Question about tipping

[LauraGB]

This question refers to when you order take-out (pizza, Chinese, etc), and you go pick it up and take it home. If you pay by debit/credit card, and the reciept allows for you to fill in the tip then write the total, what do you do? Do you tip even though you haven't been waited on by a waiter/waitress? Or do you just zero it out and put the food total on the Total line? If you do tip, who gets it? There was no waitress. :confused:

[4kiddies]

I used to waitress and I always tip $1 for take-out as a result, especially if it is somewhere I go to often. I think you get better overall service that way.

[eternalknot]

This question refers to when you order take-out (pizza, Chinese, etc), and you go pick it up and take it home. If you pay by debit/credit card, and the reciept allows for you to fill in the tip then write the total, what do you do? Do you tip even though you haven't been waited on by a waiter/waitress? Or do you just zero it out and put the food total on the Total line? If you do tip, who gets it? There was no waitress. :confused:

 

It depends.

 

My Starbucks receipt usually has this option -- for my local baristas (that I see on a regular basis) I usually add 10% to the total. I don't feel obligated to, I just like to. For the baristas that serve me at the airport or hotel Starbucks outlets, I zero it out unless they've done something above and beyond for me; that is, I don't tip for ordinary service the way I do at my local store.

 

Same for pizza. I add 10% even if I pick it up from our "usual haunt" and haven't been waited on ... but they know us, and it usually ends up evening out (i.e., they comp us things on occasion). When we order from anywhere else, I zero it out if I've picked it up myself.

 

I'd imagine that tips work like everywhere else, and are just split by the staff on duty at the time the drawer is cleared out :)

[Suzanne in ABQ]

This question refers to when you order take-out (pizza, Chinese, etc), and you go pick it up and take it home. If you pay by debit/credit card, and the reciept allows for you to fill in the tip then write the total, what do you do? Do you tip even though you haven't been waited on by a waiter/waitress? Or do you just zero it out and put the food total on the Total line? If you do tip, who gets it? There was no waitress. :confused:

 

 

It depends on what type of food it is, which determines how much work went into packing it up. For instance, I don't tip for pizza. It doesn't take any work to walk to a warmer oven and pull out my boxed pizza (that the cooks packed).

 

Chinese food, on the other hand, comes in fifteen little boxes (exaggeration for effect). The skinny little overworked guy that packed it is also waiting on several tables, working the cash register, and helping serve in the kitchen. Just watching him run around makes me tired! I usually tip him 10%.

 

At the ribs joint, where I get bbq brisket and potato salad, the cooks serve it in the take-out containers, but the bartender assembles it into a bag, and is careful to make sure nothing spills. Then she walks it over to where I'm waiting. I usually give her somewhere between 5 and 10% (whatever makes the math easy). :)

[mysticamethyst]

I don't. The pizza place adds $3 to our order for a surcharge, so whatever I use to tip pizza guy he gets thru that now. They get part of the surcharge back in their checks is my understanding, correct please if I am wrong. As for pick ups, I don't just because I am there, like you said, no service short of carrying it from the kitchen. Starbuck I have never tipped at just because I always thougth it weird to tip a drive thru, I wouldn't tip the people at McDonalds or Burger King. Now, when I eat in I always tip very well.

[hornblower]

I don't tip when I'm picking up take-out food. I zero it out if it's printed. Usually here they hand you the machine for both credit & debit and the first thing the machine asks is "tip?" and you answer yes or no.

[Goodallmomma]

If it is take out from a restaurant (not Pizza Hut, but something like Olive Garden) you leave a tip. The person that took your order and put it together is typically a waiter that got stuck doing To Go orders because the floor was too full. They are making minimum wage and the tips counter act that. I waited tables for 3 years, PLEASE PEOPLE TIP YOUR WAITERS. As a waiter you make $2.13 an hour (at least here in Alabama you do) and that is just to cover the taxes for the tips you make. Waiters have to claim all there tips for tax purposes and they have to tip out (give $ to) the bartenders, bus boys, and hostess every shift. Can you tell I feel passionately about this? LOL :D

[Goodallmomma]

I don't. The pizza place adds $3 to our order for a surcharge, so whatever I use to tip pizza guy he gets thru that now. They get part of the surcharge back in their checks is my understanding, correct please if I am wrong. As for pick ups, I don't just because I am there, like you said, no service short of carrying it from the kitchen. Starbuck I have never tipped at just because I always thougth it weird to tip a drive thru, I wouldn't tip the people at McDonalds or Burger King. Now, when I eat in I always tip very well.

 

You don't tip the delivery driver? That "surcharge" pays for the driver's gas. They don't make that much an hour. For the most part they live off the actually tips made from the customers, not their check and not the surcharge.

[LauraGB]

So, if you do tip for take out, who gets the tip? When someone serves me in a restaraunt, of course, I always tip (I just round the first number and double it - it's easier for me to figure it out that way). I always used to tip for take out the same way. But then I started to wonder who gets it? It wouldn't be my server, because I wasn't served. Does anyone know? I think as a customer, if I tip, I would like to know who it will go to and why. Thanks for any enlightenment - I wouldn't want to short change anyone, but I also don't want to overspend, either.

[Melissa in Australia]

I have never tipped anyone, it isn't a compulsory thing in Australia, people only tip if they think they are getting very good service, otherwise people don't tip.. I live in a country that has a reasonable minimum wage. I really can't believe that people are only paid $ 2.13 an hour on a country like America! . I think the minimum wage in Australia is $ 12 or maybe even more.

[Goodallmomma]

So, if you do tip for take out, who gets the tip? When someone serves me in a restaraunt, of course, I always tip (I just round the first number and double it - it's easier for me to figure it out that way). I always used to tip for take out the same way. But then I started to wonder who gets it? It wouldn't be my server, because I wasn't served. Does anyone know? I think as a customer, if I tip, I would like to know who it will go to and why. Thanks for any enlightenment - I wouldn't want to short change anyone, but I also don't want to overspend, either.

 

The person who took your order, placed it in the computer, put it in the to go containers, did your bag set up, and brought it out to you whether that be your car or inside. They "waited" on you basically. It's common to tip the to go waiter 10% where as you should always tip at least 15% for dine in service. An easy way to figure out how much to tip, round up the tax and double it.

[Goodallmomma]

I have never tipped anyone, it isn't a compulsory thing in Australia, people only tip if they think they are getting very good service, otherwise people don't tip.. I live in a country that has a reasonable minimum wage. I really can't believe that people are only paid $ 2.13 an hour on a country like America! . I think the minimum wage in Australia is $ 12 or maybe even more.

$2.13 is not minimum wage; it's just the wage for waiters. Minimum wage is $5.15, which is still nothing. When I waited tables, I use to get a "this is not a check" check, because my hourly wage of $2.13 did not cover the taxes on my tips.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

If it is take out from a restaurant (not Pizza Hut, but something like Olive Garden) you leave a tip. The person that took your order and put it together is typically a waiter that got stuck doing To Go orders because the floor was too full. They are making minimum wage and the tips counter act that. I waited tables for 3 years, PLEASE PEOPLE TIP YOUR WAITERS. As a waiter you make $2.13 an hour (at least here in Alabama you do) and that is just to cover the taxes for the tips you make. Waiters have to claim all there tips for tax purposes and they have to tip out (give $ to) the bartenders, bus boys, and hostess every shift. Can you tell I feel passionately about this? LOL :D

 

Uh,....no. The person who took my order and handed me a bag are NOT acting as wait staff in this situation. I didn't order drinks that need to be refilled, they don't have to run back and forth from kitchen to table, they don't have to try to upsell me on desserts, etc. We have a very short relationship and it is not tip-worthy.

 

I have waited tables, too, but I don't tip at coffe houses, take-out counters, etc. It wasn't full service.

 

(If I sat down and was waited on at the coffee house I would tip, but not if I'm standing in line and going back to pick up the drink!)

[Melissa in Australia]

$2.13 is not minimum wage; it's just the wage for waiters. Minimum wage is $5.15, which is still nothing. When I waited tables, I use to get a "this is not a check" check, because my hourly wage of $2.13 did not cover the taxes on my tips.

 

 

how can you possibly get paid less than the minimum wage?:confused: isn't that against the law?

here in Australia you can take your boss to wage tribunal and they have to pay the minimum wage for that job.

[mom2abcd]

I have never tipped anyone, it isn't a compulsory thing in Australia, people only tip if they think they are getting very good service, otherwise people don't tip.. I live in a country that has a reasonable minimum wage. I really can't believe that people are only paid $ 2.13 an hour on a country like America! . I think the minimum wage in Australia is $ 12 or maybe even more.

 

Actually, even wait staff get at least minimum wage.

 

Typically servers make 50 TO 50% of the state minimum but if tips + your hourly wage is less the the state's non-tipped employees wage you will be paid non- tipped employees wage.

 

The restaurant owners will "make it up" to wait staff that don't get good tips. It's the law. Usually wait staff get MORE than minimum wage.

[Goodallmomma]

Uh,....no. The person who took my order and handed me a bag are NOT acting as wait staff in this situation. I didn't order drinks that need to be refilled, they don't have to run back and forth from kitchen to table, they don't have to try to upsell me on desserts, etc. We have a very short relationship and it is not tip-worthy.

 

I have waited tables, too, but I don't tip at coffe houses, take-out counters, etc. It wasn't full service.

 

(If I sat down and was waited on at the coffee house I would tip, but not if I'm standing in line and going back to pick up the drink!)

 

I don't know where you waited tables, but every place I have, a tip is expected by not only the "to go" person, but the company. I'm not talking about Pizza Hut or Dominos or some "fast food" place for take out. I mean a dine in restaurant where you called in a take out order (like Ruby Tuesdays, Olive Garden, California Pizza Kitchen..etc.). I've had horrible experiences with this situation. I even had managers that would feel so bad about how little some people would tip on "to go" orders, they would comp part of the meal so I would make more money. You don't see a dime of the $5.15 if you wait tables 4 nights a week and do "to go" orders 1 night a week. The tax on your tips takes away that money on your check. I don't go out to eat unless I have enough money to pay 15% of the bill to my waiter (which honestly I tip at least 20% if not 25% as long as it wasn't bad service. I only tip 15% if it WAS bad service. That's just because I know what it's like.) and I don't order take out unless I can pay 10% to the person who prepared it. This is JMO. You don't have to agree. I'm simply answering a question and trying to educate whoever is reading this on how the tipping process works.

[Goodallmomma]

I'm not going to debate this or step on anyone's toes. Here are a few sites to look at:

http://www.dol.gov/wb/faq26.htm

 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/raising-service-wages

 

http://hubpages.com/hub/Tipping_Do_You_Have_To_Tip_the_Waiter_How_much

[Goodallmomma]

I just realized minimum wage was raised this summer in Alabama. I haven't worked since November 2008, so I had no idea it had increased. My bad! Sorry for the incorrect information.

http://www.laborlawcenter.com/t-federal-minimum-wage.aspx

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I agree that raising the wage is the answer here. I have NEVER EVER in my life heard of anyone tipping for take-out that you go pick up. And this discussion has come up numerous times IRL. People have always expressed incredulity that anyone would think to tip for something you went and picked up yourself.

 

They must really like you at your local restaurants! :001_smile:

[Goodallmomma]

I agree that raising the wage is the answer here. I have NEVER EVER in my life heard of anyone tipping for take-out that you go pick up. And this discussion has come up numerous times IRL. People have always expressed incredulity that anyone would think to tip for something you went and picked up yourself.

 

They must really like you at your local restaurants! :001_smile:

 

No doubt it is always a debate with the men in my family, except my brothers who have also waited tables. My mom has always been a great tipper because all her kids waited tables (my youngest brother still does). It use to drive my dad crazy. My husband gets up from the table while I handle the tip because he hates to see how much I leave. I guess once you've been there you just feel for those guys. Ugh, I never want to wait tables again. It's not really the money, because honestly I always made fairly good money doing it. The hours, the clean up, and the food smell that stays in your hair is what drove me up the wall. :p

[ConnieB]

I used to waitress and I always tip $1 for take-out as a result, especially if it is somewhere I go to often. I think you get better overall service that way.

 

 

If I'm coming into the pizza parlor....I go to the cashier and pay and wait for them to hand me the pizza to drive home myself.....I don't tip. But I consider that the same as going to McDonalds (or other fast food) ordering, paying and waiting for them to call my number....don't tip there either.

 

I'm curious what you mean by "I think you get better overall service that way." when talking about takeout. Not being snarky, just totally curious.....by the time I arrive and am paying for the pizza it's typically already ready for me (or close to it), so what kind of better service would they even be able to do? Or are you saying you tip when you come in to order the pizza (instead of ordering by phone or Internet)? And what kind of better service do you get then? Hmmm, I'd pay an extra buck if they'd load it up with a few more toppings....seems that's how they're making up for those falling prices by counting every slice of pepperoni, lol. Ahhh the good old days when you could barely see the cheese.

 

Now...delivery, where someone else drives that pizza to my house....yes I do tip...and I'll tell you that when I take the pizza and hand it to the kids if it's HOT....they get the extra dollar that is in my pocket. If it's just warm, they get the couple dollars I had ready for them. I think the kid who typically delivers this neighborhood has figured me out, because my pizzas have been HOT HOT lately, lol. I hate cold pizza.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I agree. The frustrations for me were NOT so much about the money, it was the other things you wrote. (ETA: meant my frustrations with waiting tables, not frustrations with you.)

 

The funny thing about us having this debate back-and-forth is that among the people I know I am usually the highest tipper. I start with 20% and work my way up from there. My default is 20%, partially becuase it is easier for me to figure out 10% then just double that. If anything is comped or we used some sort of discount, I always tip on what the total would have been if not discounted/comped. Heck, I tip on the after-tax total. I tip well for massages, hair, etc which is weird now that I think about it because they are already much better compensated for their time than wait staff.

 

We ate at a Chili's restaurant a couple of years ago on a Sunday. The place was empty. The kind waitress took our order and an hour later it came. My food was stone cold while dh's was ok. I said something about the food beingcold. (as if they had made mine right away then got around to his later) She apologized. I made it VERY clear that I was not upet with her and understood she had no control over it, etc.

 

The mgr comped the whole thing. We tipped her what we would have paid for all the meals, so she ended up better off than if nothing had been comped. I hoped that I made up for the next customer who thinks that a penny tip is cute.

 

 

I think it's kind that you tip for take-out, but is by no means necessary. I tip outrageously good, even for just okay service, but I dont tip for being handed a bag.

 

I hope that changes can be made in this area. I feel like restaurant managers/companies want customers to take on THEIR operating costs.

Edited January 23, 2010 by ThatCyndiGirl

[ChristusG]

Just curious......some of you say that you tip 15 or 20% for bad service and work your way up from there. Why do you tip well for bad service? I mean, really, the wait staff has one thing in their control....drink refills. They cannot control what the kitchen does, how quickly your food comes out, etc. But they can control whether or not you sit there for 20 minutes with an empty cup. If I sit there forever with an empty cup, I consider it bad service. So I was just wondering why you'd tip well for bad service?

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Just curious......some of you say that you tip 15 or 20% for bad service and work your way up from there. Why do you tip well for bad service? I mean, really, the wait staff has one thing in their control....drink refills. They cannot control what the kitchen does, how quickly your food comes out, etc. But they can control whether or not you sit there for 20 minutes with an empty cup. If I sit there forever with an empty cup, I consider it bad service. So I was just wondering why you'd tip well for bad service?

 

 

I didn't say that I tip well for bad service. (the Chili's experience, for example: the waitress was great, drinks always full, it was just the food, not her fault)

 

But bad service? No. For one thing, I don't have a lot of horrible bad experiences at restaurants and if something isn't right it is addressed prior to tip time.

 

I DO NOT think it's cool to sit and endure bad service for hours then passive-aggressively leave a tiny tip (the aforementioned penny) or none at all. Why not speak up and get it corrected?