QUESTION ABOUT TAKE OUT SHOPS TIPS
Establishment: any
Location: All
I am a generous tipper with many friends in the food service business. I usually tip 20% IN CASH, not on the card. Also I don’t tip on tax, I tip on the amount BEFORE tax.Only if I hate the place or feel we were slighted do I tip on the card, but all the places I’m known, I tip cash. Ok, so historically, when I’ve been at a bar, I tip a dollar a drink. I’m a beer drinker, so it usually kind of works out. Lately though, drinks here in NYC have crept up in price, so when I leave, if I look at the bill, $1 a round is undertipping. The other night my buddy and I ordered a total of three beers. When we left I was about to tip 3 bucks, but he pointed out the bill was 20$, so 20% would be 4$. I grudgingly coughed up the last buck. Who was right?
While we’re at it, I have a basic problem with tipping on take-out, but occasionally crumble and give a dollar to the server who expedites my to go order. In theory though, isn’t this kind of a weird thing to have to do? If I go into a venue and buy a product of theirs and walk out with it, why should there be a tip? When you buy shoes you don’t tip the salesperson. That’s why tips at coffee to go places confound me. Excuse me, you are pouring me the shop’s product, putting it in a container and handing it to me. How does this garner a tip. Educate me…and be gentle, am I hopelessly outdated in my view?
Comments
Thank you for your feedback. On large orders for work situations I always tip a few dollars, however, I usually only take out for myself. So that isn’t a matter of coordinating condiments and courses. Elsewhere, I am aware that I may come from tighter times, but bear with me and maybe someone else can weigh in for another view. The tax has no bearing on the total cost of the meal in terms of tipping. It’s something imposed by the state. I should be tipping on the total cost of the meal. It has always been understood in the business, pretty much on both sides of the issue, that one doesn’t tip on tax. The server did not perform any duties associated with the tax. If I had my druthers, we’d conduct the whole transaction in cash, you wouldn’t pay taxes on my cash tip and no tax would be levied on my bill. As I often say, “Let’s not bring the governor into this!” Be that as it may, I always take 20% of the bill (before tax) and leave it in cash. I kind of figure the server’s not having to wait for the credit card payment and not having to declare it (ahem) makes up for me being a bit of a skinflint about the tipping before tax part! I also figure if he has a manager who is gloaming his tips, it’s easier for the server to pocket some and kick in 15% or so.
Tips are apart of the business.(for take out) If you get good service, leave a little bit, if you get great service, leave a little more 25%+ As for the tips on drinks, I was told that if you were served at a table (no food) Tip $1 per drink (unless of course you drink tons)
I have worked as a food server for YEARS!! THE LA scene is ridiculously VAPID.. the owners/managers seem to only want YOUNG HOT BABEs with ( as it turns out) Diharria of the mouth and SHIT FOR BRAINS!! (and falsetto voices that sound like a cartoon chipmunk) OH annd by-the way “LIKE” is a compartive word ONLY!!!!
I have worked in the restaurant business for over 30 years, and you should always tip on take-out. There is a lot of work involved with putting together a take-out order that the server ends up doing, that takes time away from tables that are definitely going to tip. (And the same goes if the person putting the order together is the host/hostess.) My suggestion is 10%, but at the very, very least a couple of dollars.
Also, realize not all states pay their servers the same. Could you live off of $8 an hour, before taxes? How about $3.75 an hour? That’s the range of pay. (Including for hosts/hostesses.) It is VERY rare for a server or host to have medical or life insurance as well. Usually that only exists in a hotel and then only if the server/host is full-time.
I always tip on take outs (at LEAST 10%): chinese food, cafe’s, pizza places, fine dining. Since we live in a small community in a larger city, all the places know us. Unfortunately, my order’s are not complete 75% of the time no matter where I go. I can’t go through everything to make sure everything is there and I am getting tired of tipping then missing out on my onion strings, side of sausage, biscuit with gravy, just to name what was missing this sunday (my day off from cooking). I always get the leave your name crap when I call back, and hardly ever go back for my stuff later. How do I stay motivated to tip?
I worked as a server in cafes and in fine dining restaurants. I agree with your confusion about the tipping on takeout. My best advice is just give 8-10% or at least a couple of bucks on takeout orders. The reason being is that it’s time consuming putting together takeout orders. The server in my experience is responsible for it. If it’s a lunch order or just a burger, don’t feel the need to leave anything because we probably just put it in the bag. But if you order numerous dinners, etc. , there are usually things like dressings, condiments, silverware, and making sure all the food is in there, we are responsible for, while also waiting on our tables. I have had people come in and have 300 dollar takeout orders and leave 20%. Very nice but not expected. I also had someone order 7 burgers with fifty instructions for each, and not a dime. I would say just look at how hard the order is. P.S. You sound generous with your tipping, but the no tip on tax is a little much.