Tippers getting more generous in Saskatchewan, according to data

Jobs like serving and bartending are seeing tip rates are on the rise in recent years in Canada, according to a recent data collection.

Data collected by Square states that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the average Canadian tipped 16.6 per cent on their bill. However in the first three months of 2022 that average jumped to 17.9 per cent.

“On average the tipping I would say is generous. People are always trying to support the industry. Obviously we’ve been battered over the pandemic and coming out of it things have slowly started to come back ever since the passport was done away with so we are seeing a lot of support from the regulars as well as our guests,” said Warehouse Brewing Company president Chad Bakke.

“For our tip options for percentage it’s 18, 21, 25 which might be higher than other restaurants but that’s why we have an ‘other’ option as well so people can tip what they choose, but often times I feel like people do choose that at least 18 per cent bottom line kind of thing,” said Rock Creek Tap & Grill’s front of house manager, Chandra Taylor.

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According to Square, in-person tipping actually started to climb during the pandemic with people trying to support the local businesses in their community.

“I think people can see that you’re hustling and stuff and then they know that you were just off for a year. You probably weren’t working at all. You were on CERB, or unemployment or seeking other job opportunities so I think people recognize that,” said Taylor.

“During the pandemic when we were at a reduced rate for guests of up to 50 per cent capacity, certainly you would see an increase in tips for the servers and bartenders,” said Bakke of the support seen at Warehouse Brewing in Regina.

The financial hardship caused by the pandemic left uncertainty on whether or not that generosity would continue when businesses fully reopened in the Prairies, which had the highest tipping percentage in Canada at 18.8 per cent.

“Just not knowing where their income is coming from during that time either I think that definitely affects the servers’ mentality as well,” said Taylor.

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Taylor and Bakke say they aren’t the least bit shocked by Saskatchewan leading the way when it comes to generosity in tipping at local bars and restaurants in communities across the province.

“I think people in Saskatchewan are very friendly and very giving and I think we come together as a community,” said Taylor.

“In Saskatchewan, guests seem to dig deeper to lift up businesses and the service industry to support them in times like this because they want to see you succeed. That’s just the generosity of people in Saskatchewan,” said Bakke.