Key Takeaways:
- According to new statistics from point-of-sale provider Square, Canadians’ tipping generosity has stayed above pre-pandemic levels.
- According to MacLennan, Canadians know that tipping makes up a considerable portion of service employees’ income.
According to new statistics from point-of-sale supplier Square, Canadians’ tipping generosity has remained above pre-pandemic levels.
According to Square, in the first three months of 2022, in-person tipping averaged 17.9% across all businesses. In Canada, this compares to a pre-pandemic average of 16.6 percent.
Despite the increase, Square stated that Canadian tipping generosity still trails below Americans’, with in-person tipping in the United States averaging 21.1 percent across all establishments in early 2022.
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Square’s Global Head of Product Hardware Mike MacLennan told CTV News Channel that Canadians have “a lot of empathy” for those who operate in areas like pubs and restaurants that have been badly impacted by COVID-19 and lockdown measures.
During an interview on Friday, he stated that this most certainly influenced how much they tipped. In addition, MacLennan stated that Canadians like to shop locally to support small companies.
“During the epidemic, Canadians are spending more money in general with local companies, so locating those businesses in their neighborhood that they want to support and investing their money there rather than national chains,” MacLennan said.
The Square data also revealed that tipping generosity differed by province.
According to Square, in the first three months of 2022, the average tip was 18.8 % in Alberta and the Prairies, 18.1 percent in Quebec and Ontario, and 17 percent in British Columbia.

Canadians, according to MacLennan, are aware that tipping accounts for a significant amount of service employees’ pay.
“It’s a key component of helping the workforce at these local firms,” MacLennan said, adding that small businesses need help recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to MacLennan, local businesses must be flexible in addressing new consumer expectations, such as curbside pickup or same-day delivery, and this is something he believes they have done successfully so far throughout the pandemic.
“They’re adjusting to various business models, including online, buy on the device, pick up in-store, and curbside pickup. They’re looking for adaptable ways to service vendors and buyers in ways that make them feel at ease, “According to MacLennan.
Source: CTV News