4 ms·

Tipping in Canada is extra absurd. The minimum wage for servers and bartenders is the same as for regular workers (eg. $15.50 per hour in Ontario). But thanks t

Tipping in Canada is extra absurd. The minimum wage for servers and bartenders is the same as for regular workers (eg. $15.50 per hour in Ontario). But thanks to cultural osmosis from the US, 15-25% tips are also expected on top of that.

kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
US tip workers also get full minimum wage. Tip workers who don't meet the minimum wage threshold on total earnings are compensated for the shortfall. The lower tip worker rate is a subsidy to business owners paid for by guilt tripping their customers.
- Semaphor 4y ago
  > US tip workers also get full minimum wage. Tip workers who don't meet the minimum wage threshold on total earnings are compensated for the shortfall. So they don’t get tips on top of the minimum wage.
- seanmcdirmid 4y ago
  In states like Washington and I believe California, they get minimum wage at least before tips.
- roncesvalles 4y ago
  Another way to see it is that the employer steals the first hours_worked*(minimum_wage-actual_wage) dollars from what the employee got in tips.
8note 4y ago
The expectation from the tipper is that the tips are unrelated to the wages. You could tip 10k, and they'd still be paid at least minimum wage by the employer
digianarchist 4y ago
To be fair that's a recent change in Ontario (2022).
jandrewrogers 4y ago
Where I live in the US, mandatory minimum wage is $18.69/hr. Tips are on top of that. It has less to do with a living wage and more to do with the fact that the employees make less money with a mandatory 20% service charge than they do via tips.
- wongarsu 4y ago
  What's a mandatory service charge even supposed to be? Are restaurant bills cost-plus contracts? Is there also a refrigeration charge, and an ingredients charge?
  - jandrewrogers 4y ago
    Yes, service is added as a 20% charge based on the total bill. This is to offset the absence of tipping. If you simply add 20% to menu prices, it has other adverse consequences that reduce employee income in practice.

kevin_thibedeau 4y ago

US tip workers also get full minimum wage. Tip workers who don't meet the minimum wage threshold on total earnings are compensated for the shortfall. The lower tip worker rate is a subsidy to business owners paid for by guilt tripping their customers.

Semaphor 4y ago
> US tip workers also get full minimum wage. Tip workers who don't meet the minimum wage threshold on total earnings are compensated for the shortfall. So they don’t get tips on top of the minimum wage.
seanmcdirmid 4y ago
In states like Washington and I believe California, they get minimum wage at least before tips.
roncesvalles 4y ago
Another way to see it is that the employer steals the first hours_worked*(minimum_wage-actual_wage) dollars from what the employee got in tips.

8note 4y ago

The expectation from the tipper is that the tips are unrelated to the wages. You could tip 10k, and they'd still be paid at least minimum wage by the employer

digianarchist 4y ago

To be fair that's a recent change in Ontario (2022).

jandrewrogers 4y ago

Where I live in the US, mandatory minimum wage is $18.69/hr. Tips are on top of that. It has less to do with a living wage and more to do with the fact that the employees make less money with a mandatory 20% service charge than they do via tips.

wongarsu 4y ago
What's a mandatory service charge even supposed to be? Are restaurant bills cost-plus contracts? Is there also a refrigeration charge, and an ingredients charge?
- jandrewrogers 4y ago
  Yes, service is added as a 20% charge based on the total bill. This is to offset the absence of tipping. If you simply add 20% to menu prices, it has other adverse consequences that reduce employee income in practice.