Comments on: Ask Mike: Tipping for Take Out?

By: Peter Linyando Likoro

Peter Linyando Likoro — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:29:16 +0000

Why do we as people do not appreciate for the job well done when an individual is still alive?

By: shouldbdrinkin

shouldbdrinkin — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:45:42 +0000

Tip, but not more than a buck or two. They put together your order and deserve to get tipped for this service.

If you can not afford to tip, then it is probably best to pinch your pennies and eat at home. (this is also a good way for cheap people to lose those extra pounds!!!)

By: Steamboat

Steamboat — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:13:50 +0000

No tipping on take-out. Enough is enough. What’s next, a tip if the restaurant answers the phone, a tip for being polite to the customer ? Servers have been trying to change the norm on this take out topic recently. Very credible – Talk about advocating your agenda. Many have been claiming insult on any tip less than 20% post tax. Many are advocating 20% as a bare minimum, and pushing for 25% without any reference to the level of service. Trying to change the custom for person gain.

I tip appropriately for traditional table service, and the level of service. With take out – I call in an order, in my case the cooks are the ones who puts the order in a bag or container. The owner or waiter rings it up and I’m gone.

And please stop the “servers only earn below minimum wage” sob routine. They more then make up for that on regular table service tips, and I’m sure their reporting all that income to Uncle Sam (LMAO).

With take-out the restaurant does extra business, which keeps them in existence, which keeps a job for the servers. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:49:56 +0000

I see a lot of people on here comparing ordering take out at a restaurant to getting fast food. I can see why people think this way, but it really is not the same thing. Here’s the difference: employees at a fast food restaurant are being paid at least minimum wage and do not have to claim tips while bartenders and servers who prepare your to go order are making $2.83 an hour at most places and are required to claim tips based on their sales. This means they have to pay taxes on a tip that they may or may not have received for your to go order. Also, cooks are not a good comparison either for the same reasons.

By: JayPetey

JayPetey — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:00:23 +0000

I worked at a chain italian restaurant as a Host and a Carry-out server and we much appriciated the tips. Carry out was a lot harder than just putting things into bags, because often or not for myself I was putting pizzas into boxes, cutting them up, packaging pasta and putting sauces on, loading them into warmers, getting rolls and butter by request, while hosting tables, helping/getting in the way of servers, doing transactions and answering phones all on minimum wage, because “The tips make up for the rest” as we were told. A single carry out order could easily send me around the entire restaurant a few times. Carry-Out is the same thing as being a waiter, just with less conversation and drink refills. We take the order, prepare the food, cater to needs, deal with problems and check you out. It’s appropreate to tip.

By: Insights

Insights — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:55:49 +0000

I do not think that it is rude not to tip for take out. It would be OK to tip but not an obligation. It is a different matter if you eat in and a waiter or waitress take care of you.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 07:18:28 +0000

Places that are specifically designed for carry out don’t really require a tip for take-out because the employees will be paid at least minimum wage because they don’t qualify as “tipped employees.” However, I work at a bar, and I get paid $2.65 an hour. I don’t expect people to leave me 20% on a carryout, because I don’t have to clean up after them (usually) or keep checking on them, but I DO package everything, and take the order. When I am not tipped on a carryout, it feels like I’ve been working for free, which isn’t a nice feeling. Give me at least a dollar for my trouble. Especially if you sat down at a table while you waited and messed it up!

Also, I would like to make this point that when I have to do a carryout, it takes my time and attention away from my tables, and it would be nice to be compensated for my time.

Also, growlers. People are TERRIBLE about tipping on growlers. I still poured your beer, tip me for it.

I don’t think it is that difficult to figure out which places have designated carry out people, and places where underpaid servers are taking care of carry outs.

By: stephen

stephen — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:51:47 +0000

Christy I drink like 5 glasses of water ask for bread, cheese, stake sauce, butter or what ever when I sit down for a meal. You see me only once you don’t have to put up with me for 30 minutes unless you F every thing up. You have the least amount of work there. I’ve worked in a restaurant. Sound like you need another job if you worked there for a year and your not a waiter. That job suck. Say if you only seen me for 2 minutes do you think you deserve to be tipped like a waiter or the time that you helped me? You don’t do exactly what a waiter does. .

By: stephen

stephen — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:16:51 +0000

Tips are suggested I believe where ever you want to give at tip you should be able to. I work at a car rental place I love it when people give me a tip it is a way you tell someone that your thankful for their service. I don’t expect anyone to tip me but it does help. Some one tipped me five bucks the other day When I left the store I saw a bum I really didn’t need that tip I gave it to the bum the money (he has to get food sometime so I know my money when towards food). I never carry cash so that bum go lucky. The point is Karma. You help someone out so that they can help others. It goes around. Speaking about drive thru work the pay is horrible If you tipped the guy the service might improve. I have worked fast food too. It helped me when I was completely broke. So that I can pay to eat at work. If I wasn’t broke sometime I refuse tips. Think about if those workers got tipped I think all the kids would work there and they might get you order right for a change. How would the rest of you do on minimum wage part time. Also they have to put up with the worst customers. If you worked weekend night shift most your customers are drunk a holes who yall into the board and waste time. After that person you get a snob who wonders why your taking them so long. As far as being rude not leaving a tip at take out. I don’t think it’s wrong. People are not expecting it. When I got it I can and do. If I don’t I don’t. I think it’s a good thing maybe to have guilt about not giving a tip. It just shows that you care, most people wouldn’t care to think about it.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:04:01 +0000

In most cases I would have to say YES! Why are people so cheap!
If it is a place like McDonalds… They don’t expect it. Tho in some instances it would be a nice gesture. Say, if you take that bag of grub to their tables… somone is going to come and do the service of cleaning up after you. Not that you would be messy but just think of all the greasy, sticky kids fingers that were on your table right before you. While this type of fast food generally pays someone better than someone who works for a lower wage. It would be nice to leave a tip for them. They also may have gone an extra distance in preperation because you didn’t want the onions that come standard on every burger.
If it were like a small teri-yaki take out, definately yes. Thoi the service you get may seem a little limited, Someone is still cooking it for you and is provideing a service. They are packaging your order and making sure you have everything included. In cases like this… if there is a tip jar, yes they accept tips and you should at least leave a little something for them.. maybe around 10 %.
As for a regular sit dow restaurant… always.
I have been in the industry a long time and it is not a very thankful one one way showing your appreciation is sending a few dollars that they may not expect.
Being worked in one of those coffee shop/family dining restaurants… servers were always having to answer and take orders by phone. Then package and fix any other items for the guest. All this while taking care of their own sections of people who were sitting and going to give a tip upon their finishing. Serving someones to go was a pain in the a** and hardly ever compensated for it. Not to mention the time it took to get all their stuff together taking away from their regular customers who were going to tip.
You tip cab drivers, hair dressers so why not tip someone for doing a job of servicing you.