In Canada, generally speaking, min wage is around the $10/hr mark no matter where you go.

I am also astounded why some people are trying to "tip" the American percentages in Canada since the waiters making slave wages doesn't compare. I think Upstate's comment about people trying to show off is probably quite correct.

Starbucks.. I pay on cc, so if there is a tip option, I'll leave 5% or something nominal..

I always leave change. If it's not much, then I leave a dollar bill and change.

I usually tip a dollar each trip thru the Starbucks drive through which is usually daily when I'm not on the road

Interesting.. I've never thought to tip through the starbucks drive..

I'm just so used to drivethrus not tipping.. I've never thought about tipping..

Is this a lot more than in the US?

Because that liquor servers minimum wage works out at £5.53 an hour. Minimum wage in the UK will very shortly be going up to £6.08 an hour. This is what bar workers here will recieve and very few will get tips.

Seems a bit much that bar workers in Canada expect a dollar or two each time you buy a drink when their wages aren't actually that bad (though of course, by no means generous).

I expect most of them end up earning more than I do for a degree level job...

It is for the employer to pay their staff, not the customer, therefore I do not and will not tip at mcdonalds, starbucks etc.

If I receive good service at a restaurant I will tip, but if they try adding a compulsory tip, I will ensure that is removed and I won't leave a tip at all.

I always use cc.. if there is an option, I leave some change charge by cc..

I have worked as a barista at several different coffee shops (including und the Starbucks banner). To be good at the job actually takes quite a bit of training and practice, especially if you are taking orders and prepairing beverages at the same time. The coffee nerds who go to better coffee places (and not Starbucks) notice the taste difference if you're off by a few seconds on anything. You have to be pretty good at it to work at an expensive place that isn't part of a chain like Starbucks.

Wages tend to be only a bit above the legal minimum at best, but if you're good at it and get hired by a better coffee place you can actually make a living wage after tips.

You're saying that those who prepare coffees, are not paid very well.. but if there is a very good coffee artist, to treat them well, by spotting them well..?

Minimum wage isn't going to do much to attract coffee artists.. So its a good point to tip well, when experiencing a good product..

I've been thinking about this, and my rule of thumb seems to be that I'll tip if I pay for the product/service after consuming it. If I walk up to the counter, buy the product, pay, THEN get it, I won't tip.

My logic is that tips are supposed to be extra, based on quality - how can I know if I want to tip before I taste the coffee?

Then again, I'm from the UK - the culture is different over here.

Good Idea.. a tipping counter indoors.. after the first sip..

But then on cc.. difficult to do..

For me, I go to the same Starbucks every weekday. It's always the same drink, Grande Pike. First few weeks I repeated my order daily. No tip.
After a few weeks they started putting my drink up as i was ready to pay. Every time my drink is ready before i ask for it = 77 cent tip.

The wage and tipping system in the US can vary wildly by state. In CA for example, bartenders have to be paid minimum wage no matter what, so any tip money is extra.

In Arizona, a bartender can be paid $4.35 an hour plus the tips on top of that. If the bartender doesn't make tips to bring his wage up to the "normal" minimum wage ($7.35), the employer kicks in the difference.

In practice, most servers "claim" enough tips to bring their wage up to the minimum, and then keep the rest off the books (non taxable, non reported income).

http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm

Starbucks pays all their employees at least minimum wage (and they get fairly good health insurance as well), so no one should feel pressure to tip them because of their low base pay. I'm sure they appreciate it (and I do it occasionally), but I don't do it because they are making $3.00 an hour. They aren't.

Someone else summed it up pretty well. Table (or bar) service=tip. Otherwise it is up to you.

Duplicate Post.