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18% — 15% is the floor, 20% for good service
$1–2 a drink, or 15–18% on a tab
10–15%, rounded up to the next dollar
Nothing expected — the screen is only asking
$2–5 a night, left daily, cash
15–20%, same as a restaurant
Tip on the pre-tax amount. GST adds 5%, drinks carry a further 10% liquor tax, and the card terminal usually works its 18/20/25% buttons out of the taxed total — which is why the suggested number looks higher than you expected.
Where to stay in Vancouver
In Vancouver the price depends on the neighbourhood far more than on the star rating. Compare live hotel and rental rates side by side before you lock your dates.
How to tip at a full-service restaurant in Vancouver
- Read the bill for tax and any auto-gratuity.
- Decide a percentage based on service (many people use roughly 15–20% when service is good).
- Add tip on the card terminal or cash.
- Keep the receipt if you need it for expenses.
Tipping without stress
- Full-service restaurants: tip is customary when service is good.
- Counter service: optional/smaller.
- Check the bill for auto-gratuity on large parties.
- Cards make percentage easy — still glance at the total.
Published 2026-07-13 · Alex
Tipping in Vancouver (and Canada generally) works like the US: it is expected, it is not included in the menu price, and servers are paid below a living wage on the assumption you tip. Here is exactly how much, where — and a calculator that handles the 5% GST + liquor tax math for you. Salon and spa work follows the same 15–20% rule — see what treatments actually cost in our Vancouver salons and services guide.
🧮 Tip calculator
Pick what you are paying for — the percentage, the tax and the local rule change with it.
💵 How much to tip, by situation
| Situation | Standard tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurant (table service) | 18-20% of pre-tax bill |
| Bar (per drink) | $1-2 per drink or 15-18% on a tab |
| Coffee shop / counter service | Optional — $1 or skip the screen prompt guilt-free |
| Taxi / rideshare | 10-15% |
| Hair salon / spa | 15-20% |
| Hotel housekeeping | $2-5 per night, left daily |
| Hotel bellhop | $2-5 per bag |
| Tour guide | 10-15% or $5-10 per person |
| Food delivery | 10-15%, minimum $3-4 |
🚕 How much to tip a taxi driver in Vancouver
10–15% of what is on the meter, rounded up. Nobody does the arithmetic on a short ride: a $12 fare becomes $14, an $18 fare becomes $20. On a long run — the airport, the North Shore, a late crossing of the city — 15% is the number to aim at, because that trip is the driver’s whole hour.
- Luggage. $1–2 a bag on top if the driver gets out, loads the trunk and unloads it at the other end. Two suitcases from the airport is a couple of dollars, not a rethink of the fare.
- Rideshare. Uber and Lyft work the same way, except you add the tip in the app after you are out of the car. Nothing awkward happens at the door if you skip it there.
- Paying by card. Every cab in the city takes cards, and the terminal offers tip buttons. They are suggestions. “Custom amount” is a normal thing to press.
- Waiting and detours. If you asked the driver to wait while you ran into a shop, add a couple of dollars for the time — the meter charges for it slowly.
- No tip on transit. A Compass tap is a fixed fare with nobody to tip — see the Vancouver transit fares and zones guide for what those trips actually cost.
Short version: round up to the next tidy number and you have tipped correctly nine times out of ten.
⚠️ Things visitors get wrong
- Tip on the pre-tax amount. Menu says $25 → 5% GST makes it $26.25 → tip 18% of $25 ($4.50), not of the taxed total. Nobody will object if you tip on the total, but you don't have to.
- The payment terminal will suggest 18/20/25% — and often calculates them on the after-tax total. You can always press "custom amount." It is not rude.
- Counter-service tip screens are optional. Locals routinely press "no tip" for a takeaway coffee. Table service is where tipping is genuinely expected.
- No cash needed — tips go on card everywhere. Cash tips are appreciated at hotels (housekeeping) where there's no terminal.
- Tipping is not expected at grocery stores, food trucks with no service, or retail — anywhere you're not being served.
Rule of thumb if you remember one thing: 18% at restaurants, $1 a drink at bars, ignore the screen at coffee counters.
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Sample tip math (CAD)
| Bill pre-tax | 15% | 18% | 20% |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40 dinner | $6 | $7.20 | $8 |
| $75 dinner for two | $11.25 | $13.50 | $15 |
| $22 lunch | $3.30 | $3.96 | $4.40 |
If auto-gratuity at 18% appears for a party of six or more, do not stack another full 20% unless you intend to. Hotel resort fees are not tips. When a barista hands a tap terminal with 18/20/25% defaults for a $4 coffee, selecting “custom” or a dollar amount is normal local behaviour.
Edge cases
- All-inclusive tourist packages: ask whether guides and drivers are prepaid.
- Food courts: tips uncommon unless a server brings food.
- Short-term rental cleaners: follow host notes; small cash thank-you when service is personal.
- Tip in CAD; USD conversion is messy for staff.
