Tipping on a carry out order??

[4Dragons]

I absolutely 100% will never ever tip on a carry out. I tip extremely well 20% regardless and sometimes up to 50% if the service was really good, but I will never ever tip on a carry out.

What service was provided to me? Nothing. They didn't have to check if my food was ok, give me refills, be nice in general. All they have to do is put the food on the counter and take my money. There's no reason to tip on carry out, I think the thought of it is absurd.

Someone cooking your food is not a service provided to you? What people also tend to forget when making a togo order from a sit down restaurant/bar is that it is another order for the kitchen to make, and bogs down the service happening to people inside the place. Something just for yourself not a huge deal, but ordering togo for 4+ people in the middle of lunch or dinner is generally not well liked by people in the restaurant.

I rarely order takeout, but will leave ~10%. I tend to eat at alot of counter-service type spots (local versions of like Chipotle, or food trucks) and I always throw down a buck per "entree" which would be like 12-15%

Who told you that the cpok gets any part of any tip? Idiodic comment. As for Drew Breese, he should tip large because he's known and stories like this happen. It could have been a story of his $20 tip on a $20 order just the same.

[shortbuspoker]

Someone cooking your food is not a service provided to you?

I rarely agree with the moose but he is somewhat right. I worked in a few bars and restaurants while in college and in none of them were servers ever splitting tips with the kitchen in any way, form, or fashion. If I knew 100% that my tip was going to the kitchen then I would have no problem tipping in that situation, but if I call in an order and the server/cashier walks into the kitchen and then immediately comes out with it(indicating that it was done and they did nothing) I am not tipping shit because the correct person would not be receiving the money.

[anonamoose]

Someone cooking your food is not a service provided to you?

I rarely agree with the moose but he is somewhat right. I worked in a few bars and restaurants while in college and in none of them were servers ever splitting tips with the kitchen in any way, form, or fashion. If I knew 100% that my tip was going to the kitchen then I would have no problem tipping in that situation, but if I call in an order and the server/cashier walks into the kitchen and then immediately comes out with it(indicating that it was done and they did nothing) I am not tipping shit because the correct person would not be receiving the money.

I agree here, but it begs the question why would a chef stick around in a kitchen where part of their pay is splitting tips with servers?

[shortbuspoker]

I agree here, but it begs the question why would a chef stick around in a kitchen where part of their pay is splitting tips with servers?

Wouldn't be a person that you would consider a chef. I'm talking about a place like a local sports bar I go get carryout from sometimes. Those guys probably only make around $8 an hour because they're all college kids so the prospect the girl at the bar giving them the tip for prepping the carryouts rather than keeping it herself should be looked at I think. I look at it along the same lines(in some cases) as servers tipping out bartenders who work service bar.

[gut]

I rarely agree with the moose but he is somewhat right. I worked in a few bars and restaurants while in college and in none of them were servers ever splitting tips with the kitchen in any way, form, or fashion. If I knew 100% that my tip was going to the kitchen then I would have no problem tipping in that situation, but if I call in an order and the server/cashier walks into the kitchen and then immediately comes out with it(indicating that it was done and they did nothing) I am not tipping shit because the correct person would not be receiving the money.

I agree here, but it begs the question why would a chef stick around in a kitchen where part of their pay is splitting tips with servers?

Despite the recent glamorizing of the Chef position, a good amount of them don't make shit....particularly if it's a smaller operation and they have no ownership stake....or on the flip side if it's for a large corporate joint as well. Many places like those, if it is a busy joint, your top bartenders/servers are making as much and probably more than the chef/head of kitchen.

[Steve-O]

I agree here, but it begs the question why would a chef stick around in a kitchen where part of their pay is splitting tips with servers?

Despite the recent glamorizing of the Chef position, a good amount of them don't make shit....particularly if it's a smaller operation and they have no ownership stake....or on the flip side if it's for a large corporate joint as well. Many places like those, if it is a busy joint, your top bartenders/servers are making as much and probably more than the chef/head of kitchen.

This would be a line cook or cook, not a chef. Basically someone who can handle prep duties and follow orders on food preparation. A chef designs menus, purchases the food and ingredients, runs the kitchen, and so on.

[Dan Druff]

I know someone well who is a chef. He is actually very good, and all of the meals I've had that he's cooked have been great.

Unfortunately, unless you become somewhat famous/well-known in the culinary community, or if you get partial ownership in a restaurant, you make lousy money. This is overlooked by much of the general public. Often the waitresses are making more money than the chefs -- especially at high-end restaurants where the tips are much larger.

"Executive chefs" (the ones that design the menu items) get paid better, but still don't typically do all that well unless they own a piece of the place.

The problem with being a chef is similar to the problems faced by professional actors and athletes. You can be very good, but if you don't get noticed by the right people (and don't run into a certain amount of luck and/or have connections), you will probably struggle financially.

[Dan Druff]

Regarding the subject of tipping carryout, I am in the middle here. I tip for carryout only when the following is ALL true:

1) The order required a lot of packaging and/or review

2) The person I'm tipping is actually the one who did the work with the order (aside from cooking it)

3) The person I'm tipping is not the owner of the restaurant

4) The person I'm tipping is nice/pleasant

When I do tip on carryout, it's typically $2-$3.

I will also make an exception and tip the person if they are giving me extras or waiving surcharges that I'd otherwise be paying. For example, at the Rio All American Grill, I was taking out from there during WSOP dinner breaks, and they were both waiving the ridiculous $1.95 carryout charge and giving me some extras for my burger that normally cost money. So I tipped them a few bucks each time. (They were also packaging it all up themselves, so the 1-4 above pretty much applied anyway, except it was an easy packup.)

I think it's stupid to tip a girl just because she's hot, unless you seriously think it will increase your chances of getting a date with her.

I don't EVER tip on carryouts for really simple stuff, such as pizza.

Now let's look at the $3 tip that Drew Brees left on his $74 takeout order.

This is a complicated situation because, as already mentioned here, it can be (wrongfully) viewed as an "insult tip".

Of course, when you're a celebrity like Brees, you should probably overtip just to avoid stories like this from making you look bad, but let's say it was just everyman John Smith leaving $3 on a $74 takeout order.

Is that an insult?

No.

Tipping $3 on a $74 sit-down order would be an insult. Since there is no accepted society standard for carryout tipping (as you can see by this thread), in reality the $3 is an attempt to leave a few bucks in a spot where many don't tip at all.

This reminds me of a story of some poor kid (I forget his name) who was BRUTALIZED on 2+2 for tipping $1000 on a $1.5 million tournament win.

The important part left out of that story was the fact that the tip was already taken out of the prize pool, so he was actually being nice by leaving that extra $1000. Had he left nothing, there probably wouldn't have been any deal made of the whole thing. Ironically, by trying to be nice and leaving an extra $1,000, he came off looking like a cheapskate and an asshole.

I find the same problem when I'm charged a mandatory 18% tip, but feel the server deserves 20%. If I add the 2%, it's often something like $2, an I feel weird writing in that I'm leaving an extra $2, so I just leave nothing extra in those cases, worrying they will be insulted.

It's dumb -- you shouldn't feel insulted by getting a small extra tip in a spot where you have an expectation of zero tip -- but people somehow do.

[BeerAndPoker]

Giving a tip to the waitress telling her to pass half along to the cook would be like trusting a heroin addict with your money to go pick you up some groceries.

[JimmyG_415]

Gambling does confuse things.
I try and tip as I go along, but how many times have you tipped the BJ dealer, then end up leaving the table a loser, and the dealer has a stack of chips in his tip tray.
But waiting until you leave to tip is lame, also.

Food is pretty straight forward, although I'm shocked that so many people don't tip in this situation.

Someone like Drew Brees has more money so for that reason he probably should throw a few more bucks in.

Tipping is always a subject where what % is considered acceptable and for what circumstances?

I have a few poker dealer friends that complain to me a lot saying they ship a guy a $3k pot and he throws them $1? At least throw give me a red $5 chip every now and then. The thing is just because the pots are bigger at higher stakes the dealers are still doing the same amount of work BUT then you can argue that someone is winning big so they should tip a bit more.

I've heard many pros regularly say they tip a flat $1 regardless because it can be tough to beat the rake and variance that goes in poker if you over tip but as long as they are tipping then it's fine. Dealers still make their money but if I know the person or win some big pots I'm more inclined to give a couple bucks for some hands but whenever I see an over tipping player I just shrug my head because I know they are going to be a loser.

For example I've seen guys tip $5 on some weak $40 pots several times a night at in a $1/2 NL game. You simply can't tip that much otherwise your screwing yourself over time because it's way too big of a percent of the pot and all the hands you lose that you commit money to over the night will make this come back to bite you in the ass.

I remember one time this heavy tipper kept throwing red birds on all pots to the dealer throughout the night. He probably gave him I'd say $75-100 easily and then lost this massive pot to a bad beat on the river. The man yelled at the dealer claiming how much he was tipping and wondered how the dealer could screw him that badly? The funny part about it is the guy was being serious.

[anonamoose]

Gambling does confuse things.
I try and tip as I go along, but how many times have you tipped the BJ dealer, then end up leaving the table a loser, and the dealer has a stack of chips in his tip tray.
But waiting until you leave to tip is lame, also.

Food is pretty straight forward, although I'm shocked that so many people don't tip in this situation.

Someone like Drew Brees has more money so for that reason he probably should throw a few more bucks in.

Tipping is always a subject where what % is considered acceptable and for what circumstances?

I have a few poker dealer friends that complain to me a lot saying they ship a guy a $3k pot and he throws them $1? At least throw give me a red $5 chip every now and then. The thing is just because the pots are bigger at higher stakes the dealers are still doing the same amount of work BUT then you can argue that someone is winning big so they should tip a bit more.

I've heard many pros regularly say they tip a flat $1 regardless because it can be tough to beat the rake and variance that goes in poker if you over tip but as long as they are tipping then it's fine. Dealers still make their money but if I know the person or win some big pots I'm more inclined to give a couple bucks for some hands but whenever I see an over tipping player I just shrug my head because I know they are going to be a loser.

For example I've seen guys tip $5 on some weak $40 pots several times a night at in a $1/2 NL game. You simply can't tip that much otherwise your screwing yourself over time because it's way too big of a percent of the pot and all the hands you lose that you commit money to over the night will make this come back to bite you in the ass.

I remember one time this heavy tipper kept throwing red birds on all pots to the dealer throughout the night. He probably gave him I'd say $75-100 easily and then lost this massive pot to a bad beat on the river. The man yelled at the dealer claiming how much he was tipping and wondered how the dealer could screw him that badly? The funny part about it is the guy was being serious.

I usually tip the dealer as they're getting up to leave. I feel like a lot of people do this nowadays, but not as much as people who tip as they go.

[JimmyG_415]

Now let's look at the $3 tip that Drew Brees left on his $74 takeout order.

This is a complicated situation because, as already mentioned here, it can be (wrongfully) viewed as an "insult tip".

It's dumb -- you shouldn't feel insulted by getting a small extra tip in a spot where you have an expectation of zero tip -- but people somehow do.

I might be wrong in your opinion, but I'm right in that that is why this happened.

If you ever had a job where your lively hood was based on tips, I think you'd have a different opinion.
& I don't get why you write it like it is a simple fact that I'm wrong and you are right. That is your opinion on how things should be.
Ask 100 people who work for tips if they can possibly be insulted by the size of a tip.

[Dan Druff]

Now let's look at the $3 tip that Drew Brees left on his $74 takeout order.

This is a complicated situation because, as already mentioned here, it can be (wrongfully) viewed as an "insult tip".

It's dumb -- you shouldn't feel insulted by getting a small extra tip in a spot where you have an expectation of zero tip -- but people somehow do.

I might be wrong in your opinion, but I'm right in that that is why this happened.

If you ever had a job where your lively hood was based on tips, I think you'd have a different opinion.
& I don't get why you write it like it is a simple fact that I'm wrong and you are right. That is your opinion on how things should be.
Ask 100 people who work for tips if they can possibly be insulted by the size of a tip.

I didn't say that waitstaff can't be insulted by the size of tips.

I agree that, if you're having a $100 sit-down meal, leaving a $5 tip is more insulting than leaving no tip.

However, I don't understand why people get "insulted" in spots where people are giving small, non-customary tips that are often otherwise zero from the average person.

I'm talking about tips on takeout, tips in addition to the 18% forced tip for big parties, tips above a mandatory "service charge", and tips to poker dealers when gratuities have already been subtracted from the prizepool.

In those cases, you shouldn't be insulted with any amount, because it's something extra.

[Steve-O]

I might be wrong in your opinion, but I'm right in that that is why this happened.

If you ever had a job where your lively hood was based on tips, I think you'd have a different opinion.
& I don't get why you write it like it is a simple fact that I'm wrong and you are right. That is your opinion on how things should be.
Ask 100 people who work for tips if they can possibly be insulted by the size of a tip.

I didn't say that waitstaff can't be insulted by the size of tips.

I agree that, if you're having a $100 sit-down meal, leaving a $5 tip is more insulting than leaving no tip.

However, I don't understand why people get "insulted" in spots where people are giving small, non-customary tips that are often otherwise zero from the average person.

I'm talking about tips on takeout, tips in addition to the 18% forced tip for big parties, tips above a mandatory "service charge", and tips to poker dealers when gratuities have already been subtracted from the prizepool.

In those cases, you shouldn't be insulted with any amount, because it's something extra.

Because the size of a tip can be insulting whether one is expected or not. When the bill is $74 you leave $1 or $6, not $3 (unless you have precisely $77 on your person). To leave a $3 tip on a $74 bill actually requires effort. Did he give them $80, ask for all singles, and give them $3 of it? Did he give them $75 and say keep it and peel two more ones off?

If I had to guess I would imagine he had $77 on him which is why he left $3 and this is a non-story. I've gone in to pick stuff thinking I would need my debit card and been surprised that it was cheaper than I thought and I had enough cash to cover it.

[Dan Druff]

I didn't say that waitstaff can't be insulted by the size of tips.

I agree that, if you're having a $100 sit-down meal, leaving a $5 tip is more insulting than leaving no tip.

However, I don't understand why people get "insulted" in spots where people are giving small, non-customary tips that are often otherwise zero from the average person.

I'm talking about tips on takeout, tips in addition to the 18% forced tip for big parties, tips above a mandatory "service charge", and tips to poker dealers when gratuities have already been subtracted from the prizepool.

In those cases, you shouldn't be insulted with any amount, because it's something extra.

Because the size of a tip can be insulting whether one is expected or not. When the bill is $74 you leave $1 or $6, not $3 (unless you have precisely $77 on your person). To leave a $3 tip on a $74 bill actually requires effort. Did he give them $80, ask for all singles, and give them $3 of it? Did he give them $75 and say keep it and peel two more ones off?

If I had to guess I would imagine he had $77 on him which is why he left $3 and this is a non-story. I've gone in to pick stuff thinking I would need my debit card and been surprised that it was cheaper than I thought and I had enough cash to cover it.

See, this is where I feel the waitstaff is acting entitled and petty.

If $3 is an okay tip for pickup, then $3 is an okay tip for pickup.

It doesn't matter how the tip was left -- whether he put it on his debit card, handed them 3 singles, or asked for change from $80 and told them to give him $3 back.

$3 is $3. If it's appropriate, fine. If it's inappropriate, then I understand the anger. If it's about "how" he left the $3, we're talking about oversensitive, entitled bullshit.

The only exception is when someone can't leave more of a tip because they literally don't have enough money on them at the moment, and explain that. Like one time I wanted to tip the guy helping me with my luggage off an airport bus, and found I had a wallet full of hundreds and a single $1. I wanted to give him more than $1, but couldn't. I told him the truth and said I intended to tip more, but the $1 was the only small bill I had, and he understood (or at least pretended to).

But if some guy is going to be fine with my $3 tip if I hand him 3 singles, but mad if I ask for change and let him only keep $3 of it, that's crap.

[Steve-O]

Because the size of a tip can be insulting whether one is expected or not. When the bill is $74 you leave $1 or $6, not $3 (unless you have precisely $77 on your person). To leave a $3 tip on a $74 bill actually requires effort. Did he give them $80, ask for all singles, and give them $3 of it? Did he give them $75 and say keep it and peel two more ones off?

If I had to guess I would imagine he had $77 on him which is why he left $3 and this is a non-story. I've gone in to pick stuff thinking I would need my debit card and been surprised that it was cheaper than I thought and I had enough cash to cover it.

See, this is where I feel the waitstaff is acting entitled and petty.

If $3 is an okay tip for pickup, then $3 is an okay tip for pickup.

It doesn't matter how the tip was left -- whether he put it on his debit card, handed them 3 singles, or asked for change from $80 and told them to give him $3 back.

$3 is $3. If it's appropriate, fine. If it's inappropriate, then I understand the anger. If it's about "how" he left the $3, we're talking about oversensitive, entitled bullshit.

The only exception is when someone can't leave more of a tip because they literally don't have enough money on them at the moment, and explain that. Like one time I wanted to tip the guy helping me with my luggage off an airport bus, and found I had a wallet full of hundreds and a single $1. I wanted to give him more than $1, but couldn't. I told him the truth and said I intended to tip more, but the $1 was the only small bill I had, and he understood (or at least pretended to).

But if some guy is going to be fine with my $3 tip if I hand him 3 singles, but mad if I ask for change and let him only keep $3 of it, that's crap.

It may be crap, but it is what it is.

[Hockey Guy]

I didn't say that waitstaff can't be insulted by the size of tips.

I agree that, if you're having a $100 sit-down meal, leaving a $5 tip is more insulting than leaving no tip.

However, I don't understand why people get "insulted" in spots where people are giving small, non-customary tips that are often otherwise zero from the average person.

I'm talking about tips on takeout, tips in addition to the 18% forced tip for big parties, tips above a mandatory "service charge", and tips to poker dealers when gratuities have already been subtracted from the prizepool.

In those cases, you shouldn't be insulted with any amount, because it's something extra.

Because the size of a tip can be insulting whether one is expected or not. When the bill is $74 you leave $1 or $6, not $3 (unless you have precisely $77 on your person). To leave a $3 tip on a $74 bill actually requires effort. Did he give them $80, ask for all singles, and give them $3 of it? Did he give them $75 and say keep it and peel two more ones off?

If I had to guess I would imagine he had $77 on him which is why he left $3 and this is a non-story. I've gone in to pick stuff thinking I would need my debit card and been surprised that it was cheaper than I thought and I had enough cash to cover it.

It appears he paid with an American Express CC for the record so it did require some effort to write $3 in the tip amount.

I'd be considered a very good tipper because my wife worked in the industry when we were really struggling financially but I hope wait staff isn't starting to expect 15% on take-out orders because that's silly. As I said earlier, if you're a regular you should always tip something & Druff's initial post was basically spot on.

[Steve-O]

Because the size of a tip can be insulting whether one is expected or not. When the bill is $74 you leave $1 or $6, not $3 (unless you have precisely $77 on your person). To leave a $3 tip on a $74 bill actually requires effort. Did he give them $80, ask for all singles, and give them $3 of it? Did he give them $75 and say keep it and peel two more ones off?

If I had to guess I would imagine he had $77 on him which is why he left $3 and this is a non-story. I've gone in to pick stuff thinking I would need my debit card and been surprised that it was cheaper than I thought and I had enough cash to cover it.

It appears he paid with an American Express CC for the record so it did require some effort to write $3 in the tip amount.

I'd be considered a very good tipper because my wife worked in the industry when we were really struggling financially but I hope wait staff isn't starting to expect 15% on take-out orders because that's silly. As I said earlier, if you're a regular you should always tip something & Druff's initial post was basically spot on.

I agree with what he said as well, I just disagree that a tip can never be insulting.

[bottomset_69]

Tipping when you are not supposed to is a sign of being a generally good guy to others. I would have probably left a $5 spot in this Brees example. $3 is marginal, but not unacceptable.

I usually tip when others mostly do not. For instance, I always leave $1-3 in a hotel room for a maid. If I only have a $1 bill I leave that, if I have $3, I leave that. But I would not leave a $5. Someone is cleaning up after you and your business, I can't think of a worse job, but if I can treat them to a soda, it makes me feel a little better. Most fuckers treat maids like shit and trash the room, not me. I always pick up as best I can; not make the bed or anything like that, but I am not tossing garbage on the floor either.

I also tip the guy parking my car when I Valet. Most fuckers only tip the guy picking up the car. Not me, I tip them both, each are doing the same amount of work.

I NEVER tip anyone on a street corner begging. But if a guy is playing a musical instrument with a bucket out, I will toss him a couple bucks for trying to earn a living.

I always tip 30-40% in a crappy diner for breakfast. I see some stooge leaving a $1 for a $5 breakfast. I generally will just leave a $10 spot on my $5.95 tab and call it even for his cheapness.

I also over tip cab drivers if they engage me for a conversation. On a $15 fare, I will just hand him a $20, whereas most people with ask for change.

[Steve-O]

Tipping when you are not supposed to is a sign of being a generally good guy to others. I would have probably left a $5 spot in this Brees example. $3 is marginal, but not unacceptable.

I usually tip when others mostly do not. For instance, I always leave $1-3 in a hotel room for a maid. If I only have a $1 bill I leave that, if I have $3, I leave that. But I would not leave a $5. Someone is cleaning up after you and your business, I can't think of a worse job, but if I can treat them to a soda, it makes me feel a little better. Most fuckers treat maids like shit and trash the room, not me. I always pick up as best I can; not make the bed or anything like that, but I am not tossing garbage on the floor either.

I also tip the guy parking my car when I Valet. Most fuckers only tip the guy picking up the car. Not me, I tip them both, each are doing the same amount of work.

I NEVER tip anyone on a street corner begging. But if a guy is playing a musical instrument with a bucket out, I will toss him a couple bucks for trying to earn a living.

I always tip 30-40% in a crappy diner for breakfast. I see some stooge leaving a $1 for a $5 breakfast. I generally will just leave a $10 spot on my $5.95 tab and call it even for his cheapness.

I also over tip cab drivers if they engage me for a conversation. On a $15 fare, I will just hand him a $20, whereas most people with ask for change.

I leave $5 per night for housekeeping (I was under the impression this was standard?) and I also tip both valets. AND I agree with you 100% on breakfast bills, they are so cheap I always leave way over 20%.

For me there are two types of people that deserve a tip:

#1: People in a tipping industry, who I tip industry standard unless they really screw something up or are assholes
#2:Someone goes out of their way to help you when they don't have to. It's very rare but when I do tip someone who is not in a tipping industry, I overtip them

An example of Type #2 was when I was in CVS looking for those assorted chocolates (for my nana) and couldn't find them anywhere. Cashier sees me going up the aisle again and says "are you looking for something?" I explain and he actually goes and finds them for me; doesn't just direct me to them. They were like $14 something and I gave him a $20 and said thank you.