What about tipping?

[exitseven]

I got takeout yesterday at a new place that opened in town. I ordered on line and had to pay with a credit card. During checkout they asked how much I would like to leave as a tip. What the heck? I am getting takeout and picking it up myself. Am I expected to leave a tip for doing all the work myself? I decided to give myself the tip.

[nightdrot]

What you did is perfectly acceptable. The irony is that - even in that situation - I usually tip.

Strictly speaking, though, you had nothing to tip. TIP is actually an acronym for "Toward Improved Performance," and the idea is that you reward service that is above and beyond the call of duty, so to speak.

In your case, you - as you say - did all the work beyond preparing the food and there was certainly nothing above and beyond. Game. Set. Match.

However, I still tip for two reasons. First, because the people behind the counter usually are working for low paying jobs and for employers who - while not bad - offer their employees nothing special. The bottom line is that it is very hard work for very average to minimum pay.

So, having been there once myself in my high school and college years, I feel a certain sympathy for the person behind the counter and so I don't mind giving them a little bit extra. The exception being if the service provider is rude or abrupt, in which case I will not reward bad behavior.

The second reason relates to the first. I was working at a Pizza Hut when I was in high school. It was a wild night but I - thanks to parents who demanded high standards - made a point of being polite, smiling and such while serving the food. So amidst all that chaos one customer with whom I had been joshing a bit rewarded me with a 50% tip.

It meant a lot and made me want to work all the harder. So I figure when I am giving a tip I am incentivizing better manners and cordial relations and - particularly in this era - we need much more of that.

So while I think you were absolutely right in what you did and need not apologize for it, I typically do things a bit differently. Certainly, as the idea takes hold that tips are an entitlement, your approach will become more necessary.

[NamerOfStars]

Back in the 70's, McDonald's, a restaurant that doesn't wait your table, clear your table, or cook your food to order, came up with the slogan "We do it all for you". Naturally, I don't expect that kind of service at a fast-food place, but it's still pretty damn disingenuous.

At my local Steak N Shake, it's even worse- they don't even TAKE your order anymore; it's all done through automated kiosks. Literally the only interaction you have with them is when they call out your number (despite asking for your name on the machine, I've never heard mine or anyone else's used) to hand you your food.

Pay the people what they need to make a viable living, and leave this nonsense in the past. A few months back, I had to stiff a waitress purely by accident, since I was paying with a gift card, had no cash (a rarity for me, but it does happen), and was never given an opportunity to add more.

[midnightmoon05]

Def. keep an eye... these bills are coming up with new tipping lines.

I noticed that as well... anywhere you go... there is an extra line for tipping. (Such as tea shop/coffee shops, take out restaruatunats) PLUS another line for extra tipping!! I am not kidding. I always put $0.

My daughter had her 16 bday last weekend. She took a few of her friends to a tea house.

As she become of age, I wanted her to learn about these responsibilities on her own... as well your typical party of 6 and more charge 20% gratuity. Then another line asking for additional tips. She sent me a picture of the bill. It had 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% suggested. I explained, everything looks good, no need for additional tips.

Those who are very kind, I give a little more than 20% because I feel their services were exceptional and personable.

I have lived in other countries, Americans bring this custom and have spoiled them, when they see an American visiting, they ask for tips.

I think they should get rid of this custom.

[Jamie05rhs]

@midnightmoon05 I also agree that they should get rid of it. It would make things so much simpler to just have a standard price for everything. And let the restaurant servers have minimum wage.

[DubiousIntentions]

@Jamie05rhs I think the servers already get minimum wage. They just need a little sugar to keep them positive and going above. Let's face it, with today's people who are so demanding and unpleasant, you don't have to wonder why these food establishments have more people not wanting to put up with the job. I mean people in other jobs get raises. Servers can only rely on tips to make a living.

[Jamie05rhs]

@DubiousIntentions Nope; they do not. They get like $3 an hour or something. It's ridiculous.

[Daniela1982]

@Jamie05rhs Come on! They gotta get better than at McDonalds. I mean what idiot would work for $3 an hour? And then they usually have to split tips with the chef and busboys. How about the hostess who does seating? She has to be making more than $3 an hour.

[Jamie05rhs]

@Daniela1982 You live in California. The laws are different there than a lot of other places in the country.

[TrueConfection]

A lot of people tip floor carry out, but usually much less than dine in. No one should be expected to tip for takeout. They don't even have to clear your plate. I find it offensive when employees get aggressive about wanting a tip.

[exitseven]

They made me pay with a credit card too. What kind of a place won't take cash?

[TrueConfection]

Now that makes me crazy. I see a lot of merchants and people in general forcing digital currency on everyone. They want everything electronic. I can't see how any merchant can refuse the nation's currency!

[Lliam]

If they won't take cash, they won't get my business.

[msc545]

Usually, its a place that has been robbed in the past in my experience.

[exitseven]

@msc545 I hear there is a lot of that going on these days

[exitseven]

@Lliam I paid with the credit card but won't be going back.

[TrueConfection]

Thanks for the MHO ❤

[exitseven]

no charge.

[sage2021]

Since you ordered on-line, and drove in to pick it up there shouldn't any discussions about a tip. The only reason I can think of would be for the person that took your order (time is money), and the person that bagged it up.

If their food is overly expensive to begin with, I would leave a tip for a drive through order.

The have to realize that you put in time to get the order, plus gas money to get there.

If you go into a restaurant and sit does and eat, that is different. It has always been customary to leave a tip, but YOU chose the amount. Unless you had really bad service, they made you wait a very long time and trying to make it ok by giving you a breadstick to knaw on.

[razelove]

I tip if the service is good and it's at a restaurant, you know, where you actually get service. I'll leave out the tip there if the service is shit. Everywhere is asking for tips now, why would I tip someone making fast food? You're getting paid to do your job, and I'm not tipping for it. Unless they cancel my order and just give me a lot of food for cash cheaper than the menu.

Tips are there so you can pay an employee 2.50/hr, if they're good and can get tips out of people, awesome, if they're behind the counter and don't interact with the customer, pay them at least 10 an hour and don't expect the customer to float their pay.

[Anonymous]

i never ever leave a tip any more unless i'm sitting down at the restaurant, eating and being served and that's because i feel like i have to. i recently went to a place that was overpriced for what it was, and the waitress even said leave a yelp review with their name so they can maybe win a $5 raise... the establishment is already making enough money with a fucking $21 burger! they can't give them raises? the whole tipping culture is ridiculous in my opinion. like oh you're doing your job by making my starbucks drink? good for you? you know...

[FreyaRed]

It's not that you get the food just for cost of ingredients, you pay already at least 200% margin while ordering food. I tip sometimes a waitress/waiter for good service, even though tips aren't common in my country. However if a business would force me to tip, I wouldn't give them a dime.

[Anonymous]

Tipping is supposed to be a gesture you want to make when somebody goes above and beyond to make your experience better, or you thoroughly enjoyed their service. I’m very confused by this new culture of entitlement where people think they are owed a tip.

Especially the American way which apparently means you must tip to personally make up for the horrible system of exploitation and low wages for servers and if you don’t thats apparently disrespectful?

[exitseven]

If I am in a restaurant and the service is good I always leave 20% because the waitstaff has t owork hard. In this case there was no waitstaff and not even a kid washing the dirty dishes. Nobody delivered it t my door. A kid handed me the bag. I am supposed to leave a tip for that?

[richardcory]

I can't stand tipping. I wish restaurants would pay a good wage and tips would become at most an optional extra, if not disallowed completely.

Yes, I tip and tip well because I know the staff is underpaid, but its a terrible system. Easily open to bias. Some customer facing workers get tips, workers in the back don't. etc.

Its also extremely awkward not knowing what tip is expected where - even worse when traveling.

[Genie23]

What the hell? How can they expect/ask you to leave a tip when you didn't even dine there or called them for home delivery? I don't understand why they feel entitled. I wouldn't give the tip unless they serve me food because of the hard work of waiter and people who's doing the dishes or unless someone delivered it to my house.

[jennifer_bloom]

I believe the tip is to go to the restaurant to help them cover bills. I think unless you used a delivery app which charges the establishment a mark up fee, a tip is not mandatory. I give small tips because if I tip I know they will make sure my meal is clean and free from bacteria or grime.

[douride2]

in my opinion tipping is getting way to complicated & carried away. Tipping was originally meant as a means of giving someone a little more for extremely good service. You pretty much did all the work so I hope you gave yourself a big tip.

[exitseven]

I did. I gave myself 20%.

[Jamie05rhs]

I think they have that option there just in case. Because they would never get ANY tips at carryout if they didn't ask or give you the option to tip.
But I don't think you should be expected to do so. I think that's just an extra bonus thing in case you happenned to be feeling generous that day.

[D_Bone_Steak]

they just want money.

Makes me miss Japan where they will literally chase you down the street and give you your money if you try to leave a tip.

The entire tipping system is just shit.

[rosemilk]

agree, i miss korea because it was exactly like that too

[D_Bone_Steak]

@rosemilk Good to know some people here know what I'm talking about. I stayed a lot in Busan and yeah a lot of the cultural things were the same.

[jshm2]

A buck isn't going to hurt your lifestyle, you old fart. But it will encourage better from them.

I tend to ask if the tip is for them or does it go through backroom. if the tip is backroom then I leave a buck, and give the server cash.

[midnightmoon05]

Encourage what? To stay at a minimum wage job?
I give extra tip to the one who gave me good service at a sit down restaurant.
He went there and grabbed his order then left. When getting the food and the bill, was asked for tip. For what?
Maybe you should give him a tip and gas money for driving himself to pickup his food.

[rosemilk]

it actually doesn't encourage better. it makes them stagnant and think that if they do the bare minimum they'll still get a tip because they think they're required it even tho they just handed OP the bag and that was it...

[exitseven]

how do ypu know how old I am. ?

[AviatorTom]

If the person behind the counter is courteous and efficient, and my take-out was done correctly and ready on time, I usually leave a nominal tip, say 5% of the total bill.

[exitseven]

all she did was ask my name and hand me a paper bag. I will not be bullied into tipping.

[Iron_Man]

That’s ridiculous. I’ve never heard of that before that’s only through delivery to your house or if they’re waiting on you at the table. Who gets the tip? This is an online order or telephone call order that’s ridiculous.

[OlderAndWiser]

I'm with you. A tip is a reward for good service, not an entitlement for anyone who can't get a better job than fast food.

[LovingJo]

Wtf, after not taking cash either, I would have literally, I would have called them out, and said "are you kidding me"? 💯

[exitseven]

The whole transction was done online and there was no human interaction except for a girl who quietly handed me the meal. from behind a counter.

[LovingJo]

Wouldn't have made any difference, it's the principle!! 💯

[exitseven]

I don't plan on going back. I think i will stick with the place we usually go to.

[LovingJo]

Good idea.. was similar with a takeaway I loved a few months back. I ordered from there all the time.
And one night they messed my order up... And even though I told/showed the delivery driver, who worked for the restaurant, they said that it didn't come with what I was asking, even though it was ON the menu. And sent something else.
Instead of admitting their mistake, and knowing they had to come out ANYWAY, why not try and keep a customer who orders all the time over a few quid?
I said to the driver, when he came back, "you can tell them they've just lost a loyal customer, tell them well done"
Whether he did or not, I don't know.. But I am not putting up with that kind of crap, regardless of how much I liked their food and still want to order from them.
It's the principle!! 💯

[exitseven]

There is a local place in town we have been going to for years. They messed up my order once and the woman behind the counter was all apologies and fixed it immediately. I just wanted to check this new place out. It really was busy and it is a nice new place but I don't like paying for stuff like meals or parking fees. God invented cash for that stuff.

[msc545]

Unfortunately, this seems to be happening at a lot of places. Tipping is just a way of being forced to subsidize greedy restaurant owners who don't feel like paying their workers a living wage.

[ArrowheadSW]

I will tip waitresses and waiters, but normally not cashiers.

[RasmusAiken]

Being asked to tip before you've eaten the meal or received any service is extortion.

[midnightmoon05]

Exactly!

[andreasderjuengere]

I only ''tip'' when there's a chance for a happy ending.