# Do you tip when picking up food for carryout?



## abefroman (Mar 12, 2005)

Do you tip when picking up food for carryout?

And if so how much? The usual 20% or so?


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

On a $735 order? ... You bet I'm tipping. I'd probably make it $800 even. NO ... that's not a regular tip grade ... but it is still take-out.


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

No there is NO service involved.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

nicko said:


> No there is NO service involved.


Ditto

I also don't tip at Starbucks and any other place that makes me stand in a line yet they only take an order, take my money, and make me pick up my food/drink. That's self-service and I find their tip jar to be ludicrous.

We have an increasing number of restaurants with curb service - order online or phone and they run it out to you car so you never have to even stop the engine. In that situation I would tip. Likewise if they deliver to my house.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

I live by simple rules in life. If someone goes out of the way to take care of me and my family I take care of them. If you feel someone goes above a beyond the call of duty then I would show my appreciation. I've traveled around the world over the years. You don't need to be smacked in the face to notice when people go out of the way to be helpful and nice. It all depends on what you consider service. In many cases over the years I told the person that I'm staying at a hotel with small kids. There were times they gave the kids something special making sure they had kids cups with lids for a beverage. They would make sure we had plates, forks, knives, extra napkins, wet wipes, on and on. There was a few times people threw in a dessert for the kids for free. Like I said, it all depends how much people go out of the way for me.....ChefBillyB


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## abefroman (Mar 12, 2005)

iceman said:


> On a $735 order? ... You bet I'm tipping. I'd probably make it $800 even. NO ... that's not a regular tip grade ... but it is still take-out.


I probably would have gave $10 for loading it into the car.


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## loomchick (Jun 11, 2013)

This is a tough question because I think it all comes down to one thing . . . It depends.

As far as the recent story of the church ordering $735 of take-out from an Outback restaurant, an order of that size would probably have an impact in both the front and back of the restaurant. If the kitchen is working to prepare and package that much food for take-out, how were diners and wait staff impacted? Was anyone in the front having to focus on this large order at the cost of not tending to other things? As it appears, a server had to handle this to some degree . . . which would have kept her from tending to her tables . . . to some degree. (BTW - I'm still scratching my head why a church was ordering that much food from an Outback restaurant. If I were a parishioner, I would be skeptical the next time the offering plate came around).

There's a difference between take-out and dining in-house. When I'm in a restaurant, the tip is generally for service; however, without knowing what the restaurant's policy is in how the kitchen staff are compensated and whether tips are shared, the effort for preparing that much food is still the same. Plus, add on top of that, it had to get packaged up.

I know many restaurants add the tip onto the bill for large parties . . . usually 6-8 or more people . . . because people don't tend to tip very well when it's a large group. It's a big bill, folks! The percentage should be the same. I can almost always tell the diners that have worked in a restaurant at some point in their life because they seem more sensitive to waitstaff having to handle a large party. 

Yes, when a couple dines out together, 20% on an $80 bill is $16. However, for a group of eight dining and averaging $40 person adds up to a $64 tip. Some people gag on that because they think "All they did was bring me food." Large parties tend to be more work. The growth in scale in not linear. There are usually more drink, appetizers, desserts, more time standing waiting to interrupt a conversation and get noticed . . . in addition to questions and dietary restrictions. Diners can also be more indifferent (that was the nicest way to say what I really wanted to write) to waitstaff when they're part of a large group.

Perhaps take-out orders in excess of $xxx amount should have a 'fee' on top of the bill as a policy. Unfortunately, customers sometimes tip badly and you have to move on.

I would have probably rounded it up to $800. That's nearly 9% as a tip. The server did have to spend time dealing with the order and tips are a huge part of how servers are paid; however, not as much of an effort for in-house diners to take drink orders, take food orders, refill water (many times), deliver food (which could be many times with salad, entree, dessert), check-in to make sure everything was okay (many times), clear plates, deliver the check, finish the transaction.

The whole story showed a lack of manners and class. To order that much take-out should have resulted in some kind of tip. The church was negligent to a certain degree. The server was foolish to have posted her complain on-line and named the restaurant. I don't have an issue with her complaining on-line, except she also named the church. Bad form, my friends.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

I might be missing information. I see the generic question but nothing about this story. 

Based on what I’ve read here, though, it more bad on the restaurant than anyone else. That quantity is catering, not takeout. If they aren’t equipped to cater the church event than that should not even try. If they do, they should surcharge as applicable for that service. 

My church has many events that size catered. I’m okay with that, but it’s never a last-minute takeout order. That’s really a desperate move that either indicates desperation due to unfoseen circumstances (like a no-she caterer) or really poor planning.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

To tip or not to tip, that is the question! Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of not tipping or to tip without merit and avoid a sea of troubles......

If you are only picking up take out food, no. Tipping should not be expected. However, there is nothing wrong with tossing a buck or two in the tip jar.


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## abefroman (Mar 12, 2005)

brianshaw said:


> I might be missing information. I see the generic question but nothing about this story.
> 
> Based on what I've read here, though, it more bad on the restaurant than anyone else. That quantity is catering, not takeout. If they aren't equipped to cater the church event than that should not even try. If they do, they should surcharge as applicable for that service.
> 
> My church has many events that size catered. I'm okay with that, but it's never a last-minute takeout order. That's really a desperate move that either indicates desperation due to unfoseen circumstances (like a no-she caterer) or really poor planning.


I have to agree that its a problem with the restaurant.

1. If her hourly wage including tips fell below the normal minimum wage (not the server minimum wage), the restaurant is required by law to make up the difference
2. If the restaurant had her processing the catering sized order rather than waiting tables, they should be the ones paying her an appropriate rate per hour for that, not the customer
3. If someone is making that large size of an order, the restaurant should welcome that business and make it clear to the customer that tipping is certainly not required, and also make it clear to their employees not to expect a tip.


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

My tip is based on the fact that for a $735 order a lot more work went into the job than a coupla beefs and a cheese-fry. I know it's take-out ... but a good amount of work had to be done for just one(1) order. NO ... I don't tip for regular take-out. This was not regular take out.


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## abefroman (Mar 12, 2005)

iceman said:


> My tip is based on the fact that for a $735 order a lot more work went into the job than a coupla beefs and a cheese-fry. I know it's take-out ... but a good amount of work had to be done for just one(1) order. NO ... I don't tip for regular take-out. This was not regular take out.


Personally, if it was a Church or other non-profit, I would have not accepted a tip from them, even if they tried to give one.


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

OH-MY-GOODNESS. 

When God starts paying taxes I'll start worrying about his economic situation. Maybe God just might want to help out the poor lunch-bucket blue-collar working-stiffs that he would be tipping.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Too funny.


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## sgmchef (Sep 30, 2006)

It depends is the correct answer.

If I am a frequent customer and they do an exceptional job every time, and they know me by sight and name. I tip every time!

If I am visiting for the first time or the only time, I will normally leave the coins or other small amount. If I don't like some aspect I am observing, I will put the coins in a donation box for pet shelter, Veteran programs, etc.

It depends...


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