Summer isn’t complete without the annual culinary event, Summerlicious, which kicked off on Aug. 12 and runs until the Aug. 28. Patrons across the city have the chance to experience a three-course meal at some of the best spots across the city, selecting from prix fixe menus at six extremely reasonable price points ($20 – $75) for lunch or dinner.
While the event makes a ton of pricey restaurants a little more accessible for the average Toronto foodie, some people are a little upset at the tipping details in the fine print on the Summerlicious website, advising patrons that gratuity is not included and recommending an 18% – 20% tip, calling it “a standard expression in Toronto.” Not everyone seems to agree.
This statement, posted on Reddit, prompted one user to write, “Tipping is this weird strange North American thing where it’s okay to pay workers almost nothing and expect them to sell their butts off to pay their rent.”
It’s no doubt that the service industry has suffered immensely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ongoing closures threatened the livelihood of tons of service workers, supply chain issues have made must-have ingredients and restaurant supplies pricier than ever before and rising inflation rates mean consumers generally have less disposable income to spend on eating out. That said, when people do venture out for a nice meal, is 18% to 20% really the new norm in an era where the cost of living is higher than ever before?
We asked a couple of local Toronto residents what they thought about Summerlicious’ claim and what their standard operating procedures are when opting to skip the dishes and head out for dinner.
“I tip 18% if it’s good and 20% if it’s great,” says Emma, who works in corporate law in the city. She says those rates are in line with her current understanding of the Toronto average. That said, she feels the tipping culture is getting out of hand. “
At some establishments, I’ve seen the lowest pre-set tipping option set at 20%, meaning the higher end was 25% or 30%.” She recalls a time at the beginning of the summer when she visited a local wine bar in the city and had two glasses while out with a friend. This spot does bar service exclusively and when she was checking out, she grabbed a couple of bottles from the bottle shop to take home. When the tip option came up there was no way for her to put in a customized amount.
“I wasn’t going to tip 18% on almost $100 worth of take-home wine and I just sort of panicked and skipped the tip since it was bar service anyway.” When she handed the terminal back and her receipt printed, the bartender asked matter-of-factly, “No tip?” She was mortified but felt like the establishment had kind of put her in a corner.
She’s not the only one who feels like rules around when you should tip and how much is getting harder and harder to navigate. In fact, this Summerlicious Reddit post comes on the heels of another viral Reddit post that made the rounds a couple of weeks ago when a Redditor posted “the most offensive tipping options I’ve ever come across” after having a couple of cocktails at an unnamed local bar. When the user went to pay his bill, the machine’s options read:
- 18% (Needs improvement)
- 20% (Kay)
- 25% (Good enough)
- 30% (Great job)
- Other
In his post, he said, “The idea that I’m tipping 18% and it’s written out that I’m insulting the bartender somehow and they need improvement is awful. I’ve never felt so manipulated into tipping 25%.”
But it’s more than just bars and restaurants. Scott is a self-proclaimed foodie who even does freelance work for a variety of local restaurants across the city. While he is a staunch 18% tipper (20% if the service goes above and beyond) when he’s having lunch or dinner out, he’s on the fence when it comes to fast-casual spots and coffee shops.
“I only really tip at local places that have amazing and reasonably priced food. I don’t mind rounding up a bit to make my $12 sandwich a $14 sandwich if it helps. But for the most part, I’m not tipping on that iPad terminal.”
That said, there are some locals who have accepted this new normal. “I always tip, even if it’s just 10% for takeout. Tons of people had a role in getting your order into your hands,” says Vanessa, a sales executive in the live music industry. She adds, “Frankly, people suck, and surely aren’t the nicest to wait staff. A little something for me could be something big for them, like an extra dollar on my already $4.00 latte.”
It should be noted that some Toronto restaurants are experimenting with a no-tipping policy such as Barque in the city’s west end. In addition, although the restaurant minimum wage in Ontario has been rising, it’s still not nearly enough to be considered a living wage in the city so an end to tipping would require restaurant owners to make up the difference in some way.
What do you think about Summerlicious’ 18% – 20% tipping recommendation and tipping culture in general? Has Toronto taken things too far? Let us know in the comments!
