Food & Dining

Food & Dining in Canada

Canadian cuisine reflects the country's multicultural population, with diverse food options in major cities and distinct regional specialties.

Dining Out

Tipping culture:

• Restaurants: 15-20% expected
• Takeout/counter: $1-2 or round up
• Delivery: 15-20% minimum
• Bars: $1-2 per drink
• Tipping is expected, not optional

Restaurant costs:

Grocery Shopping

Major chains:

• Budget: No Frills, FreshCo, Food Basics
• Mid-range: Metro, Loblaws, Sobeys, Safeway
• Premium: Whole Foods, Pusateri's
• Warehouse: Costco (membership required)
• Discount: Walmart Supercentre

Monthly grocery costs:

• Single person: $400-700
• Couple: $600-1,000
• Family of 4: $1,000-1,500

Why groceries are expensive:

• Import costs (long distances)
• Supply management (dairy, poultry)
• Winter reduces local growing season

International Foods

Finding foods from home:

• Asian: T&T Supermarket, H Mart, local Asian grocers
• South Asian: Grocery stores in Brampton, Surrey, etc.
• Middle Eastern: Arz, Adonis, local halal markets
• Latin American: Local Latin markets, sections in major stores
• European: European delis, IKEA (Swedish foods)

Best multicultural food cities:

1. Toronto - everything available
2. Vancouver - exceptional Asian food
3. Montreal - diverse with French influence

Canadian Food Culture

National icons:

• Poutine: Fries, cheese curds, gravy (Quebec origin)
• Tim Hortons: Coffee chain, cultural institution
• Maple syrup: On everything (pancakes, bacon, etc.)
• Butter tarts: Sweet pastry
• Nanaimo bars: No-bake dessert

Regional specialties:

Dietary Accommodations

Vegetarian/Vegan:

• Easy in major cities
• Growing options in chains
• Specialty restaurants abundant in Toronto, Vancouver

Halal:

• Widely available in diverse cities
• Apps: Zabihah for halal restaurants
• Dedicated butchers and grocers

Kosher:

• Concentrated in Toronto, Montreal
• Specialty stores and restaurants available

Gluten-free:

• Well accommodated
• Most restaurants have options
• Clear labeling in stores

Food Delivery

Apps:

• DoorDash
• Uber Eats
• SkipTheDishes (Canadian company)

Costs add up:

• Delivery fee: $3-8
• Service fee: 10-15%
• Tip: 15-20%
• Total: 40-50% added to meal cost

Alcohol

• Legal drinking age: 18 (Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec) or 19 (rest)
• Purchase: Provincial liquor stores (LCBO, SAQ, BC Liquor)
• Grocery stores: Beer/wine in some provinces
• Prices: Higher than US due to taxes