Lower wait times to raise your restaurant’s revenue

As a restaurateur, prioritizing your guest experience is vital in garnering return visits, and longer wait times could be hindering your restaurant’s success. Nobody likes waiting, and your diners are no exception. In fact, a study of 94,000 diners found that the revenue of a popular restaurant increased by 15 per cent when wait times […]

Canadian restaurants are experiencing post-pandemic tip-flation

As the cost of living continues to rise, gratuity rates are also rising, due to what experts are calling “tip-flation”. Even though restaurateurs feel that conditions are worse now than they were three months ago, a Restaurants Canada survey found that 44 per cent of Canadians are tipping more than their pre-pandemic rate when dining […]

No tip, no trip: ensuring delivery drivers are treated equally can preserve revenue

A new report has warned of the importance of making sure that a restaurant’s delivery drivers are treated equally and making even tips. Paytronix’s “No trip, no trip” report notes that drivers not getting their fair share of tips could become a blow to a restaurant’s bottom line through unclaimed orders. While delivery drivers have […]

Ontario restaurants are increasingly going tip-free

The pandemic and the fallout felt by the restaurant industry has prompted a conversation around tipping, and something of a reassessment of the culture. Now, some Ontario restaurants are beginning to adopt a tip-free model. As noted by CTV News, the crux of restaurants’ argument for going tip-free is that by eliminating tips and increasing […]

The future of tipping should be driven by Canadians, not businesses

By Simon Pek Tipping has long been a source of significant controversy, spilling over from time to time into the pages of Canadian media. Canadians’ views on tipping remain divided, as a recent survey by researchers from Dalhousie University has found. One reason why tipping garners so much interest is that it reshapes the relationship […]

Minimum wage hike presents opportunity for restaurants

By David Hopkins Ontario’s minimum wage is going up again on January 1, 2022. And this time, unlike in the past, the minimum wage for servers will also rise significantly. It is set to increase almost 20 per cent, from $12.55 to $15 per hour. This comes at a time when most restaurants are trying […]

Tip pooling to help restaurateurs simplify tip management

As restaurants continue to navigate the current labour shortage, the topic of tip culture and tip management is under the spotlight. Amid the reopening of indoor dining and customers’ desire to support local businesses during the pandemic, restaurant tips increased by a remarkable 18 per cent in 2021 compared with 2019, reports restaurant team management […]

Is it time to include tips in menu prices?

By Sylvain Charlebois and Poppy Nicolette Riddle Tipping is a cultural practice strongly supported in Canada, with most patrons feeling good about their experiences. However, tips can have hidden consequences for those working in foodservice. With staff recruitment a problem as the easing of pandemic guidelines are allowing restaurants to reopen, our research suggests it […]

Tipping remains important but are attitudes shifting?

Canadians largely recognize that tipping is becoming increasingly important for the foodservice and hospitality industry amid the devastating impacts of COVID-19. However, there are some signs that attitudes may be changing. Foodservice and hospitality has always relied on tipping to a significant extent. The pandemic, though, is causing something of a reevaluation of how the […]