Do you tip for take-out?
My husband came home the other night with some carry-out food for dinner. As we were unpacking it, he said, “Do you tip when you pick up take-out?” I said, “No, not generally.” And he said, “Me neither, but I always feel kind of weird about it.”
It seems this is a perennial debate. Anecdotally, from what I’ve read and experienced over the years, I am guessing that most people do not tip for take-out because they figure nobody is serving them at a table, bringing drinks and refills and the like. And I also know a lot of folks opt for take-out with one factor in the decision being that they do NOT have to tip. You know the old conversation: “Well, but if we go out we’ll end up paying for drinks and tips and all that stuff adds up. Let’s just get take-out.”
The counter argument is that the host or hostess with whom you are dealing has taken the order over the telephone, packed it up and cashes you out. But how do you know that’s the same person who took the order when you arrive? And isn’t it mostly the kitchen staff that prepares and packs up the order? It might depend on the workflow of that particular restaurant.
The most compelling reason I’ve heard for tipping on take-out is to develop a good relationship with a restaurant you frequent. That way, they are more likely to remember you and what you like, and perhaps throw in a little extra sauce or something. If I feel that a host/hostess or cashier has gone the extra mile for me in some way, I will leave a tip. That has happened on a couple of occasions, but more often than not, I don’t tip.
The issue of tipping is a murky one for a lot of people. I get particularly anxious at ritzy hotels on the rare occasion when I’m staying at one. What do you tip the valet or the kid who wants to carry your luggage to the room? Is it rude to say you’d prefer to carry your own luggage to the room?
I’d be very interested to hear what you all think about tipping on take-out, and any other tipping situations you’ve encountered.
August 30, 2011 - 8:31 AM
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I never really thought about it, but I generally don’t tip on take-out. Of course, as you mentioned, it does depend on the restaurant, service, staff, etc. My husband always says I over-tip, since I usually leave close to 20% with the exception of buffets, where I usually leave about 10%. I haven’t been keeping up – is that acceptable?
My pet tipping peeve comes at hotel check in. One guy takes you bags out of the car and onto a cart. Another guy takes the cart to the check-in counter and a third takes the cart to the room. Who gets tipped how much? And what about the valet parking guys?
Tipping is a way to reward good service. Tipping also supplements the worker’s hourly rate. If take out workers are paid more knowing there will be less or no tip, then tipping should not be expected. What we as customers need to know is whether or not both groups are paid the same or differently. I would like to hear from some in the take out business. I’ve heard some “pool” tips, then split up at the end of the day? If so, that does not reward good service. I would also like to hear from someone in the business concerning how withholding taxes are handled concerning tips (income).
I have never tipped for carryout, but how about a buffet? I’ve worked as a waitress in various situations and you can carry twice or more the tables because people are getting their own food, all you do is serve drinks essentially. Don’t you tip 10% for buffet instead of the usual 15-20% for full service? Lindsey, what do you think?
I tip on buffets, but not as much as I would if I ordered from the menu. And I always tip at least 20 percent on a regular restaurant bill unless the service was absolutely horrible. 20 percent is still the norm, I believe. I do find myself tipping more on very small checks for whatever reason. I guess it’s because, if I just had a $3 beer, it feels odd to leave 30 cents. So I’d leave a dollar or two.
I tip at the one place we do take out, Amelia’s in Cambria (Christiansburg). There is a jar that says “A little something for the cook,” and we always throw in a buck or two. Cooks have hard work, are constantly on their feet, don’t have a chance at tips, and usually make minimum wage (which is about six bucks an hour after taxes).
For a buffet, I will do 10% if the wait staff is great.
I do 20% for awesome service at a restaurant and will ask for the manager to deliver a compliment sometimes, too.
Many people don’t realize that wait staff DON’T make minimum wage since the average estimated tip can legally be averaged into the hourly wage.
Nice topic. I’m interested to hear other opinions.
As for tipping on takeout it depends for me on the restaurant. For places we frequent regularly I usually tip two dollars on takeout. Mostly because I like the people and I appreciate them getting everything ready for me. At other places it depends on how I’m greeted but I don’t usually tip if unless the experience is something extra nice.
As for tipping at the hotels, we were just on vacation and ordered room service several times after long days at ammusement parks. Even though the tip and delivery fee were included in the price I had a couple of dollars in my pocket each time and gladly gave them to the server. The service was so phenominal I would have felt bad otherwise. If the service had been average or worse I would have kept the money in my pocket.
As for bags, I never let anyone handle my bags for me. If I did I would feel obligated to tip something. That’s just how it works in my opinion.
What about Sonic? Does anyone tip the car hop people? I never do but sometimes feel like I should.
Preparing food from the kitchen for take out and processing payment takes time for the server/bartender. Unless they are the owner, I think they deserve a tip for that.
I always leave $1 or $2 tip for takeout, a little more if it is my favorite bartender/server.
Sometimes rarely, if the tab ends up more than I expect, I will somewhat peevishly (and cheaply) not tip, but I except I’m wrong on that count and not being fair.
This is weird…a bunch of us were having this discussion last weekend.
I caught a lot of attitude once from a local pizza place when I picked up my pizza and didn’t add a tip to the tab. I don’t get the concept of tipping for bring the pizza to my house – myself, getting my own plates dirty and getting my own drinks.
Another local place has a bucket at the register labeled “Carry out tips only”. Tipping for what? Handing the food over the counter?
We do tip at least 20% unless something is direly wrong with service (and probably even then), and tip a minimum of a dollar even on 1 beer or glass of wine. For buffets my rule of thumb is $1.50 per person, because the staff usually brings drinks, and we usually go to buffets in places like Taaza where they really take care of you.
Tipping for take-out is a “no” in my book, since they haven’t really “waited” on me, other than taking my money for the food itself. I’ve never heard of 10% for buffet service, I had always heard it was $1 per person at a buffet when they refill your drinks and take your empty plates (which come to think of it, probably comes out to about 10% anyway.) I usually do 15% on table service and then round up to the next dollar, unless I had exceptional service, then I’ll do more.
I do tip well when dining in a restaurant but I don’t tip for take out.
I never tip for takeout food. Lots of reasons, but primarily because the value added service that earns a tip is for ‘eat in’ diners.
I always tip 20% or more, unless I receive bad service. Not bad food, bad service. That is for a normal meal. If I am at a buffet, I leave a tip, but it is more in the 15% range. I’d guesstimate that I tip $2 for a buffet up to $15, then a dollar more for anything over that.
Back when I waited tables (which was in the mid- and late-90s), I got paid $2.13 per hour, which was basically minimum wage for servers who were expected to make up the difference in tips. That’s one of the reasons I try to always tip well.
Here’s another interesting situation: cafeteria settings such as K&W. I always leave a small tip for them because they generally refill my drinks and sometimes bring out special orders such as pancakes.
I tip for room service, too, Greg, but I hardly ever get room service. The only time recently I remember getting it was on my cruise, but that was all-inclusive anyway.
I’m happy to hear that others turn down baggage assistance. The bell hops are always so nice, and if I had plenty of money I’d be happy to let them handle my bags for a tip. But I was raised to be frugal and I’m perfectly capable of carrying my own suitcases.
It would be a very rare occurence that would call for a tip on takeout. I find it annoying when going to pick up a pizza, where there is no dine-in option and you are literally being handed the pizza from the kitchen staff, and they have a tip jar by the register. There is no special service performed that would require tipping a staff that is not working for tips there. And yet I always wonder, “will they remember my name and what will my next pizza from here be like?”
I’m curious about what everyone does at Sonic as well, OG. I don’t tip the carhops but always feel bad about not doing so. I leave a couple of dollars at K&W-type places for the drink refills, etc. Our standard tip is 20% but we do more at our favorite places that we frequent.
As someone who worked in the service industry for 8 years I think you should give a small tip (a dollar or so) for take out, especially if it’s typically a sit-down restaurant. If it is obvious that it is a hostesses or another employee that strictly handles takeout you could probably forgo the tip because they probably make an normal hourly wage.
However, if it a server who takes time from their tables to take your order over the phone, bag up your food and make sure you have silverware, condiments etc., it is especially important to tip. Whether or not you do, the server still has to claim at least 10% of that sale as tips and pay taxes on it. Servers only make $2.13/hour and paying taxes on that can be killer. Also, if you are ordering a lot of food or wait until you get to the restaurant to ask for more bread, extra butter, etc., tip. This takes the servers attention away from their dine-in customers who are more likely to tip well.
I wouldn’t get upset by not being tipped on an easy, cheap take-out but when people would call in eight dinners and would run me back to the kitchen 5 times for more of this or that and had an $80 bill and didn’t tip on a Saturday night, it was pretty upsetting.
We generally have not tipped for take-out. I did a couple times when I called the order in and picked it up shortly thereafter and it was sitting there freshly waiting for me, since the service in throwing it together was excellent, but most times I didn’t, but we also only ate take-out like that a handful of times too.
When we dine in, we typically try to tip 20% or more, depending on the service. If it’s phenomenal, we’ll go substantially higher than 30% sometimes, but typically, we’ll tip a minimum of $3, regardless of the bill. I feel rather cheap tipping less than that, because we still take up a booth or a table for half an hour to an hour, even if our total bill is only $10. If we stay for longer than an hour, I boost the tip accordingly to make up for holding the table longer. There have been times we’ve left $10 for a tip on a $10 meal, because we’ve stayed for a couple hours with friends. It generally results in us getting great service on repeat trips.
Bad service though, I have no qualms about cutting the tip down or eliminating it entirely, or requesting a different server. One time our assigned server only appeared to take our order and was otherwise absent the whole time. We had to get our drinks and food from the manager, our refills from the counter, and silverware and other items from a different server. We made sure to give that other server our tip, in front of the original server, after complaining to the manager.
For buffets, we would leave $2-3 usually for those places, if they were the Ryans or similar type places. Never ate at a higher-end buffet than that, but $2-3 seems about right, and maybe a bit much, for just topping off drinks, but our thought is if we’re eating there, we can leave a decent tip.
In terms of other places I see tip jars…coffee houses, fast food counters, etc…I don’t tip there, unless something really dramatically impressive occurs.
More than a few times we’ve asked managers to have the cook/chef come out so we can thank them personally, and give them a tip too. Unfortunately, the 2 restaurants we loved the most and had great relationships with the staff and management both closed a couple years back, and we’ve not been compelled to eat out much since. It’s saved our wallets nicely, but it’s been a bummer because nowhere we’ve gone has come close in terms of their personal service.
restaurant trick is to show you the slip with the tip option on top and let your confusion guide you, and the receipt with the subtotal on bottom.If you do tip, tip on the subtotal not the full taxed amount
I worked at the Sonic in Salem in 2001. We made minimum wage and I got tipped 75% of the time. This was before people paid for EVERYTHING with cards. Basically if something was $1.50 they would give me $2 and say, “Keep the change.” It was really hard work in that little building because it was fast paced and we would all be running all over each other in the small space.
Whenever my husband and I go to Sonic we tip at least a little bit. Carry out on the other hand, I would not tip. I feel like that is different.
What about coffee shops? I don’t drink coffee that often and on the rare occasions that I go to Mill Mt Coffe & Tea, I don’t tip. I feel a little guilty though because they have a tip jar by the register.
With Sonic, since we always paid with a card, when the old receipts had a slot for a tip, we’d throw one on the bill. But, they got rid of the tip line several years back, and since we rarely carry cash, we stopped. Of course I haven’t eaten at Sonic now in probably 3 or 4 years…
Tipping at Sonic? Yes; two bucks for walking servers, three to five for skaters.
Tipping for take-out: No.
I tipped at Sonic the last time I parked and had car-side service. The lady was exceptionally thankful and nice. Obviously, if we use the drive-through, we don’t tip.
I tip very well for good service at a sit-down (20-25% assuming I get great service), and don’t tip for take out.
I look at tipping as paying for convenience and service. Why should I tip over the counter for something the business is doing to make money? What are they going to do? Make me go to the kitchen and cook it myself?
That said, if the owner or manager is working the register, and they are polite, ask me how things are, and maybe throw in some extras, im MORE than happy to toss a few bucks in the tip jar.
When the Judge’s Chambers was open, and I had extra cash, I’d toss a few bucks in because they were so nice. Eventually Waqar would say “hey man, you gotta try this” and then give me a sample of some crazy delicious concoction he was working on. Eventually, we became buddies, and it was always a joy throwing a couple bucks toward some of his experiments! Same for Zorba. I throw in tips for him because he’s a great guy, and he remembers you and will occasionally toss in some extra fries, or make your “Leave It To Zorba” extra special.
I just can’t justify putting $2 in a expectant tip jar when some high school kid (who’s counting down the seconds until he gets off work) takes your order with a cold stare and attitude.
Earn it, and you’ll get it! Just don’t expect it.
Take out is the same thing as going through the drive thru in my eyes so no tips. We tip wait staff very well though.
I feel so much better…I thought maybe I was a cheapskate not tipping on take-out.
Having worked in the food service industry when I was young and at times when I needed to supplement other employment, I understand the way wages, tips and taxes work. It’s been my experience that tips are shared when the workers actually receive minimum wage, but otherwise, the tips go to the server. In my opinion, everyone should be paid minimum wage at the very least. It’s wrong to expect customers to pay the wages of wait staff. That being said, I do tip according to service. At places like K&W, I generally leave a dollar per diner, 10% at buffets and $5 – $10 per night for the cleaning staff in hotels. Also, a couple of dollars in the jar for sushi chefs. If a bellhop pushes the cart with my luggage to my room, I’ll give him $5.00 and a skycap will get between $5 and $10, depending on the amount of luggage and the distance carried. Takeout – I only tip if it’s regular wait staff preparing the takeout and then I only leave a couple of dollars. Something that REALLY irritates me is when a waiter asks if you need/want change back. A tip is a gratuity, not a requirement. When someone asks for one, they’re implying that it’s owed to them, not being given for the service performed. Unless they’re performed outstanding service, they get a smaller tip when they ask for it.
I rarely eat out or do any kind of takeout (and absolutely no fast food!), but when I do go for takeout, it’s always at a local restaurant. So, I figure it’s best to support the local establishments and their employees as best I can and will leave a tip on takeout (especially, as an earlier commenter said, at Amelia’s in Christiansburg, where I generally tip the person ringing me up and donate to the tip jar for the cook). The way I see it, a dollar or two or three out of my pocket isn’t that big of a deal and will probably be appreciated by the person receiving it.
I also tip at Sonic unless it is the drive-thru. I figured the servers there have it even harder since they have to come outdoors in all sorts of weather, balancing everything on a small tray.
I have never tipped for take-out. I think that is ridiculous. Everybody has their hand out. When a tip is part of their wages, or they have gone beyond what is expected, yes. But to hand me a pizza or a cup of coffee over a counter…..please.
I tip $1 per person at buffets. If I went to a fancy buffet, I’d tip more but since I never have, I haven’t done it! lol
We usually go to sit down places. The older I get, the less I enjoy eating off of paper. I tip 20% for good service, 25 – 30% for excellent service. If my glass sits empty for more than 10 minutes, the tip goes down. If the server is slammed, I understand that but when there are only 2 people in the place and they never check on us, they ain’t getting nuttin’
I@23
When someone serves me on roller skates, I always tip.
We don’t tip for take-out and average out to 10% for buffet.
My husband travels for business a great deal and leaves tips for the maid service in the hotel when he has a multiple night stay. He tends to stay at the same hotel and gets great service.
So servers still only make $2.13 per hour!? Well, there you go – the public is expected to make up the difference to minimum wage (or more) by tipping.
Other tip worthiness:
We tip the mulch delivery man if he delivers on time and drops the load in the right spot.
We tip the first mate on the fishing boat, we tip the guys who clean and filet the fish
We tip a housekeeper if she does what she is “supposed to do” and we don’t have to call for towels and our trash emptied.
We tip the hairdresser
We tip the massage therapist (well the one time I had a massage!)
We tip the waitress even if she never shows back up again and ignores us as she stands in the kitchen flirting with the dishwasher (we would tip much much more if she only knew…) We will tip any server if they are sweet and treat us nice, even with lousy service, just be nice to us!
Tip your bartenders.
Tip the guy making the omelets to order or any made to order specialty, or Japanese grill.
and so on…
Here’s a random thought- I almost always tip the bartender well, even when all he does is open a bottle top.
I have worked as a waitress and as a To Go cashier at the same restaurant alternating at times in the same week. Waitresses rely on tips to make their paycheck. When I was waiting tables we made $2.13 and hour plus tips, so our wages really only covered our taxes. Working as a take-out cashier, I made minimum wage or more, so while tips were always appreciated, they were not necessary.
I usually tip 20%, less if service is really bad. But it is my understanding that servers in buffet restaurants make more an hour and therefore I think the standard is to tip 10%. As for takeout, I don’t normally tip unless I have been in several times in the week or month, and then I will add a dollar or 2 since I have been in so much.
I almost never tip for takeout. If I’ve placed a complicated order and the person is friendly and gets it right, I may tip a little. Good tips for a sitdown meal, great tips for a good bartender, $2/head if good service at a buffet. I don’t get curb service at Sonic, and until recently wouldn’t even go there for drive through. The one in Salem would take your money at the window then make you drive around and wait up front, where someone would bring it to you. I refused to tip, it’s DRIVE-THRU for goodness sake! But I still felt bad and just didn’t go. Now they usually serve you at the window and I go on occasion. Their new Chicago Dog is really good, about the only thing I like there. We never get room service except on a cruise ship, and we do tip the person who brings it. I always handle my own bags so no tipping there.
I treated myself to a Roanoke Bagel Co. bagel at 2nd Helpings Cafe on Williamson Road this morning, and I was reminded that their tip jar goes to a different charitable cause each day. So I always drop a buck in there.
I currently work in a restaurant that has take out where there is an actual person who brings it to your car. You should always tip these people because they do not make minimum wage. They do everything but actually cook the food. They ensure that all the sauces are made, that the food is actually correct, and put it together. They do a lot believe it or not. I am not speaking for all restaurants with take out but you should always tip something…especially when it is a large to go order and you want the names put on all the boxes. It takes time and effort to put these things together, not an “easy” task when they have a lot of orders.
I currently work at a small family owned chinese restaurant and I do the waitering, phone orders, and bagging. We mostly get take outs so I rarely get tips. I get most of my tips from dine-ins but there are days/nights when we would only get 3 dine-ins and get the rest as take outs. Sometimes these orders are huge and we get busy so there isn’t as much time to chit chat with customers, but I am always nice when taking orders and when they come in. Most of the time orders are always on time! I work 10 hours and only get $5 dollars an hour. I constantly run back and forth and make sure all the bags have their correct orders, this can be confusing. Some say that the cashier just hands you the food, but for some this is incorrect.
It goes back to the old adage: time is money. By taking the bartender away from their primary job, you are potentially taking money out of their pocket.
I have been a manager of a busy Roanoke restaurant for several years. At our establishment, the bartenders put together the take-out: salads, soup, sauces, dressings, bread, etc. They make sure everything in the bag is exactly how you want it. In many cases, there is more work that goes into putting together take-out, than actual sit-down dining.
I would estimate about 60-70% of take-out patrons tip, generally between 10-15%. I have seen take-out orders be as complicated as labeling each salad, entree and drink for 15 people. This is incredibly time consuming.
Take it from someone who has spent 15+ years in the restaurant business.
Hey there! I just happened to see this article and I am happy to comment. I work as a waitress at a local restaurant in Roanoke. At times in the past, I would have a shift that is only “to go” orders. With my pay of only 2.15/hr, I would dred this shift because not everyone knows to tip. Most times it is a waitress who will take the order. They have to ring up the order, make sure it comes out right in the kitchen, and help with putting it in a bag, etc. This is time consuming because the waitress also has tables that she is serving in the restaurant. As she is running for drinks, food, taking orders, and bringing out the check within the restaurant, she has to do all the duties which comes with a “to go” order. So, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEAAAASSSSEEE, do tip your local waitress when pickin up a to go order!!!
I do not tip for takeout. Why? Because takeout involves the waitperson turning from the register and walking no more than ten feet to retrieve my food purchase and handing it to me. There is no added value to that service.
I tip for added value. When I sit in a restaurant and the waitperson brings me food and beverages as needed, and is cognizant of my request for food and beverages, then I reward them.
If their sole contribution is to pivot from me to pick up a container of food, then hand it to me, there is no reward for excellence in handing food to me. Any primate could accomplish that. If the establishment pays them $2.15 per hour to do that, that is on the establishment.
I’ve no guilt in that. Waitstaff can make ‘good money’ if they are in the right restaurant and do their job in the right way. It is not incumbent on me to support desultory service.
I tip well, REALLY well, for even average service. I do not tip needlessly. That’s the bottom line.
It is important to realize that people are doing this for a living, working in food service. I am getting back into work as a Carry-Out Hostess (hopefully! My interview this week!) Thank you for your time.