Quebec's new tipping rule is causing confusion already — especially on food delivery apps

Quebec's new tipping law has been in effect since May 7, but many people are wondering whether it actually applies to delivery apps like Uber Eats.

As MTL Blog previously reported, Bill 72 was passed unanimously last fall and now requires restaurants, cafés, and similar businesses to calculate suggested tips based on the price before tax. The goal is to make tipping more transparent and prevent customers from unknowingly tipping on taxes.

That's all pretty clear for in-person dining, but what happens when you're ordering food through an app?

A recent Reddit post in r/montreal stirred things up with a bold claim:

"FYI: Uber Eats is not using the new tipping law," one user wrote.

The post quickly gained attention, with other Montrealers chiming in about confusing tip amounts and unclear checkout breakdowns. So, we decided to check it out for ourselves.

We first reached out to an Uber Eats representative, who responded to our inquiry with the following statement:

"In compliance with the law, suggested tips are calculated based on order total, including Delivery Fees and Service Fees, but excluding taxes."

And based on our own testing, that's exactly what's happening. The app doesn't include taxes when calculating the tip, which follows the letter of the law. But the suggested tip amounts are based on more than just your food. They also include added fees like delivery and service charges.

When we placed a test order from Spicebros on Rue du Centre, the math checked out. The food subtotal was $16.99, with a $2.49 delivery fee. The app calculated a 15% tip as $3.22, based on a pre-tax total of $19.48. Taxes and other fees added another $5.21, bringing the full total to $27.91.

In this case, 15% of the food price (without fees or taxes) would be about $2.55.Uber Eats

While the tip is calculated before tax, it's also based on more than just the food. That's the part that seems to be tripping people up. Many users assume a 15% tip is based only on the meal, not the meal plus the extra fees.

So is Uber Eats following Bill 72? Technically, yes. The law only requires that tips be shown before tax. It doesn't say anything about excluding fees. Still, for users who expect the tip to be based just on their food order, the current setup can feel misleading.

Uber's label — "order total before taxes" — might not be helping.

We also tested DoorDash with an order from Monteiro Grill. The food subtotal was $18.99, plus a $1.99 delivery fee and a $2.09 service fee. Taxes came to $3.45, and the suggested tip was $4.50.

The checkout page features tip suggestions based on an amount that includes fees. DoorDash

Although the app says the recommended tip is based on distance and effort, it doesn't clearly show this calculation. In this case, the 15% tip seems to be based on the subtotal plus fees, not just the food. If the 15% tip was solely based on the food, it would be around $2.84.

For now, it seems these companies are doing what the law requires. But it's also easy to see why some Quebecers feel a little confused at checkout.