CAD or USD, but can be paid by card if you have purchased an item at an additional cost:
Room Attendants: $5.00 per day, per passenger, directly to the attendant or left in your cabin with a note before you go to dinner service.
Dining Car: $5.00 per meal, per passenger, upon completion of your meal.
Tipping for these services will require cash, either CAD or USD:
Motorcoach Group Tours: $10.00 per person, per day.
Motorcoach Group Transfers: $5.00 per person, per day.
Tipping for these services will require cash, either CAD or USD:
Small-Group Half-Day Tours: $10.00 per person, per day.
Small-Group Full-Day Tours: $20.00 per person, per day.
Tipping for these services will require cash, either CAD or USD:
Private Half-Day Tours: $75.00 per couple.
Private Full-Day Tours: $100.00 per couple.
Private Airport Transfers: $25.00 per couple.
Private Intercity Transfers: $50.00 per couple.
Tipping for these services will mostly require cash, either CAD or USD:
Taxi Drivers: 10% of your service cost, fares payable by credit card, but most prefer cash when possible. In more remote locations, such as Port Hardy and Prince Rupert, cash is strongly recommended for taxis as they do not all carry card machines.
Uber or Lyft Drivers: 10% to 15% of your service cost. Fares are payable by credit card or other payment method through the associated app.
Preferred Partner
Tipping for these services typically requires cash in either CAD or USD. For tours operated by Alberta Blue Sky Tours, gratuities are an important part of guide compensation. Guests from regions where tipping is less common are encouraged to leave a 5-star review. When a review is received, a $10 company-funded gratuity is provided directly to the guide. Leaving a review is a meaningful way to support the tour guide team!
$10.00 to $20.00 per person, per day
(Recommended)
$40.00 to $50.00 per person, per day
(Recommended)
For additional information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page: Canada Rail Vacations FAQ