Do you tip when you get a take out order from a restaurant?

Question

I can see both sides of this argument and I suppose the best solution is to not use our new local restaurant for small take out orders. There is an older establishment in town that doesn’t mind take out orders.

Some nights I feel like having a Greek salad and decided to use a new restaurant in town. The waitress took my order but then did nothing more. The cook brought the food out and called the waitress to pay. I never tip at the other establishment when only getting a take out order versus staying to be served (water, drinks, clean up the table when done). The waitress seemed upset that I gave her $1.50 tip for the $8.00 salad. I returned a few days later for a salad again and this time she did not wait on me, but took the opportunity to yell at me when I asked the waiter a question.

Since the salad is about the same quality as the other place and based on the answers I got so far, I suppose for the waitress’ sake it is best to take my business elsewhere.

Answer 1

I was actually thrilled to occasionally get a tip for handling a take-out order. But I only got a tip when the order was absolutely gigantic. For something like a simple salad? No tip necessary.

Answer 2

Yes. And, thank you does not pay my bills. Niceites are generally welcome. I have been a server for a long time now, and have even held the specific title of "To-Go Specialist" or "Take-Away" server. At one place, yes I made like 9 bucks an hour, but I still go tipped, at the other I made 2.83/hr. On the whole though, I made so much less money working takeaway at both places. You may not think that it takes a lot to do this job, but when you have people placing orders online along with the in-house guests...it can get pretty hectic, and sometimes we work just as hard, if not harder than the servers. It sounds silly, but it is sometimes very difficult making sure that you answer the phone, get the orders entered, make sure all the sides, condiments, silverware, napkins etc are in the bag, keep track of the kitchen so that it doesn't crash, and get that said order out in 25-30 min. Then, what happens if you or someone else you are working with forget something? Pardon my rambling, but yes you should tip your to-go server a minimum of 15%, more if it is a 100$+ order. Not that I am greedy, but we ARE SERVING YOU too, even though you aren't sitting down to eat. I don't expect women to tip though, you don't even do it when you dine in....(Said w/o malice as I am a girl) Also, with all of this said, I do my job not because I make big bucks...I do it because I like it, and I am damn good at it.

Answer 3

It depends on who is taking your to-go order. If it is a server making $2.13/hour, you should tip. The government taxes the server based on sales, so if you don't tip, it costs the server money to give you the to-go order. I work in a fine dining restaurant and if I take a $100 to-go order, I have to tip out 3.5% to the house. The government also assumes I make a minimum of $15 in tips on that order and I am taxed on it. Thus, it would cost me a bare minimum of $5 to take a to-go order of $100... out of my pocket! If it's a bartender, the same thing goes but they do make quite a bit more hourly and they don't tip out as much to the house so there's a little more room for discussion there. If it's a hostess or somebody paid specifically to handle to-go orders, it's a nice gesture but not necessary. The $100 example isn't applicable to every day restaurants, but if 5 people place to-go orders and don't tip it begins to add up. Wouldn't it make you mad if somebody asked you to perform your job and you had to pay for it? That's what happens when servers don't get tipped on to-go orders.

Answer 4

O.k. I have seen and answered this question before. As a server I don't expect too much or anything off a to go order but I do appreciate a tip. The time I take to get together a to go and put it in the kitchen is time taken away from my tables that are actually tipping me. We don't always have a to go person on the clock. When that happens all the servers are responsible for to go's.

Answer 5

yes,I work in a very busy restaurant where the waitress does everything but cook. Take out,bartender,barrista,host,bus etc.Any way when I have to stop and take a to go order it takes time away from my tables.We tip out our cooks 15% of what we make and the cook is making your food it sets the whole kitchen back because they also want to send out the food to the people who are sitting in the restaurant as quickly as possible.TIPS mean To Insure Prompt Service so if you don't tip me on take out I don't care how long it takes to make your food.Especially when it is a big order because that sets the whole kitchen back.Everyone should have to work as a server at some point because people who are not in the industry don't understand what we put up with.If there is a tip jar you should tip.Remember never mess with someone who deals with your food.

Answer 6

look I'm a bartender at a restaurant that has take out, and yeah you should always tip, yeah we didn't serve you but we put all the condiments in the bag for you and in my restaurant we don't have packets so we have to get little cups and dress your food, and we also have to take care of the guest in the bar in which sometimes we don't get a good tip from them because we had to go to the back and prepare your take out and made them wait for something ,and we also make sure its all there for you. Yeah always tip if its not a fast food rest because we don't get pay reg we get $2.83 a hour

Answer 7

I used to be a waiter and I can tell you that any tip you receive is a good tip when it's takeout. Like you see with most of the answers a lot of people don't tip. Just remember these people are trying to make a living to. Would you be mad if you worked hard at what you do and your boss told you he didn't want to pay you for one of the hours you worked. Try and appreciate what people do for you.

Answer 8

Yes, you should give at least a dollar on a small order. Many servers are paid by tips only. They tip out on their sales regardless if they are tipped or not. It's not upsetting when it's only a small order...but if people order about $50 of food but can't afford to give the person who brought it out for them and everything, it's just ridiculous.

Answer 9

Sometimes I think I should but I haven't yet. I'm not sure how they handle tips after I leave the window. Do they share it or does the window person keep it? Are they allowed to accept tips. That's a good question.

Answer 10

No - tipping is for good service and they haven't "served" you - they just gave you your food and took your money. If you were to tip for this, then you might as well tip the person at the drive-thru at Burger King - and don't forget the clerk at the bank drive-thru window.