Canadians have strong feelings about tipping, and many support eliminating the practice altogether.

That's according to survey data released today by Lightspeed Commerce Inc.

The point-of-sale and e-commerce software platform surveyed 7,500 dining customers worldwide, including 1,500 from Canada, to better understand how restaurant trends—including tipping—have evolved in the past year.

Lightspeed also surveyed consumers from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. Participants were required to have attended a sit-down restaurant within the last six months and be over 18 years old.

Canadians feeling tipping pressure

Most Canadian respondents (67 per cent) felt increasing pressure to tip while dining out, and 36 per cent said they tipped because they didn't want to come off as cheap.

Over half of Canadians (53 per cent) said inflation and the rising cost of goods have made it harder for them to tip for service, and 25 per cent said they tip less when they go out.

Canada was tied with Belgium for countries feeling the strongest about getting rid of the practice of tipping altogether, as over one-third (34 per cent) of customers in Canada agreed with the sentiment compared to customers in other regions.

Last year, a report from the Angus Reid Institute found that most Canadians preferred a "service included" model, which would scrap gratuity in exchange for higher base wages for service workers.

While Canadians feel the pressures of tipping after enjoying a meal at a restaurant, Lightspeed found that almost half (48 per cent) were supportive of tipping delivery drivers but were less inclined to tip when ordering at coffee shops (22 per cent) or over-the-counter (15 per cent).

The least-favoured tipping method

Canadians also have a problem with auto-tipping; 77 per cent said they did not like prompts on payment terminals.

Some restaurants in the country have received backlash for implementing auto-gratuity.

In 2023, one Metro Vancouver sushi restaurant made headlines for the 15 per cent automatic tip it added to customers' receipts.

Many online reviews of the eatery said the automatic tip was confusing, awkward, and pressuring because it required the customer to opt out of paying the gratuity.

This restaurant covered up the "No Tip" option with a sticker to force tipping
byu/reddit_Lemur inmildlyinfuriating

Recently, another Canadian eatery left many customers outraged for hiding the "no tip" option on its machines, prompting many online comments criticizing the move.

Canada vs. the U.S.

Compared to U.S. customers, Canadians appear to be stingier as the majority are less likely to tip higher percentages.

Regarding larger tipping amounts, 27 per cent of Canadians said they're willing to tip 16-20 per cent, compared to 38 per cent of American respondents who said they'd tip the same amount.

Almost half (47 per cent) of Canadian respondents preferred to tip between 10 and 15 per cent, and 15 per cent of survey-takers said they tipped less than 10 per cent overall.

Another study conducted earlier this year revealed that North America has the highest tipping rates in the world. The U.S. took the top spot with an average rate of 20 per cent, and Canada came in second with an average rate between 15 to 20 per cent.

If you're unsure about how much to tip for dining and services in Canada, check out this handy tipping guide.

With files from Amir Ali, Isabelle Docto, and Nikitha Martins.