Do you tip for a take-out order?

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jckitty
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Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:55 pm

Re: Do you tip for a take-out order?

Post by jckitty »

Yes I tip in all situations, having been on the other end I can tell you those restaurant workers deserve a tip.
In our state the owners can pay the workers whatever, the tips are tabulated and that is supposed to bring the hourly wage up too.... maybe over the state minimum wage.
The girls at our local rootbeer/hotdog stands make 3.15 per hour and with tips brings it up and over the minimum wage.
By law IF the tips are not enough to bring hourly to minimum wage the owner is supposed to make up the difference over all for the time period. Unscrupulous people instead cut hours and other ways to get out of it.
I have always been of the opinion, if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat/order out. Just my opinion.
JCKitty
BevMoore
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Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 11:04 pm

Re: Do you tip for a take-out order?

Post by BevMoore »

It would be so much easier to factor labor costs into the menu price and eliminate the mathematical annoyance of tipping. But if most states are like California, the restaurant owners only have to pay sales tax on the sales price of the food and that is what you see on the menu. However, if the employees are paid less than minimum wage then the difference has to be factored into the selling price of the food.

This is what other businesses do too, they break down the price of materials and the cost of repair labor; the repair labor is exempt from sales and use tax. But at least you know up front what you are expected to pay for both. It would be nice if the tax laws would change for the food industries so that menu prices could break down the costs the same way. Then you would know exactly what you will be paying walking in and the help would get the pay they deserve. As far as the concept of tipping to evaluate job performance shouldn't that be the restaurants job as it is for other industries? Serving hot food is not fabrication labor, it's a service which is exempt from tax. It should not be up to the public to evaluate a server's performance. By the same token I do not like the idea the owner getting away with not paying a server by means of a customer not tipping. This whole thing is just so wrong to me.

Bev
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Sandy
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Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 2:11 pm

Re: Do you tip for a take-out order?

Post by Sandy »

jckitty wrote:Yes I tip in all situations, having been on the other end I can tell you those restaurant workers deserve a tip.
In our state the owners can pay the workers whatever, the tips are tabulated and that is supposed to bring the hourly wage up too.... maybe over the state minimum wage.
The girls at our local rootbeer/hotdog stands make 3.15 per hour and with tips brings it up and over the minimum wage.
By law IF the tips are not enough to bring hourly to minimum wage the owner is supposed to make up the difference over all for the time period. Unscrupulous people instead cut hours and other ways to get out of it.
I have always been of the opinion, if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat/order out. Just my opinion.
JCKitty
That was what I was trying to say but you said it perfectly!
rinty
Posts: 1919
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 3:54 am

Re: Do you tip for a take-out order?

Post by rinty »

SandiSAHM wrote:Do you tip if you call to place an order from a nice restaurant and pick it up to go?

Having a philosophical discussion with a friend who's mad at her DH for tipping on a pick up order with the same % he would if they went in and sat down. She believes take-out is a way to save $ by NOT tipping.

Different strokes here. I can't think of a "nice" restaurant you could rock up to and order a meal " To Go. " Mdonalds, KFC , Burger King or Pizza Hut but that's about it and no, I wouldn't tip anyone at Mcds. A Chinese takeaway ? But the clue is in the name there

Seriously what do you mean by a nice restaurant ? What type of food ? I do know the prices you pay to eat out there are WAY cheaper than here. Different....also when you all post about taking food home from a restaurant cos the portion was so large...........try that here ;) " Waiter, I cannot finish this meal and want it bagged up to take home, if you please "

A blank stare would follow.....at best :shock: And they'd be polite but you wouldn't be taking those leftovers home.......

I always tip when we go to a restaurant. The server would have to set fire to me for me to not leave them an appropriate amount. They earn BEANS and need those tips.
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Sandy
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Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 2:11 pm

Re: Do you tip for a take-out order?

Post by Sandy »

rinty wrote:
SandiSAHM wrote:Do you tip if you call to place an order from a nice restaurant and pick it up to go?

Having a philosophical discussion with a friend who's mad at her DH for tipping on a pick up order with the same % he would if they went in and sat down. She believes take-out is a way to save $ by NOT tipping.

Different strokes here. I can't think of a "nice" restaurant you could rock up to and order a meal " To Go. " Mdonalds, KFC , Burger King or Pizza Hut but that's about it and no, I wouldn't tip anyone at Mcds. A Chinese takeaway ? But the clue is in the name there

Seriously what do you mean by a nice restaurant ? What type of food ? I do know the prices you pay to eat out there are WAY cheaper than here. Different....also when you all post about taking food home from a restaurant cos the portion was so large...........try that here ;) " Waiter, I cannot finish this meal and want it bagged up to take home, if you please "

A blank stare would follow.....at best :shock: And they'd be polite but you wouldn't be taking those leftovers home.......

I always tip when we go to a restaurant. The server would have to set fire to me for me to not leave them an appropriate amount. They earn BEANS and need those tips.
Not Sandi but to me, a "nice" restaurant is one with tablecloths and cloth napkins. There are a series of Italian restaurants 25 or so miles from where we live (all family members) and I consider them very nice (great decor, private dining, low lighting, excellent bar, etc.). We order out from them a few times a year (when you live so close and have used them for office holidays so many times, anymore than that becomes boring). The portions are huge. You choose your entree and the "sides" are the same for all (salad, pasta and meatballs, garlic bread, ravioli). My husband and my son nearly always get a steak (16 oz. Ribeyes). I used to get their lasagna (yummy!) but will be sticking with a nice grilled chicken breast from now on, sans all the pasta and bread.

We each order a dinner (again, you choose the entree only) and there's enough food for three to eat leftovers the entire weekend. Cost is around $100.00 + 10% tip.
BevMoore
Posts: 1012
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 11:04 pm

Re: Do you tip for a take-out order?

Post by BevMoore »

My question; when you are paying by credit card (or debit card) do you write in the tip on the ticket and charge it long with the food amount? My brother has always preferred to leave a cash tip even though paying by cc. To me it's easier to just pay it all by cc. I could see some potentials for theft/rip-offs if bills are just left on the table. Anyone walking by could just swipe the money and then it would look like you walked out without paying the server. Plus by having it on your cc it is documented and then the tip is split by everyone correctly as it should be.

The other thing I dislike about the tipping system is the server will almost always get the brunt of the customer's displeasure even though things such as being understaffed, food not good, dirty conditions etc. are beyond the control of the server. By breaking out the tip as a labor charge on all menu items to me it would deflect this away from the server and put it where it belongs....with the restaurant.

btw when now it is a requirement to "tip" (more or less) why call it a tip? A tip was meant to be a little extra one provided a service person for going that extra mile. over the years it has evolved from being a "gratuity" to being a labor/service charge supposedly "voluntary. No I do not the system at all. So much potential for rip-offs as well as putting the blame for something where it doesn't not belong.

I realize nothing will change soon but the system as it has been is no good.

Bev
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