NTTTCR: do you tip for carryout?

ohiostategal · August 2009

I get carryout a lot from restaurants downtown to take back to my office. I never know whether to tip or not. I mean, at the restaurant I go to the most, someone in the kitchen takes the order and brings it out and the guy at the bar just rings me up. I feel bad not tipping though. WDYT?

taraandkyle06 · August 2009

nope. i feel like when i tip, it's for the effort the waiter/waitress puts in while i dine in. it doesn't take any effort for the person behind the counter to reach back and grab my food when i get take out.

Mouseygail · August 2009

taraandkyle06:
nope. i feel like when i tip, it's for the effort the waiter/waitress puts in while i dine in. it doesn't take any effort for the person behind the counter to reach back and grab my food when i get take out.

ditto!

LCB34 · August 2009

I do but not nearly as much as I would if I actually sat down and ate at the restaurant.

ladychicago · August 2009

not usually. unless its clear to me that someone put some extra work in or went above and beyond for something....

ginger67 · August 2009

I used to but now that every dollar and then some goes to my RE Ive become super cheap.

tgrbelle · August 2009

I don't tip for takeout and I hate when the credit card receipt gives you a space for a tip. It always make me feel like a b*tch to write a big fat 0 in front of them.

I tip very well for table service, but the level of service for takeout does not even come close to table service. Why should I tip because you put a styrofoam box in a bag with a bag of silverware?

Yellow_Daisy · August 2009

It depends. If it is the scenario you described where the cooks do everything then no.

However, at many restaurants (I used to wait tables) a server has to do the take out. Either they have to give up a serving shift (not optional usually rotates) or they have to do take out in addition to their section. In these instances the cooks usually just plate the food and the server is expected to box it up, get all the sides and condiments ready. This can take a long time if someone has a big order. So if a server is only doing takeout they are usually making less than minimum wage because Uncle Sam assumes they are getting tips (only a few states pay minimum wage to industries where tipping is the norm). Also all the orders they put into the computer are considered sales and they get taxed out of their wages off sales assuming they made tips on those sales. The tax on sales is an additional 8% tax for tips (that was what it was 10 yrs ago when I was serving). So the gov't is assuming they were tipped on say a $100 in sales, so in addition to regular taxes taken out of wages they also pay an additional $8 tax on tips they may or may not have gotten. Unfortunately many times servers end up paying to work because they aren't always tipped well. So yes in most instances I tip about 10% if my order was labor intensive then I tip 15%.

I personally feel that the gov't and business owners have put a lot of burden on the consumer to supplement the wages of servers and bartenders. I don't care for the current way this industry is taxed but I also don't think it is the fault of the person trying to make a living doing the best job they can.

PrincessShay80 · August 2009

DH and I argue about this all the time- he always tips for carryout- like 2 bucks and I never tip- they dont do anything- all they do is hand you a bag.

Sometimes I feel bad- but seriously they do not do anything to deserve a tip.

ohiostategal · August 2009

the info on how they are taxed is interesting. I tend to tip $1.00-1.50 for my salad. Mainly because the bar tender is cute and always talks to me. Wink

Seriously, I just feel bad when I don't even though I don't think I should have to. It really increases the overall cost of my lunches!

Temp590840000005378 · August 2009

I hate tipping on takeout but I usually tip a few dollars, maybe $2 or $3 is all. I think it's lame for servers to expect a full 15% - 20% tip on takeout!

AletheaP · August 2009

Please, please start tipping on carry-out! The servers and bartenders have to pay taxes on it, they have to put the order in, make sure it comes out correctly, they have to get it ready and they have to leave their in house customers to take care of it. Carry-out is a big business in a lot of restaurants and it really sucks when you take time away from tipping customers to take care of a carry-out customer only to be shafted. We (as a server and bartender) do no expect the full 15-20%, but a buck, two bucks or 10% makes all the difference.

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