Do you tip on a carry out?

Question

I always wonder how much to tip and when. In general I tip 20% on a bill at a restaurant...if it was exceptional service I go up. Is that even good anymore? Today though, I didn't tip on a carry out and wondered if I should have? If so, how much? How far do you go...seems like so many places put those tip jars out. Just wondering what most people do.

Answer 1

I never tip on carry out.

Answer 2

In my opinion, I tip on a carry out order IF I had someone (hostess or server) take the order, assemble it, and bring it to me (I had this experience yesterday at Cracker Barrel, for example). My usual tip in this situation is something close to 15%, rounded to whatever the nearest $0.50 is. To me, it's the same thing as being served in the restaurant.

If I call in my order, and have to go into the restaurant to pay for it and pick it up, I either don't tip, or only tip $1. In this situation , it depends on how often I frequent the restaurant in question, and/or if they get my food order correct.

I also tip at places like Starbucks IF I am getting something that is complex, special, or time-consuming to make (plain coffee = no tip; something customized = money in tip jar). I usually tip whatever change is leftover from my purchase, or a dollar.

I start the "tip-meter" at 20% (after tax), and work from there. Good service = 20%, exceptional service =25%+, inattentive server, but still adequate = 15%, poor service = 10% or less (did they forget about bringing you your food until after it was cold? no silverware after you asked for it several times? That kind of experience....)

I do not penalize servers based on "kitchen goof-ups". I will adjust the tip based on how the server handles the situation at the time, however.

I may be different from most people, as I eat out for most of my meals, but I also realize that servers don't get paid very much (they work hard), and that by the time that they pay taxes and health insurance (if they have it), they are literally living off of whatever tips they do get. Hope that this answer helps.

Answer 3

Never tip on carry-out. And tipping more then 15% is ridiculous. Yeah, I know that whole bit about it's part of their salary but this whole tipping thing has gotten way out of hand. It's at the point where people like you are thinking they have to leave a tip for carry-out!
You're supposed to tip according to the service you receive. And the fact that the person who owns the establishment gets to pay the wait staff less then minimum wage according to the law. So, instead of paying their staff a living wage you have to make up the difference. It's a stupid concept and the line needs to be drawn somewhere.
Back to the original question...no, do not tip for carry out.

Answer 4

For me it depends on the place. I will not tip at fast food shops, or "chain" coffee shops.
There are a few small, family owned business type things here that I will tip on a carry out. Most of them are very personable with me and treat me well, so I think it's deserved.
I also tip at places like Sonic.
I don't think it should be mandatory though! So I wouldn't put a lot of thought in it. Next time maybe leave your change in the tip jar if you really liked the food.

Answer 5

It's totally optional. If it seems to me that I got exceptional service even at the take out, then i will tip about 2 or 3 dollars no matter the cost of the meal. Otherwise I don't even consider it. 15% is considered minimum for a family style restaurant and 20% minimum for an upscale restaurant. Of course for exceptional service you should go up accordingly.

Answer 6

I dont tip on a carry out. Why would you? Ok, say you tip the cashier, then you gotta tip the cook, i mean he made it, all the cashier did was ring it up. I dont know when it ends. I was at Sonic one day some time ago with a friend of mine and she told me that im supposed to tip the person who brings the food out to you. I didnt know that, ive been going to sonic for years, and ive never tipped them. Nobody i know has ever tipped them. I lived off of brown bag specials in college and never once did i see anyonne tip them. I understand why i should tip them and i do now, well not now because i dont eat that crap anymore, but if i did, i would tip them. Anyway i see those jars all over the place, and i refuse to tip a cashier. Oh when i do tip i do 15%.

Answer 7

I can't believe how many people don't tip on their take out food. I work in restaurant. I commented on this for the question someone wrote about tipping your pizza delivery guy, but I am compelled to comment again on this because this is important for for those of us who live off your tips. Many of us in restaurants are making minimum wage and lower. I make $2.00/hr. We are also tipping out other wait staff, such as bussers, bartenders, and food runners. When we make your food to go, it often takes more work to package your food nicely to go then it would to just bring it to the table. And to reply to person who made the comment about if they tipped that to go person then they would have to tip the cook because he made it, etc.... well, just so you know, that cook is making much more than minimum wage, so of course you wouldn't tip the cook! You should be tipping on your carry out 15 to 20 percent of your bill, if the order was put together properly...the same as if you were dinning out. Of course this does not apply to fast food restaurants. If you do not have the money to tip then please don't ask for their service. In restaurants we live off your tips!

Answer 8

I tip simply by fact maximum places like pizza hut do not pay that plenty to being with & the human beings that do the turning in use their very own autos, as quickly as I %. up i don't tip as plenty yet they verify the order is waiting & i think of those places financial company on you tipping & alter their pay thus. some places like Out returned make you provide a % of your advice to the bus boy & bar gentle. So yeah all of us paintings for our money & those form of jobs do not pay plenty in any respect & in case you have a bad tip day you're making not something.

Answer 9

Hmmm...sometimes I will tip at Starbucks on a carry out cause I order such weird stuff, and I like my coffees just right. If they make it right, I'll tip. But, I'm not tipping at McDonald's, forget about it....

p.s.
places like Sonic where they skate out and bring the food, I will tip them whatever change is leftover, nothing extravagant, but I will tip them. They're just kids....gotta tip em!

Answer 10

I never tip on a carry out. They are getting paid for the job they are doing.