Do you tip in this setting?

[disneysteve]

I'm not sure what the "right" thing to do here was.

We went to a new family restaurant last nite. They have tables and we ate in the restaurant, but we ordered our food at the counter. They gave us our drink cups and we filled them at the self-serve machine. Then we sat down and someone brought our food over when it was ready. That is all the server did for us. I didn't leave a tip. Should I have?

 

[ntburns22]

We leave a small tip at this type of location because we weren't sure if we should or not.

 

[Kimmumum]

We do not tip at these places. We go to Culvers (a national chain) all of the time. They are like this and I have never seen anyone tip there.

 

[msmayor]

Did you have to clear your table, or did you leave your dishes/trash there? If someone had to come and bus the table then yes, I would have tipped.

If all the 'server' did was bring your meal out then I would not have left one.

 

[mickeywho?]

I would also leave a small tip - the server is bringing over your meals and will be cleaning up after you. Base your tip around the value they have brought to your meal. Do you have young kids that will leave a big mess around the table - or are you a couple having a sandwich for lunch. I'm sure any tip would be appreciated and not expected.

 

[vanyel]

I never tip at Culvers - sounds like a similar place. I do tip when the server gets my beverage but not for just bringing out a tray.

Maybe I'm wrong here?

 

[ElizaB39]

Same here, perhaps a small tip ($1.00) for clearing the table and brining food over. If it was counter service and brought to your table your tab was probably around $20.00 for three people? If really messy and multiple young kids to clean up after, then 10% would be my guide.

 

[malibuconlee]

I wouldn't have left a tip.

A little off topic, but does anyone remember when Wendy's restaurants didn't have trash receptacles except for behind a cabinet? They used to buss the tables themselves, and we never left a tip. We actually watched my step-brother walk around the restaurant looking for one carrying a try for a good 5 minutes one time. It was pretty funny.

 

[hmgolden]

If they are responsible for clearing the table, I would leave a small tip. If you cleared the table yourselves I wouldn't have left a tip.

 

[azgal81]

Nope no tip from me.

 

[disneysteve]

They did bus the table, not us, so I guess a small tip would have been in order.

 

[jeepgirl30]

I tip at places like this and also the buffet style places. Nothing big but usually 10-15%. They bus the tables and are probably counting on tips.

 

[nbodyhome]

I am not sure that just bussing the tables would count - like we really never leave a tip at Ci-Ci's. But if someone is bringing the food, then I'd leave a little something...if they are also refilling drinks, then I'd do at least 10%.

 

[cajunmommy]

Hmm.. I can think of two places that we frequent that are set up like this.

At the first (a regional burger chain), we bus our own tables, so typically we don't tip. It's a fast food joint like McD's; not something I usually categorize as a tipping situation.

The second, a local po'boy / burger shop franchise, has just started bringing food out to the tables (previously, they'd call your name & you would return to the counter for pickup). Self-serve drinks, & they bus the tables when you're done. I think our tipping is mixed here. Because we pay for the order by credit card when ordering, DH usually fills in a modest tip (10% typically). However, I don't believe he tips 100% of the time. IIRC, they also have a tip jar at the register, but that's a whole other can of worms.

 

[my3kids]

The places I have been that sound similar are local restaurants and they have a tip jar on the counter where you order. We do put money in the jar when we are eating there.

 

[pearlieq]

I probably wouldn't have. It sounds a lot like how our local "fast causal" places (Noodles & Co, Panera, Go Roma, etc.) work.

If I place my own order, fill my own drink, and seat myself, and a runner brings me my food, I dont' think there's an obligation to tip. I usually bus my own table unless someone comes in and offers to take it. Of course, I'm sure tips are appreciated, and I would consider tipping if they provided extra services like getting condiments, extra napkins, etc.

 

[Skatermom23]

The second, a local po'boy / burger shop franchise, has just started bringing food out to the tables (previously, they'd call your name & you would return to the counter for pickup). Self-serve drinks, & they bus the tables when you're done. I think our tipping is mixed here. Because we pay for the order by credit card when ordering, DH usually fills in a modest tip (10% typically). However, I don't believe he tips 100% of the time. IIRC, they also have a tip jar at the register, but that's a whole other can of worms.

We have a similar place here where you order at the counter, get your own drinks and they call you when the food is ready. They do clear the tables for us and quite honestly I had never even thought to tip there. This last time though, the "waiter" brought the kids a cookie. That was the first time I even considered leaving a tip and by the way I didn't....

 

[DJT]

Hmmm. I always leave a $1.00 tip at Ci-Ci's - mostly because I've never known whether to leave one or not, and it's not much, but at least I feel like I leave something.

 

[shades]

Hmmm. I always leave a $1.00 tip at Ci-Ci's - mostly because I've never known whether to leave one or not, and it's not much, but at least I feel like I leave something.

We went to CiCi's near WDW last December and we left a tip with the manager. They brought our special request pizza to our table. They removed our plates from our table as soon as we were ready for them to. The employees were all very friendly and accomodating. Dh asked the manager if tips are "encouraged" and was told "no, we don't accept tips". Dh handed him a $5 and told him we really appreciated the service.

We always tip at places similar to CiCi's because we know the people delivering our food and/or cleaning the tables work for next to nothing and they are working hard. Heck - clearing the table is worth a buck to me if I don't have to do it!

On the other hand, I'm way more critical of the level of service we receive at "table service" resturaunts like Outback, Chili's, etc. because the tip will be substantially more for a family of 5. We were at Applebee's for lunch and seated next to a large group of about 8 adults with 3 or 4 little kids. The kids were all about 10mos-5 yrs old and it was a loud, messy group. Food was all over the floor, the table was covered with dishes and food - and the server accomodated separate checks for each family. We just happened to be seated on the opposite side of the wall of where the registers were and I overheard the messy group's server telling a coworker that they didn't even leave him 5% and he bent over backwards to give them good service. He kept their drinks full, gave the kids balloons, - basically did everything "right." I felt so sorry for this guy! I know you guys have witnessed the same as I did that day - big, loud, messy family that leaves a huge mess all over the floors, chairs, and table.

 

[Free4Life11]

No I don't tip. If they bring me the food I don't tip because it's not that much work and I don't leave a mess when I'm done. I assume the busboys are making more than minimum wage, because I've only ever seen waitresses take tips that are left on the tables.

It's funny because when my one friend and I go Buffalo Wild Wings we would always go to the counter specifically so we didn't have to leave a tip. And the waitresses would always hound us, always asking if we needed anything.

I think places like that should pay them all at least minimum wage since you can't count on the tips.