Do you tip the restaurant when you pick up the food yourself?

[leeniewdw]

We always tip on take-out, always have, but do more now. We look at is as we're doing take out in lieu of dining in, so the servers aren't getting that income from us. It just seems right...for us anyway.

We also have increased our tipping when dining out (literally outside, we haven't started dining indoors yet). Since the pandemic, we don't get table service very often (and always outside), but the places we've gone use staff that we either know from our neighborhood/kids schools or people we've gotten to know over time. We probably tip 30% most times, but we're not talking fine dining or anything.

I wish there was any easy way to tip fast food.

 

[MeridaAnn]

Is there any easy way to find out if a restaurant pays their employees less than minimum wage based on tips versus paying them properly per hour? I wish they were required to post that information at the restaurant or on their website or something. And maybe also how many people they are splitting the tips between (just the server and 1 cook or do they also split with 3 cooks and the dishwashing person, etc.), since that would be helpful to know as well. The whole tipping system seems so confusing and broken anyway.

I've still been tipping the same at restaurants that would normally be sit-down even if I'm taking it home, but there are some in-between restaurants that have always made me second-guess tipping even before the pandemic (like ones where you get your own drink, but they still bring your food to your table when it's ready). And now even places like my nearest Subway have started adding a tipping option at checkout when they never had one before and I don't know what makes Subway any different from Culver's or something...

 

[happiestpoe]

I tip slightly less than I would if I was having table service.

 

[afan]

I don’t understand why one would tip on to go orders or pick up orders at a restaurant.

If it's a sit down and I'm picking up an order because we aren't eating in, then I'm going to tip. For awhile they were only open for pick up and then when the state allowed inside dining we haven't wanted to but still want to eat at our fav place.

The thing that annoys me with some of the apps, like uber eats and grub hub, is they will let you tip a driver but not the restaurant. I always pick up when I use these to order, and I only order using them because of credits from my credit cards, but most of them don't let you add a tip. It's fine if it's for a place like Five Guys, but a normal sit down place it bugs me. I rarely carry cash. I try and use the apps at places that aren't sit down so it's not an issue but it still frustrates me.

 

[Sun_soakin]

In California, all restaurant workers get at least minimum wage ($14/hr this year, will be $15/hr next year). So not quite the same situation as other places.

I tip 10% or so for pickup. I am good giving a bit extra because of the current situation, but I am frustrated by the places that are trying to get me to tip 30% for pickup. (Side note: when did we blow past 20% tip to 30%?) I had a restaurant default to that amount just this weekend. For an order I placed online, and went into the restaurant to pickup at the counter - and was at a place that is always self serve, even if you eat in (not much different than McDonalds really). That hit me as WAY over the line.

Agreed. I’m in CA too and kinda feel like it’s getting ridiculous. I was tipping heavily earlier in the pandemic but now it seem egregious that they assume/default to high %s. Restaurants have been soooo busy with takeout, people are making their $. And the covid/takeout surcharge is not reasonable to me. Plus, service and meals aren’t even as good as they used to be.

eta- I still believe in tipping but not 30% for takeout at a quick serve location

 

[StarrySkye21]

On behalf of food service workers everywhere, I implore you to offer a modest tip for your takeout whether or not you used to pre-pandemic. I am a hostess of a sit-down restaurant who is also responsible for assembling to-go orders. It may not make sense to you, but your gratuity is greatly appreciated by the people who take the time to be diligent in assembling your takeout while risking their health and sanity so you can enjoy a meal in the comfort of your own home. We don’t make as much as you might imagine and we often have to tip-share. Pizza pick-up and fast food is customarily more optional, but what harm is it in showing your support that they show up each day? Your support is greatly noticed and appreciated.

 

[Tink3815]

On behalf of food service workers everywhere, I implore you to offer a modest tip for your takeout whether or not you used to pre-pandemic. I am a hostess of a sit-down restaurant who is also responsible for assembling to-go orders. It may not make sense to you, but your gratuity is greatly appreciated by the people who take the time to be diligent in assembling your takeout while risking their health and sanity so you can enjoy a meal in the comfort of your own home. We don’t make as much as you might imagine and we often have to tip-share. Pizza pick-up and fast food is customarily more optional, but what harm is it in showing your support that they show up each day? Your support is greatly noticed and appreciated.

Are you in NY or CA and receiving the new wage? Should we tip the people who work in grocery stores? They are exposed to the public much more than restaurant workers.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I tip a small tip when I pick up carryout - probably 10-15%. When restaurants were closed for indoor dining, I tipped big on carryout just as a thank you to the servers who were there keeping the curbside to go open.

 

[tzolkin]

The difference in some places is the waitstaff may be packaging those orders and bringing them out front to the customer, and depending on the state are treated as tipped staff and getting $2.13 an hour unless their tips get them up to the state’s minimum wage.

Yes, takeout from a restaurant I think should definitely be tipped.

It depends, I think. Is this a local place, or a chain?

This is how I determine tipping as well for things like pizza.

There's a mom & pop pizza place next door to the beer shop where we usually hang out. We always tip the same or more as if we were dining there even though we take the food next door to eat with our beer. (Sometimes they will even walk it over to us) We want to support them so we like to give a bit more.

If we pick up pizza from Dominoes (the one nearby has a drive through window), we typically do not tip. My husband used to tip a bunch on take out pizza to be nice because most of the employees are teenagers. Our oldest daughter told him not to bother because they never saw a penny of the tips (she and a few friends worked at multiple pizza places in the area). I'm sure this is not the case at every chain, but it's disappointing to find out that it's possible that none of your tip money may be going to the actual employees. Now if he has cash and wants to hand it directly to someone, he does. But he no longer tips 20%+ on the credit card slip.

 

[StarrySkye21]

Are you in NY or CA and receiving the new wage? Should we tip the people who work in grocery stores? They are exposed to the public much more than restaurant workers.

i am in NC where the wage for restaurant workers is still $2/hr.

I personally don’t grocery store workers. Most have policies where you can’t tip.

 

[Chickinvic]

In California, all restaurant workers get at least minimum wage ($14/hr this year, will be $15/hr next year). So not quite the same situation as other places.

I tip 10% or so for pickup. I am good giving a bit extra because of the current situation, but I am frustrated by the places that are trying to get me to tip 30% for pickup. (Side note: when did we blow past 20% tip to 30%?) I had a restaurant default to that amount just this weekend. For an order I placed online, and went into the restaurant to pickup at the counter - and was at a place that is always self serve, even if you eat in (not much different than McDonalds really). That hit me as WAY over the line.

Same in Canada. All wait staff get minimum wage (or higher). Here in BC it is minimum $15.20/hr. I really hate the "tip" option everywhere these days. We are being subtly peer pressured to tip in places nobody would have ever tipped before - and I don't like it. And no, I don't normally tip if I'm just picking up food at a counter.

 

[Tink3815]

i am in NC where the wage for restaurant workers is still $2/hr.

I personally don’t grocery store workers. Most have policies where you can’t tip.

That wage is terrible. The good news NC is raising the rates over the next 3 years . By 2026 tipped rates were be eliminated and people will be also making 15.00 an hour.

 

[shawthorne44]

For takeout? No absolutely not. I tip for service and there isn't a service there. They give you your food. Hopefully the interaction lasts less than a minute. Note I tip waiters well, including internationally.

 

[DisneyHardin]

For takeout? No absolutely not. I tip for service and there isn't a service there. They give you your food. Hopefully the interaction lasts less than a minute. Note I tip waiters well, including internationally.

You don't think there is service involved in packing up your food into to-go boxes, making sure the condiments are there, bagging it up so it doesn't tip over, etc?

 

[Tink3815]

You don't think there is service involved in packing up your food into to-go boxes, making sure the condiments are there, bagging it up so it doesn't tip over, etc?

Are these people considered tipped workers, making a lower rate of pay than other restaurant workers? If not, that's their job to do all those things. No one tips me at my job for doing what is expected .

 

[shawthorne44]

You don't think there is service involved in packing up your food into to-go boxes, making sure the condiments are there, bagging it up so it doesn't tip over, etc?

It is the same reason you don't tip at Quick Service at Disney or a fast food place. Just because they put it in a bag, doesn't mean it automatically becomes service.

Another example, you pickup a pizza, you don't tip. Pizza is delivered, you tip. You are tipping for the delivery not for someone to put the pizza in a box or for the little cheese packets.

If anyone is worried about some poor take-out person being stiffed, I don't like it, so I don't do it. I would rather scrounge in my fridg. You drive there, you get out of your car (if they bring it to the car, that would probably be worth a $1), you wait in line, they hand you your food, you glance at it to make sure you have the right number of containers, you drive home, you eat the slightly warm food and hopefully everything is right, then you have all this trash that was created for one meal. I realize that pretty much everyone else in the world likes take-out.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Are these people considered tipped workers, making a lower rate of pay than other restaurant workers? If not, that's their job to do all those things. No one tips me at my job for doing what is expected .

I believe at many restaurants they are considered tipped workers, so they are making their $2.13 (at least here in KY where that is servers minimum wage) and then rely on the tips to truly make their money.

 

[shawthorne44]

I believe at many restaurants they are considered tipped workers, so they are making their $2.13 (at least here in KY where that is servers minimum wage) and then rely on the tips to truly make their money.

From when I worked restaurants, the person doing takeout wasn't the waitstaff. Depending on the size of the restaurant it would likely be the manager or supervisor at a small place, or whoever was running the cash register at a big place. So, not someone on tipped wages.

Also, dine-in, a waiter likely has 4 tables that each sit there an hour. Take-out it takes a couple of minutes max.

 

[DisneyHardin]

From when I worked restaurants, the person doing takeout wasn't the waitstaff. Depending on the size of the restaurant it would likely be the manager or supervisor at a small place, or whoever was running the cash register at a big place. So, not someone on tipped wages.

Also, dine-in, a waiter likely has 4 tables that each sit there an hour. Take-out it takes a couple of minutes max.

I guess it depends on the restaurant. I have a friend that was a server at Texas Roadhouse and they would just pull a server each shift to be the "to-go" person. My friend always hated when it was her turn because she didn't make nearly as much as when she had tables. It was rotational, so her turn didn't come up too often, but she still always grumbled when it was her turn.

 

[mrodgers]

Soooo what's the difference between tipping at a place that you pick up a pizza and a cheesesteak and a drive thru place like burger king. They are both cooking and packaging food.

I never think twice of tipping anyone at a drive through.

And both are making at least minimum wage unlike the wait staff at a sit down restaurant with a wait staff.