Do You Tip For Take-Out Food?

[Tigger&Belle]

My Daughter is working at a restaurant this summer. She's working the take-out counter, so deals with phone in orders and carry-out. Whoever is cashier that shift is the one who gets the tips that people leave on credit cards and I'm surprised at the number of people who leave tips.

Technically, it's not a tipped position, even though she's more than happy to accept tips (duh ). Some shifts (4-6 hours) she might earn $5-6 in tips, but the other night she earned $15. I'll have to say she earns more than the guys, according to what the guys have told her. I think she knows how to turn it on--she just says that she's friendly.

Honestly, I've never tipped for carry-out food, but from reading the DIS, I've also figured out that maybe I'm cheap. I might would tip a little (10 % at most) if the person has had to do a lot to get the order ready. Some people tip her for just handing her the pizza, which means that all she's had to do was to assemble some pizza boxes and ring up their order.

How many of you tip for carry out food? Does it matter if it's pizza vs other food. This is at an pizza/Italian restaurant (Ledos). I would think that most people order pizza, but a fair number order other things (wings, pasta, salads, etc).

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Nope, don't tip for take away, unless it is from a full service restaurant that doesn't have a take away "window" set up.

I tip for home delivery of take away food though.

 

[pearlieq]

It would never occur to me to tip for carry out, unless they helped carry it all to the car or otherwise went way out of their way for me.

 

[Nancyg56]

I always tip if the person who is helping me had to help to put my package together.

 

[NAB]

Nope never tipped for take out food. Never heard of this. If you call leaving a few cents behind after paying that I have done.

 

[Towncrier]

I've picked up food at our local Outback Steakhouse a couple of times and given the person who brought the food out to my car a tip both times. I suppose if I went inside to pick up the food, I probably wouldn't tip. Interesting question.

 

[ElizK]

Nope, I never tip on carry out. Not even at Sonic.

 

[Shugardrawers]

I never had. I mean, you don't tip the cashier at McDonald's do you? Why is other take out any different?

 

[Caitsmama]

I tip for carry out, if i see a tip jar. I even tip when i get my coffees.

However, i must say, i don't think it is right to have just the casheir get the tips.. IMO, they should be split fairly b/w all those working on / behind the TO counter.
My first job was at a chinese rest. working TO, and we always split the tips.. Why should just the cashier be able to keep them all? When there are others "behind the scenes" working on filling that persons order.

 

[Brianne]

We'll order take-out from Mimi's sometimes---usually whoever takes the order over the phone is the person who packages it up, so we know that our tip is going to that person. It's usually only $2-3 but I can't bring myself not to tip!

We tip at Sonic too. If it were up to DH, we wouldn't tip at all---he'd argue until the cows come home about tipping but I guess I really do rule the roost & the wallet just as he claims.

 

[JadenLayne]

Yep we tip a few dollars. We have always tipped at Sonic. I had a good friend who worked there and they don't make much at all. Most of their money comes from tips. I'm honestly never heard of NOT tipping at Sonic.

 

[lindakmonty]

not typically... but if they do something extra, something above and beyond they I do. Not just because there is a jar sitting there. I don't like buffets that they just tell you their name and expect a tip for doing nothing. But... I'm not a big buffet fan anyway

 

[salmoneous]

I don't think there is any reason to tip the people who ring up your take-out order. That said, the place I order pizza from has a tip jar where I always leave my change in and sometimes even a buck. They women that work there are super friendly on the phone, they never mess up an order, they are struggling college kids and - yeah, I'll admit - they are pretty darn cute.

 

[dnoyes]

My 17 year old daughter works the to-go orders at our local Red Robin restaurant and will often make $30-40 dollars a night in tips. When she works to-gos she is only being paid $3.50 an hour because it is a tipping position.
When she clocks in as a Hostess she is paid $8.00 an hour because it is not.

 

[Magickndm]

Depends on the restaurant really. If it's fast food and their business has a drive thru window, then no. But if it's a restaurant where they bring it to my car then I'll give a smallish tip, about $2.

 

[Beth76]

If it's a sit down restaurant, yes I do. If it's counter service, no I don't. I believe it's been said on here before that those who do take out orders are still earning the server wage. So since they're not waiting tables they're missing out on the tips that supplement them.

 

[va32h]

I never used to tip at Sonic, until a thread on these boards mentioned how badly the carhops are paid. So now I do tip at Sonic.

But I don't tip at Outback or other places where a to-go window is set up.

 

[azgal81]

I never tip for carry out.

 

[CathrynRose]

I always do - but I worked in the service industry for years. I worked with the *To Go* people, and knew how hard they worked.

 

[Disney-Kim]

For sit down restaurants...yes. the person has to pack up your food and get it ready. they are usually a waiter/bartender/hostess...don't make a lot.