US tipping culture is creeping into Canada as well despite the fact that people are paid minimum wage or above here. My friend worked for Panago pizza and would make $14 an hour. With tips he would routinely get $20 or $30 by the end of the day, enough to fill his beater car full with enough gas for a week.
These days it seems even the basest modicum f service requires a tip in the US. Delivering pizza, cutting hair, food service, lawn maintenance, delivery of mail or newspapers, etc. At what point is enough enough and customers are no longer forced to subsidize employee wages because employers don't want to pay decent wages? Without tipping how many industries would fail, what does that tell you? These days even mechanica have a tipping option for doing oil changes, basic work. Food service I can understand, but why is there tipping for take out? Is literally packing food and handing it to the customer that demanding? Tips are customary for a good job, you want to support your barber as a long time client, otherwise if it is required it is vicious cycle whereby customers are shafted paying higher and higher amounts. I now routinely see 20-25% as the bare minimum. All I tip for is a sit down meal these days and I am so glad Canada is not at the crazy level the US with regards to tips.