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Subject:
Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
Category: Business and Money Asked by: michellemck-ga List Price: $10.00 |
Posted:
28 Jun 2003 15:11 PDT
Expires: 28 Jul 2003 15:11 PDT Question ID: 222946 |
My husband and I have started to be frequent users of take-out service provided by sit-down restaurants (e.g. Chilis, Outback Steakhouse, California Pizza Kitchen). I am looking for some authority and/or logic as to what, if any, percentage gratuity should be given to the person who takes my money and hands me my food. I'm not a cheapskate when tipping (generally more on the 20% side of the 15-20% norm), but that standard does not seem appropriate to a reduced level of service since I'm not dining in the restaurant. But maybe some level of tip is appropriate because a server who would normally be working on a table has had to box up my food, get napkins and utensils, etc. Or maybe a non-tippable manager generally performs those tasks, so a tip is unwarranted. Help! |
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Subject:
Re: Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
Answered By: websearcher-ga on 28 Jun 2003 16:14 PDT Rated: ![]() |
Hi michellemck: Thank you for the interesting question! What to tip and when is *always* a matter of some debate and usually a lot of disagreement. Sometimes tipping customs differ based on which country/city you are in as well. It's all so confusing... I have done some searching for you on the Web and added my own experiences (both as a frequent taker-outer, and as a previous restaurant worker) to compile the following "rules" for you on tipping take-out (or sometimes called "carry-out") meals. These rules may seem complicated at first, but I think they'd be pretty easy to implement. * If the restaurant primarily does take out (that is, there is little or no seating available), then tip < 5%. Typically, you can round up to the next dollar or two, and/or put some of the change you receive in a "tip jar". * If the restaurant does most of its business with "seated" customers, then things are a little trickier. If you can tell that the person collecting and presenting your food to you is someone who would normally be waiting tables, tip 5 - 10%. After all, the server needs to take time away from other tipping customers to get your meal. If the person collecting and presenting your meal would *not* normally be waiting tables (e.g., manager, hostess, etc.) then tip 5%. * NEVER tip the owner. This may sound harsh, but it is their business, they should not be soliciting tips. * ALWAYS keep in mind how pleasant the service is in calculating the tip you give. Just because you're not sitting down and having drinks, doesn't mean that the servers shouldn't be as courteous to you as they are to everyone else. Bad service = bad tip. Little plusses that might call for a larger tip: offers of cutlery, condiments; help taking food to car; a sincere smile. Some of the Web sources I used to compile this answer include: The Original Tipping Page URL: http://www.tipping.org/tips/TipsPageDeliveries.html Tipping guidelines URL: http://azaz.essortment.com/tipping_rdef.htm Tipping for Services URL: http://www.lifeintheusa.com/services2/tipping.htm tipping in NYC URL: http://www.travel-forums.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=6195 Tipping - What, where, when, why, and how much URL: http://www.geocities.com/whine_n_diner/tipping.html I hope this information helps with your research. If you need any clarification of the information I have provided, please ask using the clarification feature and provide me with additional details as to what you are looking for. As well, please allow me to provide you with clarification(s) *before* you rate this answer. Thank you. websearcher-ga Search Strategy (on Google): "tipping" "take out" OR "carry out" | |
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michellemck-ga
rated this answer:![]() Excellent answer - very pleased at the work performed. Thanks! |
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Subject:
Re: Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
From: angely-ga on 28 Jun 2003 17:46 PDT |
I just wanted to point out that some of the chain "family" restaurants like the ones described in the question often employ someone specifically to handle the take out orders. This doesn't mean they should be tipped less than table servers. In the restaurant at which I am employed, one person, (not me), handles all the the take out--and trying to put together multiple orders all due at the same time isn't easy! Especially if your restaurant has corporate clients wanting meals for 20 or more people at a time. The only thing the take out worker does not do is cook the food. She makes the salads, packages the food, deals with order taking at the same time as she is filling previously taken orders, and takes orders out to customers' cars. She is the one who carries the mobile phone and is often the only person in the restaurant with whom a calling customer has any contact. She works harder and longer than the table servers, and often receives no gratuity at all, despite the fact that she worked harder to put a meal together for her customer than she would have if that person had eaten at a table in the restaurant. I say tip her the same as you would anyone else--based on her service. You'll be in the minority. |
Subject:
Re: Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
From: research_help-ga on 30 Jun 2003 09:33 PDT |
I disagree that it is necessary or expected to tip the person who hands you your meal when you take out from a restaurant. Would you tip the person who serves you at McDonalds or would you tip the salesperson in a retail store? Ofcourse not, so what's the difference? |
Subject:
Re: Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
From: angely-ga on 01 Jul 2003 00:42 PDT |
You're right, I would never consider tipping the cashier at McDonalds or the salesperson at a retail store. I maintain that the person serving you in a 'take out' capacity at a restaurant is doing exactly the same job as the table servers, except that her clientele isn't sitting at a table. As a table server, it is my responsibility to bring you a beverage of your choice, answer any questions you may have about the menu, take your order, see that the order goes to the kitchen in a timely fashion, bring out your food, take your money, and in general, suck up to you no matter how irritating or idiotic you may be. Someone else makes the salad that I bring to you. Someone else prepairs the food. Someone else trays the food. Someone else showed you to your seat. On a busy night, someone else may bring out your food. Someone else may even bring you your check and give you your change. The server responsible for take out does all of these things for herself, often in greater volume than that with which a table server deals. If you don't think she is worth tipping, then you should probably stop tipping at all. Or go through the drive-thru at McDonalds. |
Subject:
Re: Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
From: research_help-ga on 01 Jul 2003 06:10 PDT |
You are making the argument that since the waitress usually gets tipped for her other job of waiting tables, she should also get tipped when handing me my take out food. However, if it is the hostess or owner who hands me my food, then I don't need to tip. Why the difference? Why does it matter to me what the person who is handing me my food usually does? That is between her and her employer. Do you tip when you get take out from a Chinese take out restaurant? No, ofcourse not. But the person there took your order, answered your questions, sent the order to the kitchen, bagged it, and took your money. I think it does not make sense to tip someone based on what they do when they are not doing take out. That's like saying if you are in a car accident and 3 people pull you out of the wreckage and 1 is a doctor, 1 is a paramedic, and 1 is a dog catcher and you feel like giving rewards to the heroes then you should give the doctor $100 reward, the paramedic a $50 reward, and the dog catcher nothing because of what their other jobs are. |
Subject:
Re: Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
From: bruin70-ga on 01 Jul 2003 12:16 PDT |
just my opinion. here in nyc, we do a lot of take-out, and pay stricklt by distance traveled by delivery. close(a couple of blocks)...$2, farther...$3-$4. the tip is for the delivery person, imo. i figure, a tip in a sit down restaurant is for the waiter. and there is no waiter for delivery, only delivery person. |
Subject:
Re: Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
From: angely-ga on 01 Jul 2003 20:04 PDT |
I think it is a difference in viewpoint...at my restaurant, even if the Host or the Manager or a busser or whomever handed you the food, the take out server would receive whatever tip you were inclined to give. She did the work, and it was a lot more than just "handing you your food". And I do tip delivery people when I order out. |
Subject:
Re: Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
From: research_help-ga on 02 Jul 2003 05:53 PDT |
We're not talking about delivery people here. We are talking about the person who hands you your bag when you order take out and go pick it up at the restaurant. |
Subject:
Re: Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
From: respree-ga on 02 Jul 2003 19:11 PDT |
While I do tip at restaurants, I wonder how this all got started. The waiter/waitress who brings your food is doing his/her job, for which they get paid a salary (or hourly wage). Why is the server special and entitled to compensation in addition to his/her hourly wage? There are also other people in the restaurant business. There are people who wash the dishes, mops the floors, takes out the garbage, cooks the food, washes vegetables, counts the money at the end of the day, takes reservations, and so forth. They are all part of a business and get paid a fee for the services they provide. They receive no tips. Why should a server? |
Subject:
Re: Gratuities for take-out service at restaurants
From: chickster-ga on 04 Jul 2003 14:13 PDT |
First of all I'd like to start off by saying I am a waitress at a local resturant. When it comes down to it...you tip someone because not only did they get your order correct, but beacuse they also have a great attitude, and make your time great when going out to eat. I mean admit it we all go out to eat beacuse we don't feel like waiting on ourselves, and enjoy the good service of others. When it comes to tipping for takeout...this should all be based on the atmosphere. If you feel like throwing your tip money around to anyone then that's fine..but not all of us want to give extra money just for taking home food. You see, if you can tell that someone is going out of their way to get your food. (meaning they are busy..and they look like they are stopping their routine to help you out), then these are the people that need to be tipped. You see as a waitress we get paid LESS than minimum wage. Approximately 2.83 is the norm. wages as a waitress. If you are getting paid to run the register such as McDonalds, or just a host/hostess at a resturant you are already making more than a waitress. If you are a cook,..som resturants may pay up to 8.oo an hr! Which is more than double the waitress wages. Also...I get soo much more busy than any host/cashier, therefor tipping is what makes us work! If it wasn't for good tips, there would be no dine-in! I can honestly say if there was no tipping..I would NOT waitress unless I was getting paid approx. 8.oo/hr.! I mean I love being around people...but I handle a lot of tables at once..and even answer phones etc. Believe me there's more to it than just gettin your order correctly. I know I'm getting off the subject some, but I'm just proving tips is what makes someones day. And if someone does a great job wether it's takeout, or dine-in some type of tip is always nice. Common sense tells you if someone is strictly getting paid to box food up or not. As someone else explained earlier how you can tell if someone is on the waitstaff or not. Remember that a waitress gets paid less, due to tipping...and a host/person whom does takeout gets paid more. I mean they aren't in it for the tips...the waitstaff is--That's why they got hired for that position..beacause it's a whole other ball game when it comes to the table handeling..but of corse they would love a tip here and there (anyone would)!! I do believe that if you are ordering from a business, or if you ordered a LOT of take-out food SHOULD tip the person 'if' they can tell that they prepared/boxed up the food. If not, there is no reason to tip at all...beacuse that's their job, and they got hired for it, and ARE getting paid for it. And when it comes down to it,..there are no rules...but a dollar here and there can really make someones day! You tip because you like the service no matter what area..it all comes down to the situation! With the exception for example as someone said earlier, an owner. |
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