What Can I Get You Folks? - Tipping on Takeout

2-08-2010 @8:26AM genem said... very true kim. at least that is the way it is at the cracker barrell. after my wife (who is a rest. mgr) told me i now always leave a dollar or two

2-08-2010 @9:39AM Kimberly said... First of all, I am a generous tipper (20%-30%) when it comes to excellent - good customer service, but when did it become my responsibility to compensate someone based soley on the fact that they made a choice to work a "low" paying job? Historyicaly Tipping has always been about customer service, however in recent years it has become a way for entry level wage earners to "boost" their wages in "minimal service" jobs, such as at the local sandwich shop where they make a sandwich and put it in a bag, or toast a bagel and throw a cream cheese in a bag for you... the postman who delivers your mail provides more customer services than the local sandwich shop but he/she doesn't expect a tip to be sitting in the mailbox for him when he drops off your mail... are we now tipping individuals based soley on the fact that they don't make enough money to get by on?... Seriously ppl, tipping is about CUSTOMER SERVICE in resturants and for pizza delivery, etc., not about paying extra for those who don't make much in wages. I had a low paying job once too, I was a bartender, and they don't get tips like a waitress/waiter does, it was my choice to work as a bartender, I didn't expect customers to make up the difference in my wages because my boss didn't pay much, I was in college and gaining useful employment skills, that is what entry level jobs/wages are like.

2-08-2010 @10:06AM D said... GENEM,

I have been at Cracker Barrel for 3 years. The take out sales do not onto our total sales for the day. Your wife is just trying to get you to be a better person. Servers must STOP taking care of their tipping guests to answer the phone, read the menu to those who did not bother to read it before they called, place the order into the computer and then make sure it is all there and bag it up when it is ready. This takes time away from the guests who ARE tipping me. If you order take out then tip!!

2-08-2010 @10:07AM D said... KIMBERLY,

If you were a bartender and you did not get tipped as well as a server then you were not doing a very good job. My husband tended bar when I met him and he made at least $300 a night. I am a server and I make more than anyone else serving in the place adn I only make $300-$600 a week. I also have worked in bars and rest. with bars and never did any of the bartenders make less than servers. Sorry to burst your bubble but you must have really been bad.

2-08-2010 @11:09AM Kevin said... When picking up an order to take out, no...i do not tip. I'm not being provided a service. Boxing up my order for me, isnt a service because it is just a part of 'take out'. It is part of the product, just like the food i'm buying.

2-08-2010 @11:25AM Rick said... LOL! Yeah sure! It's expensive enough already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2-08-2010 @11:44AM Inkling said... KIM BREWER-Most restaurants have a specific ring on key they use for orders that are to go, and NO, they do not charged an 8% tax on the person who rings it. If you work for someone that does that they should be reported to the government because that is fraud and abuse. I've worked in restaurants and bars for many years and know that to be a fact. Why are you making up stuff like that? I wouldn't tip for any order to go. Tips are for the server who brings you water, drinks, and food to the table, makes sure you have refills on time, your food is outstanding and if not, takes it back and gives you a new order, you have all the condiments that you need, your eating area is clean BEFORE you sit down and cleans up as you eat, AND provides pleasant service with a smile while they do that. Anyone that fails in providing all of those services doesn't deserve a tip, and the person who hands you a take out bag and rings it up doesn't provide the full service that people tip for. Most of the time it is the cook that puts the item in the styrofoan container, so WHO are you tipping, the person that rings it up? What's next? Am I supposed to provide a tip for McDonald's too? Do YOU? IMO, the tip jar sitting on the counter for someone who does nothing more than rings up your food and give the ticket to the cook is a pretentious display that makes me NOT tip.

2-08-2010 @11:38AM Kimberly said... D.... sorry to burst YOUR bubble.... I never said I didn't earn very much money in tips (you need to learn how to read and not make assumptions), I said I didn't EXPECT customers to make up the difference, that it was MY choice to work in a low wage job... so sad when ppl on here use this forum to try to make themselves feel better about their sorry lives thru attempts to demean the posters who discuss the actual article. "D" needs to get a real life and stop slamming on others, so sorry your life is worthless "D".. Oh, and learn how to read.

2-08-2010 @11:45AM Inkling said... HEY, I have a GREAT idea, petition against the government to get their greedy little hands out of your paycheck! If the servers would stand up for their rights and demand the government stop this practice, (which they only started in the 1980's), you all would be able to keep your tips without paying 8% for something you might not have made. The fact of the matter is, though, that paying 8% is not that unfair since most good servers / bartenders make 25% and more. As for supplementing people's wages, that is not my problem. Once again, petition the government to force the establishments to bring their wages up to minimum. That is what SHOULD've been done BEFORE this government implemented the tip law.

2-08-2010 @11:58AM ray said... Kimberly learn how to write. Here's what you said "I was a bartender, and they don't get tips like a waitress/waiter does"
So you are saying that other bartenders don't get tipped like a waiter/waitress does, but you weren't talking about yourself?
That's not true you moron. I know plenty of bartenders that do as well, and most actually do better than servers. Face it, you were a lousy bartender.

2-08-2010 @12:10PM That Girl said... Kim, you are so right!! PLEASE TIP AT LEAST 8%! BUT - 10% is definitely a lot easier to calculate! As a server, I'm not expecting 20% from a togo order; but I am expecting 10%. In restaurants that don't advertise togo options, the servers are doing a LOT more than you would think to prepare your order.

*In most restaurants, not only is it added to out total sales, which we HAVE to report to the IRS, and are taxed on; BUT ALSO TIP ~3% OF THE SALE TO OTHER EMPLOYEES!!!

*Just ASK THE SERVER if they have to claim it/tip out it! The server will not be offended, and is legally allowed to tell you if the order is added to their total sales, or if they have to tip out on it.

AND, the time it takes to box everything up, ensure it's correct, and deal with the payment; I'm not on the floor for 5-7 minutes, my tables think I 'took a smoke break', and I AM LOSING MONEY.

Again, if the place has specific people for 'togo's', they probably aren't tipping out or claiming any of it, and making minimum wage at least. So, back to the 'your call'.

2-08-2010 @12:10PM Leslie said... And, Kimberly -

If you weren't making what the servers made, it was because you were a poor bartender, or were in a restaurant that had zero bar traffic; and that is all there is to it.

2-08-2010 @1:05PM brooklyngirl said... Not the consumer's problem--why add another 8% for giving the
restaurant your business -- take it up with the manager to do right
on the income reporting.

2-08-2010 @10:09AM D said... Yeah they are packaged in the kitchen, by the servers. They also had to stop taking care of the tipping guests to answer the phone, read the menu to you cuz you did not bother and are asking a trilliion questions, place your order tnto the computer, get it all together and then bag it up. You have absolutely no clue what you are talking about.

2-09-2010 @3:26PM ALA said... I was a server and part of our responsibility was to take and 'get together' take out orders. AND it was added to our daily sales, which we had to tip out of. Please tip on to go orders...someone did prepare that food for you....its not like going into a grocery store. AND BARTENDERS make MUCH higher amount hourly than servers. Server makes 2-3 dollars and hour. Bartenders make 8-10 an hour. Not only do they get their tips the servers have to give them 3% of their total liquor sales. So bartenders and are making MORE an hour, get tips from customers, AND tips from the servers!!!

2-08-2010 @9:04AM Daniel said... In most states, the hourly wage for employees that receive tips averages around $3.00 per hour less than MINIMUM wage. As we all know by now, no one can actually survive on minimum wage(let alone less than minimum).
I have worked in restaurants since January of 1984. Tipping practice, at the time, was 15% of your bill (unless you were elderly, and came from a different generation where 10% was the norm.)
Now, because minimum wage for tipped employees has never reflected cost-of-living increases, that number, 15%, has been creeping up. In some places, for example, a restaurant will add a 18% to 20% gratuity on parties of 6 or more people. Also, I have worked in places that have a bar. If a patron walked out without closing their open credit card tab, we would add an 18% gratuity (as stated clearly on signs in the bar area).
To-go items are trickier. Yes, in some places the counter person/host/server may only be handing you a bag of your food. In others, that same person may have checked or labeled all the boxes, provided utensils, condiments, etc. I can think of 100+ times that someone called in to place a to-go order on a busy night, with 4+ entrees, all with special needs...making me 1.) have to spend the same amount of time on the phone (and at the computer placing the order) that I would at a table. 2.) have to communicate with the kitchen to confirm said special needs. and 3.) ensure when the order was ready, that indeed everything was in order to make sure the customer was satisfied and did not have to return or call to complain. When this has happened, nothing burns me more than getting a line drawn through the tip portion of the tab!
The bottom line is, the customer needs to be aware of the type of place, Drive-thrus...no tip....Pizza place....a buck and some change (depending on how big the order)....to-go orders from nicer places on a busy night....use your discretion...10% on truly high-maintenance orders is appreciated.