I have some questions on tipping

[do-lolly]

We order "take out" a lot! Many restaurants now have the curbside service, which I love, and would have really loved when I was lugging around an infant in a car seat, many moons ago. I always tip the curbside people because I figure that this is their only job with the restaurant. They are responsible for taking the order, bagging the food, and bringing it to me in the cold, heat and sometimes rain. I do have some questions about tipping for to-go orders though:

1. Is it neccessary to tip a server for curbside take away? Are they paid the same way as waiters, where their salary is dependent on tips?

2. If so, how much should I tip them?

3. Do I need to tip in restaurants that do not offer curbside? I feel like most of the time in places without this service, I'm just tipping someone who is just handing me a bag.

[jmarie]

1. Is it neccessary to tip a server for curbside take away? Are they paid the same way as waiters where their salary is dependent on tips?

This is a timely a discussion DS and I had recently.. We have a SONIC here. Whenever I really want to treat myself, I get a chocolate Coke, there. (
I stay from cola products because the sugary drinks don't do much for my blood sugar levels....I went from drinking 3 a day to none.)

DS eats there on occasion and once when he was with me, I tipped the curb-person. He said he couldn't believe that I did that and that he didn't and wouldn't tip the curb-person. I feel like you...

2. If so, how much should I tip them?

I only get the drink there. It is $1.42, so I give her $2.00 and tell her to keep the change. If I actually ordered a meal there, I would tip 20%. We tip 20% everywhere we go. Sonic is the only curb-side place I have ever ordered from.

I would love to know the perspective of others, so that I can share this with DS.

[Gilgamesh37]

Actually I totally changed my practice on this due to a thread on this board. (I'd search for it, but my eyes are all wonky from having spent most of the last 48 hrs readying the new HP) I think it was MKSquared nad Baduninn who pointed out that when you go in to pick up a take out order, someone (often the bartender) has taken your order, conveyed it to the kitchen, made sure it's correct and taken repsonsibility for keeping an eye out for you and ringing you up. They explained it a lot better than that. I now tip 10% usually when I go to pick up. (hoping MK or Bethany show up to explain it better, cuz I'm super brain dead right now)

[badunnin]

Gil - wasn't me. Must have been MKat. :)

Was this (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=93480&highlight=tipping) the thread?

[SugarNSpice]

JMarie: Please tell your husband that the car hops at Sonic make below minimum wage just like most staff at restaurants. My BF worked next door to a Sonic and was friends with many of the staff so he would always hear about how they were never tipped enough to compensate for their low pay. They are also getting hit by people using debit/credit cards.

[Gumbeaux]

They are also getting hit by people using debit/credit cards.

I was going to point this out. The Sonics in my area don't have a tip line on the recipt for you to leave a tip on your credit card. I wonder why.

[jmarie]

Nope...not my husband. It was my DS, who really surprised me with his comment. I have to say that my husband is a generous tipper....

[stefania4]

I'm not familiar with this curbside service, so no comments there.

For regular takeout, where you call in and go pick it up, I don't tip. The food is the same price and they don't have to use up table space, plates & silverware, server time, etc. on me - I tip (and tip well) for service, and simply handing me a bag full of food doesn't qualify.

[Robyn1007]

I typically only tip a small amount for takeout at a normally sit down restaurant. I don't tip at Sonic. It's fast food and if they aren't going to give me an option to come in to get it or go through a drive through then they need to pay their help accordingly. And legally I'm pretty sure Sonic is responsible making up the difference if they don't make enough tips in certain time period to average at or above minimum wage.

[do-lolly]

I'm not familiar with this curbside service, so no comments there.



Curbside is when you call in your order and then pull up in a designated place and the servers bring your bags to your car. A lot of places here do it: Outback, Johhny Carino's, Applebee's, Macaroni Grill etc.

I just called Outback and spoke to manger. He said that the curbside people are paid like a waiter or waitress, in that they are dependent on tips. I still feel funny about tipping in a place without this service. Most of the time I go to the bar and someone brings the food to the bartender or the hostess. I just don't think a lot of work went into that on their part, but I may be wrong.

[MKSquared]

Do-lolly, your assessment of take-away servers seems pretty accurate to me! Keep up the good work. :) In my experience, I worked in a restaurant where the majority of the meals were sit-down, but a few hundred dollars per shift were brought in by take-away meals.

I was a server, but I worked a few shifts as host staff, usually as the one doing the meals -- as a server, I knew more about the food than the host staff did. Here's the breakdown:
Back of the House (Kitchen, Expo): Make food. Instead of putting it onto plates, put into take away containers.
Front of the House (Servers): Greet customer, take phone call, sell food (it's a business, and yes, I was a sales person). Take food from expo, double check all specs are correct: no onions, extra cheese, ranch dressing, whatever. This is where the service comes into play. A good server will make sure it's spot-on, and a bad one doesn't really care. Place utensils, napkins in bag. Make sure nothing's leaking, double check that the little cup with the whipped cream and the cherry made it into the box with the togo dessert. Be back at the door with food in a timely manner, no matter how busy the restaurant is. (If you tip for timely service at a table, should non-table service be different?) Run credit card, provide change, and remain pleasant during all transactions. :)

Now, I understand that maintenance is very different. I would never have expected to be tipped the same for table service as I did for take-out. Still, there's a fair amount of extra personalized attention that goes into take out. Tipping a few dollars would certainly be appreciated by the person who helps you out.

Now, if your order's wrong, you had to wait a significant amount of time past your quoted time, and you don't have a fork to eat with ... well, don't tip then. :D

[do-lolly]

Thank you MK, that helps a lot. So there is more going into it than just handing me a bag. I'll keep that in mind next time I go in to pick up an order.

[cookieee]

Now on the other hand, what should you do about tipping for home food deliverys? DH and I are having a problem with that lately. Several of the places we order from have a $1.50 and a $2.00 delivery fee. We were told that that fee goes to the driver. So we were adding on only an extra dollar or two for their tip. DH feels embarassed about this, so he always checks to make sure they know why he is not tipping too large an amount. Well the last time we had food delivered and DH went through his speel about the tip, the driver tells him, no we don't get any of that money. I think the driver is saying that to get a bigger tip, DH believes him. Anyone out there know anything about this practice of delivery fee and who gets it? We live real close to these places so we are not costing them much in gas money.

[SugarNSpice]

I was going to point this out. The Sonics in my area don't have a tip line on the recipt for you to leave a tip on your credit card. I wonder why.

I've wondered that too. If I stop and just order a drink for $2 I'll still dig up some change to give to the girl. I don't think I could work in 90+ heat with 100% humidity!

JMarie, I really thought I read husband, sorry. How old is your son? My BF's little brother is 17 and doesn't belive in tipping. I think it is b/c of his age more than anything else.

[patissac]

I typically only tip a small amount for takeout at a normally sit down restaurant. I don't tip at Sonic. It's fast food and if they aren't going to give me an option to come in to get it or go through a drive through then they need to pay their help accordingly. And legally I'm pretty sure Sonic is responsible making up the difference if they don't make enough tips in certain time period to average at or above minimum wage.

I feel the same way you do. I also feel as if places like Sonic should post a sign that says for you to tip or not, most of the grocery stores here say that the baggers do not work for tips. Also I have to question whats with the new trend to have tip boxes at practically every fast food or coffee shop now? I went to Starbucks the other day and they had a tip box:confused: I just picked up some chinese that I ordered for take out and they too had a tip box. I never tip unless I'm at an actual sit down restaurant being served by a waiter or if I'm having food delivered to me at my house or work.

[stefania4]

Back of the House (Kitchen, Expo): Make food. Instead of putting it onto plates, put into take away containers.
Front of the House (Servers): Greet customer, take phone call, sell food (it's a business, and yes, I was a sales person). Take food from expo, double check all specs are correct: no onions, extra cheese, ranch dressing, whatever. This is where the service comes into play. A good server will make sure it's spot-on, and a bad one doesn't really care. Place utensils, napkins in bag. Make sure nothing's leaking, double check that the little cup with the whipped cream and the cherry made it into the box with the togo dessert. Be back at the door with food in a timely manner, no matter how busy the restaurant is. (If you tip for timely service at a table, should non-table service be different?) Run credit card, provide change, and remain pleasant during all transactions. :)


Right - and that's why I pay $8 for the food that cost them $1.50. I'm not tipping on top of it.

[boisewinesnob]

most of the grocery stores here say that the baggers do not work for tips.

I worked in grocery for 10 years and per our union contract we absolutely could not accept tips. We were paid well and given very, very good benefits.

And I also don't understand all the tip jars that everybody puts everywhere. Maybe they should put one out at the DMV......could encourage them to move a little faster ;)

[MKSquared]

Right - and that's why I pay $8 for the food that cost them $1.50. I'm not tipping on top of it.

To each their own. You don't HAVE to tip - it's not a law. If you're trying to make a point to the establishment, though, it's certainly not going to happen by being stingy toward someone who's helped you out.

[Jessnc]

Now on the other hand, what should you do about tipping for home food deliverys? DH and I are having a problem with that lately. Several of the places we order from have a $1.50 and a $2.00 delivery fee. We were told that that fee goes to the driver. So we were adding on only an extra dollar or two for their tip. DH feels embarassed about this, so he always checks to make sure they know why he is not tipping too large an amount. Well the last time we had food delivered and DH went through his speel about the tip, the driver tells him, no we don't get any of that money. I think the driver is saying that to get a bigger tip, DH believes him. Anyone out there know anything about this practice of delivery fee and who gets it? We live real close to these places so we are not costing them much in gas money.

Just wondering who exactly told you that the fee goes to the driver? I doubt that the drivers actually get the delivery fee. I could be wrong, but I have a hunch. I work in a banquet facility now and they add a 15% service charge to the end of every bill. All guests mistake that as gratuity. We get no tips because of this charge. No one explains the the customer that the service charge is for the setting up and cleaning up of the room they are using.

The last caterer I worked for charged her customers for individual servers, approximately $110-$120 a server. We were never paid that full amount. My experiences lead me to believe that the drivers do not get the delivery fee.

FWIW I usually tip curbside a buck or two. I consider it to be a luxury service of sorts and I think the people running out to your car deserve a tip.

[stefania4]

To each their own. You don't HAVE to tip - it's not a law. If you're trying to make a point to the establishment, though, it's certainly not going to happen by being stingy toward someone who's helped you out.
Refusing to tip for table service is stingy. Not tipping when I am cutting out their required labor & resources is not at all stingy, it's simply a matter of refusing to be shaken down for services not rendered. They're not "helping me out", they're doing what they were hired to do.

If they're worried about paying their staff, they should subtract out the amount of money they would've spent on my water glass, dishes, plating presentation, etc. and redistribute it to the appropriate staff. The fact that the restaurant has chosen not to do that is not my problem.

Again, I have no experience with this curbside business so I'm not offering any opinions on that. I'm saying that when I call in the order, walk in, and consume 60 seconds of face-time to pay for my food, it is absolutely ridiculous to expect me to tip for that 1 minute of interaction.

[donleyk]

I have to agree about Sonic and the debit card or CC transaction. We will give the girl that brings out our food a buck or 2 and seriously, they always are surprised to receive it. If we are just getting ice cream then we pay cash and she keeps the change.

I haven't had to pick up anything curbside yet so I can't say how I'd tip but if I go in to pick up the food I do not tip 20%. It's more like 10%. I called the order in, had to sit thru the sell ups :rolleyes: drive myself there to pick it up get out of the car to get it, make sure it's all there which is a crap shoot most times, stow it, etc.

More times than not I will go ahead and pay for the food (and usually it's 4 or 5 meals because we pick up for anyone in the office that is interested) and I no more than get it paid for (and tip added), it comes out and it's wrong. I've had them forget meals and had already rung the order (and tip!) so out comes the card again and another 8-10 minutes wait while the other food gets cold. :mad:

It's much worse too if the picker-uper :p doesn't realize you're missing a meal :eek: It gets pretty scary here. :D

[Schmee]

I worked as a server/bartender for many years and I tip a couple of bucks for take-out. I don't feel that I have to tip 20% since it was only a few minutes of interaction but I make sure to leave them something. MK, I think you are dead on. They are stil taking care of you and making sure your meal is correct.

stephania, trust me, they are NOT "worried about paying their staff". Most restaurants would pay their servers nothing if they could get away with it.

[Robyn1007]

stephania, trust me, they are NOT "worried about paying their staff". Most restaurants would pay their servers nothing if they could get away with it.

Wow, that's a pretty blanket statement. I know a number of restaurant owners who wouldn't dream of not paying their servers even if it were legal. Some of the ones I know are the most giving people I know, others have established entire foundations to give money to people.

[cookieee]

Just wondering who exactly told you that the fee goes to the driver? I doubt that the drivers actually get the delivery fee. I could be wrong, but I have a hunch. I work in a banquet facility now and they add a 15% service charge to the end of every bill. All guests mistake that as gratuity. We get no tips because of this charge. No one explains the the customer that the service charge is for the setting up and cleaning up of the room they are using.

I asked the person that took my order over the phone. They always say it goes to the delivery person.

It's a shame about your situation. I think your boss should give you all some of that money or explain to the customer what exactly the 15% charge is for.

[alinnell]

My DD used to work at Applebee's and the few times she got to do Carside to Go, she kept 100% of the tips--she didn't have to share with the busboys because there was nothing for the busboys to clean up.