The people in front of me at the bakery in Banff were definitely American. She ordered a drink that confused the Canadian barista. They wanted to pay in American cash, something the bakery didn't allow. Finally they paid with a card.
I ordered my food and when it came time to pay, I told the barista that I was an American but I was paying in Canadian cash. She smiled at that.
As a tourist, you will find life easier if you blend in with the place you are visiting. You don't have to worry about bad currency exchanges or being treated rudely.
Quebecers and those who speak French are running into trouble in some restaurants in Burlington, Vermont. The issue is about money, but they are being targeted for their ability to parle Francaise.
If one or more at your table is speaking French, some restaurants are charging a 18% tip, regardless of the number of people in the party.
Mon dieu!
There is a cultural difference. Those Europeans who tend not to tip at home because it's not an accepted practice don't always remember to do so when on American soil. In Quebec, servers make a minimum of $8.35/hour, more than twice what servers in Vermont make and about 4 times as much as the U.S. minimum for servers.
Given some of the horrible service and treatment I received in Lake Louise and Banff, having a required tip would have been offensive. At the very same time, you need to respond to customs where you are visiting.
If you are visiting the United States, and you are eating in a restaurant, you should leave a tip for good service. Have a very good reason to leave less than 15% of the pre-tax amount. 20% is better. Food is cheaper in the States, spend some of that on people who really don't make a whole lot.
While it's been quite a few years since I was a server, I know that discriminating against a class of people is a bad way to give service. The problem is that reputations are difficult to shake. And in parts of Vermont, those from Quebec have the reputation of being poor tippers.
If you are a bilingual Canadian, and you are visiting Burlington or elsewhere in Vermont, try speaking only English. If you get good service, give the tip straight to the server and thank him/her in French, so they know that you speak French and reward good service.
Traveling is wonderful because you get exposure to different cultures. It's good to know what those differences are so you end up with a better experience.
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