Do you tip for take out?

[bicker]

How can I tip when I don't know if they got the order right...

My thoughts on TwinCA's point are this: I tend to consider food and service as 2 completely separate things. I am not tipping for the food.

However, it is part of the service of a restaurant server to ensure that the meal they serve you is the meal you ordered. If you ordered the steak and they served you a chicken cutlet, or if you ordered no chicken in the chef's salad and there is chicken in the salad, then that's the server's error, either in placing the order, or in not fixing the kitchen's mistake before the meal leaves the kitchen.

 

[kirbsam]

to answer the op, no.

 

[JennyDarling]

However, it is part of the service of a restaurant server to ensure that the meal they serve you is the meal you ordered. If you ordered the steak and they served you a chicken cutlet, or if you ordered no chicken in the chef's salad and there is chicken in the salad, then that's the server's error, either in placing the order, or in not fixing the kitchen's mistake before the meal leaves the kitchen.

I agree with 100%! If I order steak and get a box of chicken, I catagorize that as a service issue that will be reflected in the tip.

If I order steak and it's medium instead of rare, I consider that a food problem.

It's a visual thing for me. If you can look at the order and clearly see the mistake I classify that with service. Since we are talking about take-out I will mention I always try to check the order (visually) before I pay.

I'm sure there have been times that I didn't check and got home with chicken instead of steak and I'm sure I was pissed but I guess at that point I've always been too worried with getting food in my belly to stress over how a server may not have earned the few bucks I left them.

 

[Art 1]

Whether it's your local chinese restaurant or a national chain, do you tip when picking up food?

This topic developed into a heated conversation between myself and a friend of 30 years.

Of course.

 

[MIGrandma]

Where in this thread has anyone made a blanket statement they do not tip? The question was whether you tip for takeout, and some have said no, not for that. No one here has said they never tip - unless I missed it?

I have waited tables. It was a hard job, but one of the better paying jobs I've had. I do tip, I certainly never said I didn't. I've also served mainly takeout food. It was over 30 years ago though and it wouldn't have even occured to anyone to tip for for that.

See post below for the answer to your question.

I don't ever tip when I go to a restaurant that is pick up. I don't usually, if ever, go to a place that does car delivery, but, I doubt I would tip for that as well. I also do not tip for buffet service or drive-through service either. I never ever ever tip at the donut place, and am insulted that they have a tip jar there begging for more money. I know they are earning more than minimum wage in our area.

Money is tight, and tipping is plain annoying. Mind you, if someone goes above and beyond, I am the first to contact the supervisor and praise the employee. Job security is worth a lot more than a couple of $ in the pocket.

Disykat: This poster said she doesn't ever tip when she goes to a restaurant that is pick-up, nor does she tip for buffet. That is what I was referring to.

 

[Ceila]

Disykat: This poster said she doesn't ever tip when she goes to a restaurant that is pick-up, nor does she tip for buffet. That is what I was referring to.

But that poster was referring specifically to picking up food and buffets, not when they have a meal at a full-service restaurant. In your post it seemed as if you were thinking that that person didn't even tip at sit-down.

FTR, we usually only do take-out for pizza or Chinese, and we don't usually tip for that. I do tip for food delivered to our house, for curbside service, and I absolutely cannot believe someone wouldn't tip for buffet service!

 

[mjkacmom]

FTR, we usually only do take-out for pizza or Chinese, and we don't usually tip for that. I do tip for food delivered to our house, for curbside service, and I absolutely cannot believe someone wouldn't tip for buffet service!

I was shocked at well. They bring drinks, bus the table a few times, and then clean up and set the table again. At one of our local chinese buffets, the employees have signs out outside a few times each year, protesting, claiming they don't get paid at all, and work for just tips.

 

[MIGrandma]

But that poster was referring specifically to picking up food and buffets, not when they have a meal at a full-service restaurant. In your post it seemed as if you were thinking that that person didn't even tip at sit-down.

FTR, we usually only do take-out for pizza or Chinese, and we don't usually tip for that. I do tip for food delivered to our house, for curbside service, and I absolutely cannot believe someone wouldn't tip for buffet service!

The issue was not tipping for take-out and a buffet, as the restaurant where I worked the waitresses dealt with the take-out orders and we had a daily buffet. There was no issue about sit-down service/tipping. If I implied that I certainly didn't mean to, it was all about the take-out and buffet.

I was shocked at well. They bring drinks, bus the table a few times, and then clean up and set the table again. At one of our local chinese buffets, the employees have signs out outside a few times each year, protesting, claiming they don't get paid at all, and work for just tips.

And where I worked we also brought soup out if they wanted it as that was not on the buffet, it was in the kitchen. And we made milkshakes as well when they were ordered along with the buffet, and we brought desserts to the table as well as those were an added charge and not on the buffet. We kept drinks/coffee refilled, brought extra napkins, took away plates more times than if they had ordered from the menu, and as you said clean and re-set the tables too. So for someone to refuse to tip for buffet service, well...most times a waitress works harder at a table of buffet eaters than she does with menu orders.

 

[luvmy3]

I was shocked at well. They bring drinks, bus the table a few times, and then clean up and set the table again. At one of our local chinese buffets, the employees have signs out outside a few times each year, protesting, claiming they don't get paid at all, and work for just tips.

Just curious if you believe that they don't get paid at all by their employer?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

However, it is part of the service of a restaurant server to ensure that the meal they serve you is the meal you ordered. If you ordered the steak and they served you a chicken cutlet, or if you ordered no chicken in the chef's salad and there is chicken in the salad, then that's the server's error, either in placing the order, or in not fixing the kitchen's mistake before the meal leaves the kitchen.

I don't know--when I order curbside or even do the chinese take out for my family, the stuff is already packed neatly, and it would be a pain to go in and open up every item to verify it is what it is supposed to be.

If I wanted to be that certain I was getting what I ordered, at that point--why not just sit in the restaurant?

I've had stuff saran wrapped in their container (chinese take out container, then wrapped in plastic) due to the liquid content of the food. For me to verify it, could very well make a huge mess on the counter and then having it rewrapped so it doesn't leak on my car seats--just doesn't make sense.

Knock on wood, I have not had an error.

Justifying not tipping because you can't check the food, seems odd to me.

 

[DisneyScraps]

I don't ever do curbside takeout but i would tip a dollar or two.

At other places I don't tip except if there is a special situaiton, maybe ordering sandwiches for the office or a large group, anything difficult or complicated but that is pretty rare.

We tip the pizza delivery guy. I would tip any food delivery but unfortunately pizza is all we can get delivered.

Lisa

 

[Rora]

Nope.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Whether it's your local chinese restaurant or a national chain, do you tip when picking up food?

This topic developed into a heated conversation between myself and a friend of 30 years.

As this thread approaches my cut-off limit, I'm wondering if the OP got their answer. Are they a take-out tipper? Is their friend? Has this thread resolved anything for the OP?

 

[bicker]

However, it is part of the service of a restaurant server to ensure that the meal they serve you is the meal you ordered.

I don't know--when I order curbside or even do the chinese take out for my family, the stuff is already packed neatly, and it would be a pain to go in and open up every item to verify it is what it is supposed to be.

Indeed; what I was saying is that it is the server's responsibility to do that for you, as part of the service for which a gratuity would be appropriate, before they package the food up for you. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Justifying not tipping because you can't check the food, seems odd to me.

I'm confident that any previous poster who mentioned that probably meant that they wouldn't want to tip because they couldn't tell if the server had done their job well or poorly, as per the responsibility I outlined above. So it isn't because that poster can't check the food, but rather because they can't know whether the server did or didn't.

 

[mjkacmom]

Just curious if you believe that they don't get paid at all by their employer?

I hate to say it, but I believe they don't get paid.

 

[TwinsinCA]

Justifying not tipping because you can't check the food, seems odd to me.

That was not what I was saying.

You usually tip based on service. By expecting me to tip *before* I even get the food, how can I do that?

When you sit down for a meal you don't pay up front and leave your tip and then get served and just hope for the best. When you get take out and they request payment before your food is brought out, that is essentially what they are doing.

I still leave a tip but I have had some messed up take out orders with very varied service experiences and in most cases I have already left the tip so I am kind of stuck.

 

[luvmy3]

I hate to say it, but I believe they don't get paid.

Is that even legal? I wouldn't believe it myself and I would be finding another restaurant to eat at.

 

[bicker]

Is that even legal?

No.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That was not what I was saying.

You usually tip based on service. By expecting me to tip *before* I even get the food, how can I do that?

When you sit down for a meal you don't pay up front and leave your tip and then get served and just hope for the best. When you get take out and they request payment before your food is brought out, that is essentially what they are doing.

I still leave a tip but I have had some messed up take out orders with very varied service experiences and in most cases I have already left the tip so I am kind of stuck.

The takeouts I have gotten, I have been able to see my food, though it is packaged, before I pay. And in cases, like Texas Roadhouse, they take my payment, run inside, get my order and bring me my receipt and I tip them when they return.

YMMV--I just had images of folks unpacking their order to verify it.

 

[luvmy3]

No.

I didn't think so.


ETA Bicker, I don't think I've ever seen you give a one word response