Montreal TravelProper Tipping
One annoying thing about travelling is that you never know what proper tipping is, especially since, in Montreal, tipping is not mandatory. When you tip you're trying to say thank you. Life is so much better when it's a little civilized, when we can be nice to each other and a little appreciative. 
Basic tipping in Montreal is usually expected with services such as dining, drinking, and cabs. The normal tip for dining is 15%, and people often tip a minimum of $1 to $2 for a drink. About $1 is given the taxi driver for short rides of $5 range and about $2 for rides of $10 range. For longer rides, most people tip taxi drivers around 10%. Remember that the Canadian $1 and $2 denominations are coins. 
Not knowing proper tipping for a service can be very unsettling. The rest of your party might be oblivious, but inside you may feel highly stressed as you receive the bill or walk up to the cashier. The challenge however is not in everyday situations, it's when you are taken out of your normal environment. Tipping for services is not always easy. Tips are not required, but it's highly frowned upon if you don't tip at all or tip poorly. Tips are expected by many people in the service industry, but let's not forget that nobody "deserves" a tip. While most people feel confident when tipping in a restaurant (MBK), many feel far less secure when it comes to offering a gratuity in other situations. Presenting a tip can also be awkward. Fortunately, technology has made it a little easer with a tip option on the credit or debit card bill. Tipping is always based upon the normal price of the service. If you get a coupon for 20% off, then tip on the original price. The amount of work done by the person is not less because you paid less. If you have a coupon for a free entree, then tip based upon the regular price of the entree.
Many gift certificates act more like a debit card. A $50 card is the equivalent to $50 cash, but it can only be used at the named store or restaurant. In that case, you can use the card to pay for the tip as well as the food or service. If you have a gift certificate for a free meal or spa treatment, call the manager before you go and ask if the gratuity is included. If it's not, ask for the estimated value of the gift certificate, and then tip in cash based upon that amount. With proper tipping, the percentages of your tips do not change because of the cost of the service. Of course, you can always tip on the lower end of the 10% to 20%. But if you are going to go to more expensive places, then it's assumed that you can afford the high prices plus normal tip.
You are expected to tip 15% of the pre-tax bill. Tips may be calculated pre-tax, but many people just use the total bill. Normally the taxes appear on the receipt after the subtotal, usually on two separate lines. A good rule of thumb is to take the two taxes and add them together. It comes out to roughly 13% (12,875%) of the bill before taxes. Tip a round amount for good service. For great service, you may add another 5% to 10%. The GST Goods and Services Tax or TPS Taxe sur les produits et services is calculated on the selling price at the rate of 5%. The QST (Quebec Sales Tax) or TVQ (Taxe de vente du Québec) is calculated on the selling price + the GST/TPS at the rate of 7.5%. It creates a very awkward situation to ask for change from the person you are tipping. If, for some reason, you don't have a tip ready, it's better to skip it, particularly if you can get change from somewhere else and return with your tip at some point in the future.
Most people wish to tip appropriately, but end up tipping either insufficiently, or too generously. When in doubt, proper tipping lies in the $1 to $2 range. The general recommendation is to leave 10% to 20% of the pre-tax bill, 10% means below average service, 15% means average service and 20% or more means exceptional service. Proper tipping is for people who are planning to tip and want to know the appropriate amount. Proper tipping does not have to be intimidating. If you are uncertain of how much to tip, just use common sense and you will be right most of the time. Tipping depends on the kind of service you receive. A tip should always be merited. It's OK to deal with bad service by reducing a tip - especially if the problem was not properly resolved, but eliminating it altogether makes it look like you forgot. Tipping should always be in reference to the service given. Then again, people in service industries don't always have great days. Show them a little mercy and assume the best about them. Instead of not tipping, talk to the manager about poor service.
The tipping systems that executives use depend on their goals. If the goal is to be pampered and treated like a regular, tipping should be higher. For example, slipping the maitre d' money in a handshake may result in a better table. If the goal is a good meal and decent service, 15% is acceptable. If you're unsure about a given situation, tipping is always the best policy. If your tip is refused, don't push the issue. Just thank the person for his or her services. Tipping the OwnerShould you tip the owner of a company when he or she provides your service? The proper tipping answer used to be no. Now it's yes. Owners are providing the same services as the people in their employ. You should tip her or him the same as you would a member of staff who is not an owner. A customer should expect to tip as they would at any place. In the "old days" one didn't tip the owner, but times have changed and it's now protocol to tip. Thank you for visiting Proper Tipping. Checklist for a Road Trip (MBK) / City Vibe (MBK)
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