New data finds COVID-19 made Canadians better tippers

According to Square, new data shows that Canadians continue to show generosity at an elevated level than they did before the pandemic.

Square reports that in-person tipping was 17.9% across all businesses during the first three months in 2022. This is in comparison to Canada’s 16.6 per cent pre-pandemic.

Square observed that despite the increase in tipping, Canadians still fall behind American counterparts. U.S. in person tipping averaged 21.1 percent across all businesses in the early 2022.

Square’s Global Head of Hardware and Engineering Mike McLellan said to CTV News Channel, that Canadians feel empathy for people who work in industries hard hit by COVID-19 and lockdowns such as bars and restaurants.

He saidIn an interview Friday, McLellan stated that this probably affected how much they tip. McLellan also mentioned this. saidTo support small businesses, Canadians tended to shop more locally.

McLellan said that Canadians are spending more money with local businesses during the pandemic. They’re finding businesses in their area they support and putting their money there, rather than going to national chains. said.

Square data also showed that tipping generosity varied across provinces.

Square found that Alberta and the Prairies had the highest average tip at 18.8%, Ontario at 18.1, and Quebec at 18.1 respectively. British Columbia was at 17%.

McLellan saidCanadians know that tipping makes up a significant portion of the salaries of service workers.

McLellan: “It’s an important part of supporting these local businesses staff.” saidThis generosity is necessary to assist small businesses in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

McLellan saidThe recovery depends also on local businesses being flexible in meeting the changing needs of customers, such as curbside pickup and same-day delivery. This is something that he believes business have done well during the pandemic.

“They adapt to different business models, online or pick up at the curbside or on-demand,” McLellan said. McLellan says they are looking for ways to be flexible to help sellers and buyers feel more at home. said.

Watch the full video from CTV’s News Channel at the top of this article for McLellan’s explanation of how tipping has changed during the pandemic.