Tipping more during the pandemic? Some Canadians say expectations have gone up

Restaurateursand industry expertssay hospitality workersneed higher tips to offset their losses during the pandemic and are asking customers to help out.

With the dualchallenges of a labour shortage and increasing food costs, CBC food columnist Shiva Reddy says the minimum tip should be at least 18 per cent in B.C., even fortakeout.

If customers have a goodor outstandingexperienceshe says20 per cent and beyond is ideal.

"People who are working incredibly hard, who are still not making a livable wage. We're still putting so many, so much of their resources towards making this meal perfect for you," she said.

A study from June 2021 surveyed1,000 Canadians and found 20 per cent anticipate tipping more than they did prior to COVID-19 while a majority 71 per cent do not expect to changetheir tipping habits.

The research suggests48 per cent ofCanadians feelthere is morepressure to givea decent tip since the pandemic.

Generous tipping can create a'warm glow,' says Poppy Riddle, a researcher at Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics LabinTruro, Nova Scotia,and co-author of the study.

"That warm glow framework is connectedness, relatedness, being able to relate to the people, you're tipping, or feeling that that whole experience is bringing you some sort of social connection." she said.

Shifting tipping habits

Changing attitudes may be the result of customers seeing the challenges faced byrestaurants during the COVID-19pandemic, saysHassel Aviles, executive director of Not 9 to 5, a Toronto-based organization advocating for mental health in the food service sector.

"This entire industry has gone through a collective grief, to a global trauma."

Avilesremains concerned aboutan exodus of workers from the restaurant industry.

"There's a labour shortage and staffing crisis like we've never seen in this industry, so you may be doing three roles for the price of one," she said.

The industry has lost an estimated40,000 workersover the past 16 months in B.C.,Ian Tostenson, B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association president, toldCBC in June.

Expectations are higher

Hassel agrees tips can go a long way but she argues the ultimate goal should beto abolish tips and create a more equitable work environment prioritizing fair pay. But she acknowledges that won't be aneasy or quick change.

"What we're talking about is providing a livable wage for folks," she said.

The pandemic has inspired some others to think of new tipping systems.

Gringo,a taco joint in Vancouver's Gastown, shifted to an equal pay system in 2020 in whichemployees get equal pay and also pool their tips for an equal tip atthe end of the week.

"It was the mentality where you can't get the tips from food sales if you don't have anyone working in the kitchen. And kind of vice versa," said Shoel Davidson, co-owner of Gringo."We also noticed is that thenall the staff were really prepared to help each other out more equally."

The Automatic Tip

The pandemic has also legitimized the use of automatic tipping atpayment terminals and ditching cash tips.

Davidson sayswith the pandemic and concerns over handling cash, he's seenpayments switchalmost exclusively to debit and credit cards.

Paymentmachines withautomatic tip percentagesare especially advantageous to credit card companies, said University of Guelph hospitality professor Bruce McAdams.

"Credit card companies and the payment processing companies charge a percentage fee on credit card uses so it is advantageous for these companies to have people increasing their spending with the addition of tips, or with higher tipping percentages," saidMcAdams.

Takeout orders need tips, too, say servers

While restaurants may trynew tipping approaches in-house, Reddy and Aviles say customers should reflect on their takeout tipping habits or as more people dine from home.

Micaela Edwards is a server in Vancouver and says a lack of tipping on takeout orders particularly hitkitchen staff who are still doing the same amount of work to meet food orders.

"If somebody orders takeout, we still tip the kitchen out. So if we're not getting tips, that kind of comes from us, obviously, if it's a small order, it's not a lot of money."

Both Edwards and Vancouver server Julian Gould, 25,agree that takeout tipping is not routine for many customers yettakeout tipscan go a long way for staff.

"If we do a night that is 60 per cent or 70 per cent takeout and we're not getting tipped on that. You know, that's the difference of a shift that could potentially help me pay my rent and car insurance, as opposed to not," says Gould.

"I think if people are just as nice and understanding and compassionate about the extra challenges, and tip what is kind of expected, that's all I could really ask for," he said.