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Tipping on Takeout

Do you tip on carryout


  • Total voters
    61
  • Poll closed .
What does that mean?
Isn't it just a regular old mentality to expect to be compensated for services rendered?

In some posts you imply a fee for services rendered. In other posts you imply a sliding scale gratuity based on quality of service. Pick one. It cannot be both.
 
In some posts you imply a fee for services rendered. In other posts you imply a sliding scale gratuity based on quality of service. Pick one. It cannot be both.
Why not?
 
The person who packed it up for you?

Someone deserves extra money for putting things in a bag? Seriously? Do you tip your bagger at the grocery store?
 
Someone deserves extra money for putting things in a bag? Seriously? Do you tip your bagger at the grocery store?

Time is money

Baggers are paid at least minimum wage, and the IRS does not assume they earned 8% of the food they bag in tips.
 
Someone deserves extra money for putting things in a bag? Seriously? Do you tip your bagger at the grocery store?

It entails a lot more than putting food in a bag. It involves much of the same labor that is provided when dining in a restaurant.
 
It entails a lot more than putting food in a bag. It involves much of the same labor that is provided when dining in a restaurant.
I don't agree. Putting together a take-out bag is more organized. Everything is, or should be, there in one location. Most of it is "wham-bam-done".

Serving a table is more spread out, and is even being catered to when the server is not actually at the table interacting with the customers. There's a lot constantly going on behind the scenes in order to provide good service. It even stretches out to prior to the customer arriving and after the customer leaves.
 
They do the same thing a McDonald's cashier does. Do you tip fast food cashiers?

Not true

At McD's, the food preparers wrap the food so it's ready for take out. That is not always true at a restaurant.
 
They do the same thing a McDonald's cashier does. Do you tip fast food cashiers?

You obviously have never put together a take-out order at a full service restaurant. It often requires a lot more than that.
 
Someone deserves extra money for putting things in a bag? Seriously? Do you tip your bagger at the grocery store?

Back in the day we tipped everybody. We tipped the kid who bagged our groceries and carried them to our car. We tipped the guy who pumped our gas and checked the oil and washer fluid. We tipped the doorman and the elevator operator. We tipped the girl who boxed and wrapped our shirts. We tipped our paper boy and our milk man. Do you know why we stopped doing that? We stopped because one day some idiot decided that all these people needed to be making a "living wage" instead of tips so all those jobs went away. If you're a 12 year old kid you have to be careful about not running afoul of the law because you're raking leaves or shoveling snow for money.
 
Not true

At McD's, the food preparers wrap the food so it's ready for take out. That is not always true at a restaurant.

And the workers at McD's are paid at least minimum and the IRS does not assume they earned 8% of the food costs as tips.
 
I don't agree. Putting together a take-out bag is more organized. Everything is, or should be, there in one location. Most of it is "wham-bam-done".

Serving a table is more spread out, and is even being catered to when the server is not actually at the table interacting with the customers. There's a lot constantly going on behind the scenes in order to provide good service. It even stretches out to prior to the customer arriving and after the customer leaves.


I agree...which is why I said that it involves a lot of the same labor but not entirely....and why I indicated that I personally tip 10% on a take-out order from a full-service restaurant while I generally tip 15%-20% when dining in a full-service restaurant.
But suffice it to say, there is still labor involved for the server doing take-out orders...that takes away from his/her ability to serve the guests in the restaurant. When I was serving tables, it involved much of the same service that you give to dine in customers. I still had to place the order, I had to prepare salads (which I indicated was actually MORE work on a take-out order), I had to prepare and packaging the bread that went with the meal (which again was more work). I had to package the order and deliver it to the hostess, in the same way that I brought food to the dine-in guests. I also had to take payment....or the hostess would bring it to me to process. The biggest differences is that I didn't have to serve drinks, I didn't have to clear plates and I didn't have to bring extra items that the guests requested. I still was required by law to claim 8% of the sale as tips whether they tipped me 15% or tipped me nothing. Taxes are then taken out of my check based on those tips claimed. In the end...if you don't tip 8% on a togo order, your server is paying taxes on money that the government assumes that you gave to them, that you didn't. You might say that this is between them and the government....but ultimately it is between you as well.
Again...I didn't get upset with the togo diners that didn't tip me. I expected no tip because I don't think the vast majority of them understand or appreciate the level of service that you are providing them. I did...however, greatly appreciate those who did tip me..even if it was just a buck or two because it showed me that they had some understanding of the extra effort that I made which is why I have personally carried that over to my own tipping whenever I get take-out from a full-serve restaurant.
 
When you order food to go from a restaurant and don't use table service do you leave a tip anyway? I mean, I don't tip at any fast food places or other places where you order at the counter so it's never occurred to me to tip at a regular restaurant if I order out. I figure that I'm not taking up any of the servers time as it's usually a hostess or the manager who handles things and they are usually getting a full wage instead of server rate.

Usually a buck or two. It's usually a host/ess who take care of that and their job sucks. I know because I've been there.
 
I struggle with that one. On the one hand just clearing plates isn't much work. Certainly not on the level of being a full server. Some places try and "add" to the service level by getting drinks, too, which I'm not overly impressed by.

On the other hand, if I sense that the people working the tables are employees, and not owners and/or owner's family, then I might chip in a couple bucks.

I don't tip what I would for full table service, but I do tip something. Usually like 10%.

I go to a pizza place near my office that has a lunch buffet sometimes. You get your food and drinks yourself, but they come and clean your table off, so I usually give them an extra buck.
 
Yeah, I usually tip a couple of bucks--depends on how much food is in the order. It's not the same as getting regular table service, but often the person handing you the order had to put it in a bag, add in condiments, napkins, etc. and this is just something that gets piled on to their other duties. So a couple of dollars is appropriate, methinks.
 
It generally depends on the restaurant for me. I live in a small town, and many of the restaurants within it are small, family owned establishments and they know you by name. Most of these are great places and have great people working there, so I always leave giving them a few extra dollars if I order take out. For larger or otherwise more well-known establishments (franchises and the like), I generally do not, though if an employee seems particularly helpful or has gone out of their way to help me, I will tip them if they can accept tips. If not, I usually ask speak to a manager just to let them know the employee is doing a great job. I worked retail for a long time when I was younger and I had people do that thing from time to time, which made going to work a little easier sometimes. I figure I can return the favor for those that deserve it.
 
I struggle with that one. On the one hand just clearing plates isn't much work. Certainly not on the level of being a full server. Some places try and "add" to the service level by getting drinks, too, which I'm not overly impressed by.

On the other hand, if I sense that the people working the tables are employees, and not owners and/or owner's family, then I might chip in a couple bucks.

As an ex-server...I respectfully have to disagree. Again...it depends on the restaurant. I worked at a restaurant that was an upscale fine dining restaurant that served a champagne buffet brunch on Sunday's. Without question, the service that I provided to the guests at the Brunch was MUCH MUCH more labor intensive than the service on a regular dinner service. You say its just clearing plates. It is clearing A LOT of plates, probably 5 times as many as on a regular meal. We would still bring the condiments that the guest requested. It also involved serving a lot more beverages that you would normally serve at a dinner service.

Again...I think you really have to work there to appreciate the level of service required. I had several brunch regulars that used to tip me exceptionally well....because they appreciated the service that I provided them and expected it. Many people who weren't regulars were of the mindset that since we didn't "take an order or deliver food" a small tip was sufficient...yet they had no problem expecting me to be there every 10 minutes or so to make sure their champagne glasses were filled and their table was clear for them... but again, I don't begrudge them for that because I recognize that there is a mindset in America that is difficult to change.
 
When I pick up pizza for two at a little Italian restaurant in town - its usually about $14 bucks - $20 if we get salad - and I usually throw in a buck.

Same with some burgers from a bar in town.

The same with carry out sushi.

But I would never tip fast food places like Burger King or Taco Bell - although I rarely go to places like that in the first place.
 
As an ex-server...I respectfully have to disagree. Again...it depends on the restaurant. I worked at a restaurant that was an upscale fine dining restaurant that served a champagne buffet brunch on Sunday's. Without question, the service that I provided to the guests at the Brunch was MUCH MUCH more labor intensive than the service on a regular dinner service. You say its just clearing plates. It is clearing A LOT of plates, probably 5 times as many as on a regular meal. We would still bring the condiments that the guest requested. It also involved serving a lot more beverages that you would normally serve at a dinner service.

Again...I think you really have to work there to appreciate the level of service required. I had several brunch regulars that used to tip me exceptionally well....because they appreciated the service that I provided them and expected it. Many people who weren't regulars were of the mindset that since we didn't "take an order or deliver food" a small tip was sufficient...yet they had no problem expecting me to be there every 10 minutes or so to make sure their champagne glasses were filled and their table was clear for them... but again, I don't begrudge them for that because I recognize that there is a mindset in America that is difficult to change.
I had forgotten about upscale buffets. Yes, you do get more actual service in those. I tip differently at those as well, though I rarely go to them.

I was meaning more run-of-the-mill nothing-special do-it-yourself buffets.
 
I had forgotten about upscale buffets. Yes, you do get more actual service in those. I tip differently at those as well, though I rarely go to them.

I was meaning more run-of-the-mill nothing-special do-it-yourself buffets.

True. If you are at a hometown buffet or a place like that, where you pay at the counter and often they have drink stations, there is a big difference. In those types of places, servers generally carry a lot more tables and don't expect much more than a couple of bucks because they really aren't providing much of a service.
 
I've watched them do it. It's the same thing.

If its a full-service restaurant I find that highly unlikely. Most customers do not have access to the back of the house where most of the prep work is done. Now, if you are talking about a place that is designed for take-out primarily that is a different story.
 
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