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Montrealers tip more at restaurants than most Canadians but they expect better service

<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/a-card-reader-on-a-restaurant-table-as-a-person-inserts-their-card.jpg?id=61239387&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=132%2C0%2C132%2C0"/><br/><br/><p><a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/montreal-restaurants" target="_blank">Montreal's restaurant scene</a> might be world-class, but so are its diners — at least when it comes to <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/montreal-tipping" target="_blank">tipping</a>. New data indicates that locals are among the most generous tippers in the country, but they expect service to match.</p><p>A recent poll from <a href="https://www.lightspeedhq.com/pc/watch-a-demo-f-1/?_bt=761780635895&_bk=lightspeed%20commerce&_bm=e&_bn=g&_bg=180443952877&utm_campaign=NOAM%20-%20CA%2FEN%20-%20Search%2FAW%20-%20General%20-%20Brand%20-%20ACQ&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22623913353&gbraid=0AAAAADyGIdMN5GfweErAqyg29NPvPIe7T&gclid=CjwKCAjwvuLDBhAOEiwAPtF0Vvce7M5fAIVFe4UWcj2UW9UcgsMTnyiQQmqt0Jt3qpRNvNxq-_OYfRoCatoQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Lightspeed Commerce</a>, which surveyed over 7,000 restaurant-goers across North America and Europe, found that Montrealers are more likely to tip 15–20% than the average Canadian. While just 29% of Canadians reported tipping in that range, 35% of Montrealers said they do.</p><p>But that generosity comes with expectations. Rude service was the number one dealbreaker for Montrealers, with 48% saying they'd never return to a restaurant after a bad experience with staff. Other pet peeves included cold food (29%), long waits (27%), and sticky tables or menus (22%).</p><p>"For Montreal diners, the experience is paramount. They're not just looking for a meal; they're expecting professional, fast service in a clean environment," said JD Saint-Martin, President of Lightspeed Commerce. "Restaurants that fail to deliver on these fundamental aspects risk losing a significant portion of their clientele."</p><p>The report, which surveyed 1,000 Canadians who dined out in the past few months, also showed that tipping isn't always expected in every situation. While 55% of Montrealers are fine tipping for food delivery, just 17% felt it was necessary at counter service spots, and only 37% said the same about coffee shops.</p><p>However, as <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tipping-canada-weird-places" target="_blank">debates about tipping culture</a> rage on, 33% of Montreal respondents said they'd rather pay more for their meals if it meant eliminating tipping altogether.</p><p>And while the practice of leaving a little extra doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon, <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tipping-quebec-new-rules-may-7" target="_blank">Quebec recently implemented a new law</a> stating that restaurants, bars, and cafes have to calculate suggested tip percentages based on the pre-tax total — not after GST and QST are added.</p><p><br/></p><p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em></p><p><br/></p><p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em></p>