Does this, or does this not suck?

[theredbaron47]

I always tip 15 - 20% dine-in, sit-down service, but I usually do not tip for pick-up service, unless (as pointed out earlier) the person / people preparing my order went above and beyond what they had to do.

My rationale: Tipping for sit-down service is tipping the wait staff for extra services they are providing, such as face-to-face relations that would substantially impact the customer's dining experience. This may go above and beyond the call of their respective duties, and should be recognized.

Whereas, packaging food in a bag with condiments, silverware, napkins, etc. requires no customer relations... simply preparing a product. I see no reason to tip them extra money for literally doing their job, something I roughly equate to filling (preparing) prescriptions in the pharmacy. Unless, of course, they do something they are not required to do that would be considered beyond the call of their responsibilities.

For these reasons, I (usually) do not tip for pick-up service.

[myswtghst]

Depends (to me) on the type of take out.

If it's a take out type thing where it's similar to if I ran into a fast food joint - i.e. I have to get out of my car, go inside, and pick up the food, well...I don't tip at McD's or any other fast food place, so I look at it similarly. If the food is simply bagged and handed to me, it's not the same as putting up with me for an hour or two. Plus, if I don't pay with a card, I feel really akward trying to tip in cash.

However, when I do a carside type take out, I do tip, usually about 10%, since the person actually brings all my food out to my car and I don't have to do anything, just show up. Then I figure they deserve at least a few dollars...but not as much as if they'd been waiting on me, bringing me refills, etc at a table for an hour or so at a sit-down restaurant.

I make exceptions from place to place, and with large, extremely complicated orders, but I kind of keep to the above. I obviously make exceptions with delivery, but to me, it does have to do with the amount of work required - if there is extra work being done, then a tip is in order.

We have a huge range of restaurants around here, everything from typical fast food, to kind of "higher end" fast food, to Applebee's and the like, to real nice expensive restaurants, and it's confusing to try to try to decipher tipping based on that, as the differences aren't always clear.

[Peppergirl]

I tip for carry-out the same as I tip for buffet-style restaurants: 10 percent. That way, I'm not offending anyone, but I'm not costing myself a fortune at the expense of receiving very little in the way of service, either.

For full service: I tip 15% for bad-fair service, 20% for moderate and 25-30% (or more) for good or excellent service.

Course, I used to be a server, so I think that makes a difference, because I know what it's like to bust my ass for a 10 percent tip or worse.

[coldcupofjoe]

I tip at any place that brings my food to me, such as drive-in's like Sonic or pizza delivery and never any less than two dollars. I've never used any of the drive up's at places like Applebee's, but I would tip.

Just my .2 cents

[monolayth]

One of my past roomates worked at the to go person at chili's. She was paied a couple bucks above minimum wage. she did take home tips.

I would tip them just not as much as a server. yes they are servicing you and yes they are making a living wage.

[Anriana]

I used to get take-out at a nearby Applebee's two or three times a week when they had half priced appetizers. I always rounded my ~7.50 bill to ~10 because the staff weren't supposed to enter take out appetizers at half price.

[Happy Otter Lover]

At my restaurant, I still have to tip out 4% on take-out orders. I understand that most people don't tip on take-out, but it annoys me a bit because it's taking money out of my pocket. I avoid taking them whenever possible - I try to get someone else to take the order! I think that, although you aren't being served by the server, you are still being served by the kitchen and that warrants a tip, at least enough to cover the server's possible tip out (not everywhere operates the same way, of course)

[Alpha Strike]

At my restaurant, I still have to tip out 4% on take-out orders. I understand that most people don't tip on take-out, but it annoys me a bit because it's taking money out of my pocket. I avoid taking them whenever possible - I try to get someone else to take the order! I think that, although you aren't being served by the server, you are still being served by the kitchen and that warrants a tip, at least enough to cover the server's possible tip out (not everywhere operates the same way, of course)

This doesn't make sense to me. You're suggesting that a customer should tip on take-out because your restaurant makes you, the server, tip out a percentage of your tips?

To suggest that take-out service requires tipping is difficult to accept already, but to use the above reason as a rationale is really pushing it for me.

[Happy Otter Lover]

So you're suggesting that I should personally lose money for every take-out order?

[Alpha Strike]

So you're suggesting that I should personally lose money for every take-out order?

I'm saying that your restauraunt's policies, crappy or otherwise, don't translate into you deserving a tip for service you didn't render.

[Emrld]

If I go in and place the order at the bar . . . I will tip the bartender $1-$2 depending on how I am treated.

At the carside . . .I have been told they make a little bit more than waitstaff (USA) ergo unless the weather is bad I am not inclined to tip.

If I have to go in to pick it up even if it is to go . . .I don't tip . . .I consider it just like going to a fast food place.

If they deliver . . .I tip.

I wouldn't hesitate to contact corporate or ask a manager the next time you are in . . .use your manners . . .something like "You know I have always wondered about the carside service. Is the staff that works it paid the same as a regular waitperson or are the paid at least min wage?" Most of the time they will answer honestly. And, if they ask why - tell them the truth . . .in my case it would be because I am curious. (I would just leave out about wondering how to base tip to them)

One more thing on the tip scale. . . to tip or not is personal and regional. Do consider that those who deliver to your car and then you leave, they do not have to refill drinks, clean a table, and most of the time don't take your order, also they most likely serve more customers in an hour than those working dine in.

[wagegoth]

If you're going to base it on what the server makes, then you should find out what servers make in your area. Do they make minimum wage? They could be making as little as $2.13 an hour. If they're bagging your meal, or covering the take-out, then they're losing money on tips.

They're losing money.

Fast food workers make minimum wage. Servers here in California make minimum wage. Servers in New York make $2.13 an hour. Even though the server doesn't deal with you face to face, he's still involved with your meal. Say a server takes 10 minutes to take your order, give it to the kitchen, pick it up, check it, then pack and bag it. (I'm assuming a simple one or two person order.) I think 10 minutes it worth a $1 or $2.

I also think that if you aren't willing to tip at a restaurant, then you should pick up fast food.

[Alpha Strike]

If you're going to base it on what the server makes, then you should find out what servers make in your area. Do they make minimum wage? They could be making as little as $2.13 an hour. If they're bagging your meal, or covering the take-out, then they're losing money on tips.

They're losing money.

Fast food workers make minimum wage. Servers here in California make minimum wage. Servers in New York make $2.13 an hour. Even though the server doesn't deal with you face to face, he's still involved with your meal. Say a server takes 10 minutes to take your order, give it to the kitchen, pick it up, check it, then pack and bag it. (I'm assuming a simple one or two person order.) I think 10 minutes it worth a $1 or $2.

I also think that if you aren't willing to tip at a restaurant, then you should pick up fast food.

It's interesting: everytime a thread about tipping comes up, someone invariably mentions how little a server makes and uses that a reason for why wait staff should be tipped, or tipped more. And my response is: what does one have to do with the other?

Tipping at a restaurant is about service provided, not about how many tables a server has, how little he makes, his restaurant having crummy tip-out policies or any of the other reasons I've seen. If a server does a good job, I tip them well; if they do a crummy job, not so much.

And if they provide no service at all, then I don't tip at all. Frankly, handing me a bag of food after having spent 30 seconds writing down my order isn't service - it's simply one of those things a server does, like getting silver, prepping their stations or helping keep their areas clean.

[Now if someone is claiming that take-out orders really are a lot of work, and hence deserving of a tip, then that's another story.]

[wagegoth]

The reason servers are allowed to be paid so little is because the lawmakers assume that they will be tipped enough to make up the difference. If you don't tip, then the owners are supposed to pay the difference. However, this pretty much never happens.

So much of the business is in cash that proof is difficult. Also, the IRS assumes that the employees are making a certain percentage in tips and they have to prove they don't.

It's a messed up situation that should be changed, but until it is, that's the way it is.

So, once again, if you don't want to tip, don't go into a situation where tipping is expected.

[Gravekeeper]

I live in BC as well, thus my take:

If I sat down and you served me I will tip you proportionate to how well you served me.

If you drove to my house to give me food I will tip you very generously ( 20% or so ) because it saved me having to go out in the freezing rain / wind storm / slush cyclone myself. The pizza place near me loves me. They always perk up when I call and know my address off by heart. >.>

If you just came over and handed me a bag of food. Then no, I don't think that's tip worthy. Crappy restaurant policies aren't my responsibility.

and yes, I have worked in a restaurant before. ;p