The cost of living remains a huge stress for many in Canada and tipping culture has only added to financial anxiety.

As Toronto residents notice automatic gratuity fees continue to pop up on their bills while dining out at restaurants, many aren't happy.

After dining out at a Queen Street W. restaurant, a Toronto reddit user was recently shocked to find an automatic service charge of 15 per cent on top of the food bill.

When the customer asked the restaurant about the fee, they were told it was restaurant policy to include it, according to the customer's post.

"What was even more shocking was that they prompted us to tip on top of that via their machine," the post said.

Other people in Toronto said they also had similar experiences at restaurants downtown, as well as in Yorkville.

"From now on, I bring cash to restaurants. No tipping on tax. No automatic 15 per cent or 20 per cent. If I sit at the bar and eat, I leave $5," an X (formerly Twitter) user from Toronto said earlier this month.

From now on, I bring cash to restaurants. No tipping on tax. No automatic 15% or 20%. If I sit at the bar and eat, I leave $5. All you did was bring me my meal, pour a cup of water and give me my beer. Don't like it? Then I won't come to your restaurant.

— Domenic (@Domenic_Toronto) October 2, 2023

Amid the rising cost of living, Toronto has seen a large decline in people dining in at restaurants due to a pullback in spending, according to data released last month from OpenTable.

Fighting back against tipping culture, however, some restaurants across the city have gotten rid of tipping altogether.

But others have noticed that tips don't just stop at restaurants.

"You go to a restaurant nowadays and the tipping starts at like 18 or 20 per cent," a TikToker recently noted about tipping in Canada, saying it's not only the service industry that "expects" a tip.

"It's your hair salons, nail salons, any beauty boutiques. Even retail stores or self serve stations," the user said.