Does this, or does this not suck?

[Becks]

I, personally, would ask if they're allowed to accept tips.

[stizznatics]

Hmmm....we occasionally have people call in take out orders..and I've taken them a few times although I HATE doing it. I have to put the order in (and usually the person is very indecisive about what they want), hassle the cooks into getting it all to-go, then get all their condiments and put them in little to go thingies, make sure all the food is right and throw in forks and spoons and napkins, etc, all while trying to wait on my actual tables (and to-go orders ALWAYS ALWAYS come at rush times when I have about 7 tables of 4 tops I'm trying to wait on).

Ugh.

I always tipped for to go orders before I became a server, usually about 3 bucks, because I figured that was fair and I appreciated them taking time out to put my order together, because I was a lazy bum who didn't feel like getting dressed up to go out.

Now I think I'll tip at least 5 bucks because I've had some customers that tipped me that and it made my day. It was really sweet.

Thats where my motivations come in. I don't care about if it's 'fair or not' to tip. I care about hopefully making someone else's day a little bit better, and that person maybe making someone else's day a little better and so on and so on. If less people were so concerned about their money and policies, etc, this world wouldn't be such a callous place to have an existence in.

This is all up to the person. I'm well aware that some people hate tipping on principle. That's fine...however, I love giving a little bit more to someone and seeing their face light up, maybe that made up for that shitty customer they were sure to have had about an hour ago
'

[Alpha Strike]

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

I think the problem is that you and I view the reasoning behind tipping differently.

You believe tipping is required because servers make so little money, regardless of whether or not they actually do anything. I believe tipping is directly based on service rendered, so no service equals no tip.

If you want to tell me that a server does enough work to warrant a tip on take-out, then feel free. But continuing to tell me how little a server makes is both old news and irrelevant.

[princess4life]

I would have to say I am not sure about tipping with a to go order either. The main reasons for tipping given here have been because they take the order, wrap it, bag it, put in napkins and condiments, and wring up the order.

Well wth that logic shouldn;t you be tipping when you go through the Mc Donalds drive thru? Isn't that roughly the same thing?

I know the quality of the food is better and servers make less hourly, meaning that they live off of tips so i do tip on to go orders. I only do it because I know that the servers make only around $2/ hour. But I do not tip as much as I do when I sit down to eat considering when I sit down to eat, the servers are constantly checking on you refilling your drinks and making sure everything tasts ok with to go orders the servers aren't going to call you up and check to see if everything turned out ok.

[Emrld]

So I went to Applebees tonight and got curbside to-go
After sigining and tipping (it was drizzling out - bad weather gets curbside a tip with me)
I asked the delivery person what the deal was.
He told me flat out curbside actually gets a little more than min an hour. Where as the regular servers get a below min wage for their guests.
I asked if they get tips
He said they don't with every guest. . .but that is ok because they get a better wage per hour, than their counter parts.

Just wanted to add the extra food for thought.

[blas]

As a former server (one of those who didn't even dent the $2.50 an hour) who was constantly being taken away from my tables to do to go orders.....and never received a PENNY for even one of them......and having my tables get upset with me and tip me less.....

No I'll never waitress ever again.


That is all.

[myswtghst]

I think the other problem, as has been well-demonstrated in this thread, is that it varies from restaurant to restaurant. We've seen stories where to-go people make above minimum wage and do not expect tips, and stories where regular waitstaff who make small change are being pulled from tables that would tip to do to-go. I think it's a relatively safe assumption that the former is more common at chain restaurants, whereas the latter is more common at smaller, privately-owned joints, but while that provides a sort of guideline, it's not a guarantee.

I do have to say that I agree with Alpha Strike on many of the points he made. I do not tip just because it is expected, or because, for reasons completely beyond my control and influence, servers aren't paid "enough" or a living wage. I will tip because I want to, and because the waitstaff provided me with good service. I don't go somewhere where tipping is expected if I don't have $$, but I also do not feel like I absolutely have to tip unless I'm given a reason to. *shrugs* That's why these discussions always are difficult for me - I have trouble taking one side or the other.

[Peppergirl]

I do have to say that I agree with Alpha Strike on many of the points he made. I do not tip just because it is expected, or because, for reasons completely beyond my control and influence, servers aren't paid "enough" or a living wage. I will tip because I want to, and because the waitstaff provided me with good service. I don't go somewhere where tipping is expected if I don't have $$, but I also do not feel like I absolutely have to tip unless I'm given a reason to. *shrugs* That's why these discussions always are difficult for me - I have trouble taking one side or the other.

I'm very pro-tipping, and even *I* agree with this. In no way should anyone feel obligated to tip if they are provided less-than-acceptable service. I am an ex-server, but I am friends with many who still serve today who would even say the same thing. If you do a crappy job, you don't get a tip.

One thing I feel strongly about, though: In certain situations, there are things that happen in a restaurant that are beyond a servers control. I can't tell you how many times I got stiffed on a tip because the kitchen screwed up, or because it the restaurant was too hot or too cold, etc. And this was in spite of my repeated apologies for these things, even though I had little, if anything, to do with them. The list goes on and on. It really rankles me to see comments made by people in forums that say:

"Well, the waitress was good, but I had to send the steak back because it was too rare, so I didn't tip her."
Or
"I only tip if I'm a regular. If I know I'll never go back there, I don't tip - even if I get good service."
Or
"I just can't AFFORD to tip" - My personal pet peeve.

I guess the bottom line is, when I go out and I'm calculating the amount of money I'll need, I always factor in a tip because I am confident I'll get good service. If I can't tip, I don't go out. Now, If I go someplace and get horrible service, I've been known to tip very little or even nothing at all.

It's very sad that the restaurant industry is saving money on the back of it's servers, and that the rest of us are made to feel we have to take up the slack.