Take Out Tip Etiquette (Spur, Cool: minimum wage, restaurants, garden)

[goodmanm]

Originally Posted by txlnghrn

Now, I'd much prefer an all-inclusive price (like most of Europe) that already includes taxes and gratuity, but until we have that I think its important to realize that tipping is part of the cost of dining out in this country (or in some cases, carrying out).

Automatically including the gratuity IMHO is a rip off. Why should I pay for crap service?

I never tip at fast food places or pick up orders.

I do tip the folks who deliver as well as sit down places. Minimum of 10%, more if the service is better.

[TXRose]

Originally Posted by nismospec

agreed. if you go eat at a mom and pop restaurant and your meal comes out to $20 for two...15% would be a $3 tip.

now on the opposite side of the spectrum, if you go eat at The Palm restaurant and your 2 steaks and wine cost you $100...15% would be a $15 tip.

Does that mean that if you work at the Palm you are a harder worker than the mom and pop restaurant? doubtful.

There's a lot of people that might work harder than I do, but they don't get paid as much as I do. Pay is based on a lot of things other than hard work.

I've never eaten at the Palm, so i'm going to use Bohanan's as my point of reference. And, let's say...Chili's for the other end of the spectrum.

We ate a Chili's last Saturday around 7:30. We were out before 8:30. We had an appetizer and split an entree. Husband had a salad and we both had water. We thought our service was good and our total bill, with a 20% tip came to about $24.

When we've eaten at Bohanan's, we're there for at least 2 hours. Its a dining experience. Our service has always been impeccable. From advice to wine selections, to menu recommendations, to the awesome cherries jubilee that the server makes at your table. It is a different level of service. Our server at Bohanan's presented us with his business card during our conversation after the dinner and said he would be pleased to serve us again. As great as our server was at Chili's, you could not take him and put him at Bohanan's without a lot of training and additional experience.

So yes, I think that the higher dollar value tip we leave at Bohanan's, even if its the same percentage of what we gave at Chili's (though we usually give 25% at Bohanan's) is well deserved for the level of experience the server has and the exceptional quality of service we receive. Additionally, in the time it takes for us to eat at Bohanan's a typical server at Chili's would have one table turnover 3-4 times. Is it harder work? I don't know. Its a different type of work.

And for the OP, yes, I tip 10% when I get carry out at a dine-in restaurant.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by nismospec

agreed. if you go eat at a mom and pop restaurant and your meal comes out to $20 for two...15% would be a $3 tip.

now on the opposite side of the spectrum, if you go eat at The Palm restaurant and your 2 steaks and wine cost you $100...15% would be a $15 tip.

Does that mean that if you work at the Palm you are a harder worker than the mom and pop restaurant? doubtful.

Maybe not, but most diner waitstaff couldn't work at the Palm because it's not just about how "hard" you work, but the level of service and style and protocol that is followed. A lot of people can write down an order and bring you your coffee, a lot fewer can be consistent with fine-dining service. it's a bit like asking why some people pay for a professional landscaping service instead of just slipping a few bills to a local high school student. Nothing against servers at non-fine-dining places, and nothing against high-school students, but it's a different level of experience, a different level of expectation, and, yes, a different level of cost.

[Herbrocks]

Don't know how I missed this thread!

To the OP, the tip line on the OG reciept is just standard. It should not imply you have to tip for takeout only. In my opinion, tipping is not socially required for fast food or restaurant take-out. I have even seen NO TIPPING signs at some "carry your own tray" places like BILL MILLERS or SEA ISLAND. Also, some fast food places instruct workers not to accept them.

Myself, I will tip drive thru if I feel like it. I used to do it a lot more when I was getting a late nite snack, it was usually appreciated, and I often got free bonus food. I almost never tip when inside.

Sonic is a little different, at least when you park in a slot, but still your option. However if the server asks me "do you want your change" or "forgets" to give it to me, I count it out to the penny. They have gotten very bad about this in recent years.

You don't have to tip when getting takeout from a regular restaurant, but it's not a bad idea. I believe in OVERTIPPING for takeout at places I like, or plan to visit often. It's a fast track to becoming a "regular" and can reap many benefits down the line. Same thing if you often order pizza from the same place, drivers will quickly remember your name, and go the extra mile for you.

If you sit at a table or order a drink while you wait at a restaurant, you should leave some kind of tip.

JMO

[Leo Lemmer]

These people work hard for low pay. I always tip.

[bg2ntst]

This whole tipping thing is weird, especially who to tip and how much. I found this on the web - it might help, but it sure seems like I should be tipping a helluva lot more than I do. LOL!!

The Original Tipping Page

BTW, nobody tips me at my job and I provide a service. So what exactly is the "tipping" point to determine if someone providing you a service should be tipped or not? I wish I knew...

[allenk893]

Originally Posted by BearCounty

Howdy, I was wondering what's your opinion on take out tipping. Is it required or not, or does it depend on the restaurant?
I just got some take out at Olive Garden and the credit card slip had the tip section. I didn't feel it necessary to tip since I phoned in an order and walked inside to pay at the front counter. But the cashier's attitude changed after he saw that I didn't leave a tip. He was slighty colder as I asked for plastic utensils. He didn't even say thank you, come again, or whatever. I did thank him though. Anyhow, I'd just like to get your thoughts. Thanks

This is why I don't tip unless I get extremely good customer service. When I was in France, my sister tipped 8 Euros to this Parisian restaurant and I flipped out. 8 Euros is almost 12$!! I was like 8 Euros for what? We got a little entree with little food and it wasn't even all that. I swear I coulda made it at home! Anyway, the point is, don't go to dinner or a fancy restaurant expecting to tip because when you have that mentality, your gonna get crapped on. That is why I keep my money in my pockets until you show me your worth the cash I paid to eat there. It's like holding on to a steak with rapid dogs all trying to get it. You'll see people's true colors when your not "putting out". No pun intended.

[Mom2Feebs]

Originally Posted by allenk893

This is why I don't tip unless I get extremely good customer service. When I was in France, my sister tipped 8 Euros to this Parisian restaurant and I flipped out. 8 Euros is almost 12$!! I was like 8 Euros for what? We got a little entree with little food and it wasn't even all that. I swear I coulda made it at home! Anyway, the point is, don't go to dinner or a fancy restaurant expecting to tip because when you have that mentality, your gonna get crapped on. That is why I keep my money in my pockets until you show me your worth the cash I paid to eat there. It's like holding on to a steak with rapid dogs all trying to get it. You'll see people's true colors when your not "putting out". No pun intended.

are you freaking serious? Jeez.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by goodmanm

Automatically including the gratuity IMHO is a rip off. Why should I pay for crap service?

Even worse when they don't tell you about it,
I almost tipped a waitress twice at Nicha's (South side) because I didn't notice that they had already include the "15% gratuity".

[allenk893]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

are you freaking serious? Jeez.

I'm just THAT serious.