- When Atlantic Canadians are picking up their take-out orders, over half leave a tip for the restaurant.
- The pandemic has influenced 42% of Atlantic Canadians who buy take-out to either increase the amount of their tip or to begin leaving tips on their orders.
February 2, 2022
With ongoing restrictions due to the COVID 19 pandemic, restaurants continue to rely heavily on take-out orders to stay afloat. Among Atlantic Canadians who pick up take-out orders, six-in-ten Atlantic Canadians typically leave tips. When asked how the pandemic has affected their take-out tipping behavior, the majority stated that they have always left tips (58%). Interestingly, 30% of respondents reported that they too have always left tips but have increased the amount of their tip since the pandemic began. COVID-19 has also influenced 13% of Atlantic Canadians, who hadn’t tipped on take-out orders before, to start leaving tips. Overall, 42% of Atlantic Canadians have either increased their tipping or started to leave tips on take-out orders.
Across provinces, Nova Scotia has the largest number of individuals who began to practice leaving tips when picking up take-out orders because of the pandemic (17%), in comparison to those in Newfoundland and Labrador, who are the least likely to have begun leaving tips on take-out (7%). The proportion of Newfoundlanders who leave tips on take-out orders is also lower (49%) than the Atlantic regional average (58%).
There are notable differences in leaving tips on take-out food orders across age groups as well. Interestingly, those aged 18-34 are more likely to leave a tip while those aged 35-54 are not as likely (66% and 52% respectively). However, those between the ages of 35 and 54 include the highest number of individuals who have increased the amount of tip they leave on take-out orders (38%).
When taking a closer look on the effect of household income, contrary to what one would expect, those whose income is less than $50K are more likely to leave a tip on take-out orders (63%) compared with individuals whose income is $50 to $100K (56%) and individuals whose income is more than $100K (57%). However, since the start of the pandemic, more Atlantic Canadians in the $50-$100K and $100K+ income brackets have increased the amount of their take-out order tips (36% and 34% respectively) in comparison to those with an income of less than $50K (17%).
Narrative Research, www.narrativeresearch.ca, is one of Canada’s leading public opinion and market research companies. As a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned research company, Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services. Visit EastCoastVoice.ca to join Atlantic Canada’s largest panel, and share your opinions.
This survey was conducted from January 11 to 16, with 1,140 Atlantic Canadians from Narrative Research’s online panel, East Coast Voice. As a non-probability sample (i.e., a panel sample where residents have joined a panel to share their opinions), and in accordance with CRIC Public Opinion Research Standards, a margin of error is not applied.
The questions reported in this release include the following:
Do you typically leave a tip when you pick up take-out food orders?
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable (I don’t pick up take-out orders)
Have you always left a tip when picking up take-out food orders, or have you only started doing so since the pandemic started?
- Have always left a tip
- Have always left a tip, but am leaving larger tips since the pandemic started
- Have only started leaving a tip since the pandemic started
For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner: 902.493.3834 (W); 902.222.4048 (M), mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca
