Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Why are Canadian being hung out to dry by Axiom

Funny you should bring this up. Some days, while I'm at work, this inexplicable wave washes over me where I think everyone is Canadian, so I have to charge them more.

I think it must be payback for being a Cape Cod bartender in the 80's with Canadian customers who didn't "understand" tipping, so they didn't!

Hmmm. Funny I began tipping appropriately when I got my first pay check in 1966.

There are lots of places in the world where tipping isn't done though...

TAM

on, a long time ago, in Reykjavik, Iceland, i take a taxi.
at the end of the trip i offer the driver a tip and he's a bit surprised i ask that, and he says: "i'm not a beggar sir, i live very well."

It had nothing to do with not knowing how to tip. It was the funny money.

In Canada, no matter how shitfaced you are, you can always tip. No need to make out the blurry numbers on the bill, just pick the right colour.

With the US cash, its all the same green, so how the hell would you know what bill to pull when you're too drunk to see?

Do Canadians tip for meals? I am traveling to Toronto on Sunday for a few days for work, and we tip in the US (mainly because most wait staff is underpaid, so it has become expected). Is it similar in Canada?

Oh, and yes, I am planning on making the trek up to Axiom on Tuesday (weather permitting). Of course, I need Debbie to confirm my PMs. She must be a busy lady as she hasn't responded to my PM from a week ago.

Anyway, excited about the trip, but wondering about the customs.

Another question: While in Canada, do I poutine or not? Sounds like it could be yummy but a heart attack waiting to happen. Oh, and yes, I know that Canadian Bacon is different too. I will have to try some while I am there. (I am sure that you Canadians are chuckling at my silly questions and plans.)

We're very much like you. Yes, please tip.

I've never had poutine (very fancy French Fries) but it is a huge hit with those who partake...

TAM

I've always heard that Canada is like the clean and nice version of the U.S.

Not sure if that is still an insult or not though.

Either way, I haven't been to Canada since I was about 13 and that was back when you could just drive across the border. That was just a quick 2 hour trip at International Falls. I remember 3 things about that quick trip. 1) Canada was VERY clean, 2) it was super easy to go across the border and back, 3) Dairy Queen came out with the Blizzard that year and I had my first one on that little visit, although I don't remember if it was in Canada or the US.

If nothing else, be prepared that if you are going anywhere near or in to the downtown core of Toronto, you will notice a very busy large city with lots of construction that has grown tremendously over the last 30 years or so with very constant heavy traffic, a city that is now operating essentially 24 hours a day that just two or three years ago, the city proper itself overtook Chicago in population making it now(including Mexico City) the fourth largest on the continent. We might be able to help a little more if we know exactly where in the area your work is taking you.

I guess, overall, the bottom line is, probably the quickest way to get some answers to the questions you ask, Google Toronto Tourism or any of the countless web sites, they should be helpful and I assume you have a passport.

While I know (now after a little Googling) that the whole Toronto/Chicago population thing is a bit more complicated depending on if talking about city or metro-area, it is still a decent sized city for sure. It is so hard to compare different cities, for example Los Angeles has more people (about 50% more), but Toronto has a more dense population. Just different factors to say that they are big cities.

I work in the heart of Los Angeles when I visit there, so I am familiar with larger cities, but any tips or tricks would be awesome.

The work address is 5000 Yonge Street, Toronto (although a number of systems want to change that to North York instead of Toronto).

Yup, passport was applied for the day after Christmas, and I had it mid-January. Fresh and ready for its first stamp.

I didn't know that Mexico City was so big. I am supposed to head there later this year for work as well.

If you decide to go for poutine, go to Smokes.

I've been to the Ottawa location and its very good.