Restaurants that prioritize pickup orders over dine in

[Travel60]

The several Chick-fil-A that I visit have done a pretty good job. We order on the app for dining in and let them know when we arrive (click a button and sometimes give a table number). They start prepping the order when we arrive so a small wait but at least we skip that 20+ person line in the store. Never takes more than 5-7 minutes and is delivered to table fresh.

 

[LoveDaisy]

It’s been a while since I waitressed but when I waitressed, waitresses packed the to go food. We were paid $2 a hour and the take out food showed on our list of food ordered that day, like you ate in the restaurant, so you had to tip out money you did not receive. I always tip on take out if it’s a restaurant where tipped employees process the order. People who never worked in a restaurant may not know how tipping works and who you have to tip out at the end of the night. By not tipping the wait person may be losing money through tipping out the rest of the staff. We used to tip out to the bus boys, bartenders, and line cooks.

 

[nile455]

It was always expected that you tip on take-out. You just didn't. Someone has to take time and pack it up. It may be closer to 10% than 20% but still required a tip.

In the rare instance that I have to do take out, I absolutely will *not* tip (unless the person handing me the food has done something above and beyond). It's not my responsibility to pay these people for doing their job, it's the restaurant owner's.

Tipping culture in this country has gotten absurd.

 

[DisneyHardin]

If I order carry-out from a restaurant that also has sit down (with servers - not fast food), I always tip. I usually tip 10% for carryout. Last night we ordered carry out from a local place - my total was $45 - I tipped $5.

 

[sam_gordon]

That's why I like ordering on the app at McDonalds--it'll still be hot and fresh, but it makes placing a large order simple. I did a takeout order on the app for Arby's a couple months ago and was surprised when I got there that my food was ready. The shake had started to melt and my food was cold because I live 15 minutes away. Unfortunately, lots of fast food places require the app for discounts, so at least with McDonalds' approach, the food doesn't suffer.

When we tried using app ordering, we'd wait until we were about 5 minutes away. OR, we'd set a pickup time. Know it's going to take us 15 minutes to get to the store? "We'll pick it up in 15 minutes."

We still use the app for McD's, we just present a code when we order and get discounts on the food. To me, the benefits of mobile ordering is the food IS ready (or nearly) when I get there.

 

[shh]

A couple of sit-down places near me now tack on additional "takeout fees": an extra cost for ordering the same menu item to-go. So I'm paying full menu price + a takeout fee + a tip for the "personal service". I get handed a bag with food that'll be cold and soggy in minutes. Then, I must unpack, heat, serve and clean up after myself afterwards? I just don't get the appeal.

I love dining out as a treat or when on vacation, but takeout seems a pretty bad deal from this customer's perspective. Faster and easier to fix something at home.

 

[sam_gordon]

Faster and easier to fix something at home.

Unless you don't like to cook, are too tired to cook, don't want to clean up after cooking, etc, etc. Now, if you're talking about putting a TV dinner in the microwave and eating that, yea, that's faster and easier.

 

[GreatLakes]

I will usually tip if it is a traditional sit down restaurant but I know that is a choice. I don't tip at places like Chipotle or Panera.

I loath tipping culture and only participate grudgingly but I do participate. At the end of the day the restaurant industry and workers need to figure out a better solution since relying on the optional whims of customers is just a dumb business model in my opinion.

 

[nile455]

I will usually tip if it is a traditional sit down restaurant but I know that is a choice. I don't tip at places like Chipotle or Panera.

I loath tipping culture and only participate grudgingly but I do participate. At the end of the day the restaurant industry and workers need to figure out a better solution since relying on the optional whims of customers is just a dumb business model in my opinion.

I really wish this country would do away with the $2.13 server minimum wage and require standard pay like every other hourly job. Then we could move beyond tipping culture.

It's so refreshing when I travel overseas to not have to worry about this. You get your check, you pay the exact amount that's on the check, and you walk out the door knowing that the server is being paid fairly by their employer.

 

[tasha99]

I really wish this country would do away with the $2.13 server minimum wage and require standard pay like every other hourly job. Then we could move beyond tipping culture.

It's so refreshing when I travel overseas to not have to worry about this. You get your check, you pay the exact amount that's on the check, and you walk out the door knowing that the server is being paid fairly by their employer.

My regular tip changes depending on where I am. For the west coast states that I tend to be in, it's only the old standard 15% because they don't have tipped wages. When I'm further east, I tip more because the workers have a different pay structure. In the US, it seems like an east/west divide to me.

 

[anniemae]

I agree that the pandemic changed things with the explosion of door dash, grubhub, uber eats etc. The restaurant industry seems to be shifting to prioritizing these customers, especially fast food places. Our local McDonalds was refurbished and there is no longer a cashier at the front. I remember having 4-5 registers with long lines and you had to pick one and wait to place your order. Now there was one register but no employee. There is a huge touch-screen thing that you place your order on, or you use the app. If you want an employee you have to stand there and wait for one to come out who is placing a bag at the pick up area. We placed our order on the app in the parking lot and when we went in a couple minutes later it was just being put out.

I think places prioritize take out customers using delivery services so they will get fast service, but if the person picking up is not in the restaurant the food gets cold. I would think they make the orders as the come in, so if you walk in and place an order, you have no idea where you fall in the queue. I really feel for these workers, they just can't please everyone and everyone wants fast service, but they have to prioritize somehow.

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

Dine in options are rapidly going away, and I too have seen the progression to prioritizing take out orders.

I would be shocked if places like McDonalds go to drive through & pickup only within a few years.
Less overhead cost and less labor cost. The original McDonalds didn’t have a dining room anyway so I could certainly see that going away.

 

[pens4821]

As someone that’s been in the restaurant industry since my teen years, I have some thoughts. First comment is how some people feel that companies should pay a better wage and it’s not their responsibility to tip. While I can see where these people are coming from, I think they don’t know how bad that would make things for them when they would go out to eat. First of all, if the restaurant has to pay the 10 (or however many) servers $15ish more per hour how much do you think your food will cost? And do you think your service is going to be that great? If the server knows what they are going to make, the chances of them going above and beyond on the regular is probably slim to none. That and the restaurants will staff less because they are paying more.

As for the prioritizing to go, I would say it’s half right. I worked part time at a local chain, and full time at a national chain. Both will halt indoor dine in seating if the cooks get too busy. And yes, sometimes those to go orders can put them under and they will stop seating to get caught up. However, neither place would put Togo orders above dine in. The order they’re put in the kitchen is the order they’re cooked.

Unfortunately it’s all corporate (even the local chain). Neither restaurant was allowed to shut off Togo orders because it would then get sent right the to district manager who would say that unacceptable. So in turn the dine in customers have to wait because something has to stop somewhere. The higher ups don’t care one bit about customer satisfaction. It’s all about bottom line.

And as far as the Togo person making a normal wage, that’s kind of rare too. On weekends both places would have a Togo only person who’s paid around $12/hour. But for the most part it’s the servers making 2.83 (in PA) doing your Togo order.

 

[sam_gordon]

First of all, if the restaurant has to pay the 10 (or however many) servers $15ish more per hour how much do you think your food will cost? And do you think your service is going to be that great? If the server knows what they are going to make, the chances of them going above and beyond on the regular is probably slim to none. That and the restaurants will staff less because they are paying more.

Because that's what happens in other countries... high food costs & poor service. Oh wait...

 

[GreatLakes]

As someone that’s been in the restaurant industry since my teen years, I have some thoughts. First comment is how some people feel that companies should pay a better wage and it’s not their responsibility to tip. While I can see where these people are coming from, I think they don’t know how bad that would make things for them when they would go out to eat. First of all, if the restaurant has to pay the 10 (or however many) servers $15ish more per hour how much do you think your food will cost? And do you think your service is going to be that great? If the server knows what they are going to make, the chances of them going above and beyond on the regular is probably slim to none. That and the restaurants will staff less because they are paying more.

As for the prioritizing to go, I would say it’s half right. I worked part time at a local chain, and full time at a national chain. Both will halt indoor dine in seating if the cooks get too busy. And yes, sometimes those to go orders can put them under and they will stop seating to get caught up. However, neither place would put Togo orders above dine in. The order they’re put in the kitchen is the order they’re cooked.

Unfortunately it’s all corporate (even the local chain). Neither restaurant was allowed to shut off Togo orders because it would then get sent right the to district manager who would say that unacceptable. So in turn the dine in customers have to wait because something has to stop somewhere. The higher ups don’t care one bit about customer satisfaction. It’s all about bottom line.

And as far as the Togo person making a normal wage, that’s kind of rare too. On weekends both places would have a Togo only person who’s paid around $12/hour. But for the most part it’s the servers making 2.83 (in PA) doing your Togo order.

People like to say food prices will go through the roof but I've eaten in countries without any tipping culture and the food as less expensive and service was perfectly fine.

There are plenty of industries without tips where employees know what they will make but the service isn't terrible.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Because that's what happens in other countries... high food costs & poor service. Oh wait...

If anything I've had significantly better service abroad than I've had in restaurants in the US.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'd be really curious to hear what actual servers think of changing the pay structure. There are a lot of them making a very good living waiting tables under the current structure.

 

[bcla]

Dine in options are rapidly going away, and I too have seen the progression to prioritizing take out orders.

I would be shocked if places like McDonalds go to drive through & pickup only within a few years.
Less overhead cost and less labor cost. The original McDonalds didn’t have a dining room anyway so I could certainly see that going away.

The original McDonald's was window service though without outdoor seating. I still see a few restaurants like that. Taco Bell used to be mostly like that in the 70s, but maybe with a covered patio.

When I go to McDonald's I see a lot of delivery pickup these days. They also have pickup shelves, although I would have thought they could be a source of theft. I've had a few cases where I suspect someone took my order and they ended up redoing it.

 

[ramee]

I'd be really curious to hear what actual servers think of changing the pay structure. There are a lot of them making a very good living waiting tables under the current structure.

Oh yeah. Maybe 4 tables an hour with $50 checks each, they could be making on average $30/hr. I was a server decades ago now, but it always worked out to more than minimum wage.

 

[shh]

Here's an interesting take on the "no-tip" scenario from my own experience. There was a sit-down restaurant in my city about 10-15 years ago: kinda high end, but not super expensive. All checks included a mandatory 18% gratuity - it was part of the meal cost and advertised clearly upfront, so no one was surprised. Customers could leave more if they wanted, but at the time, 18% was already a darn good tip. (I'm in FL, so very low wage: it was $2.10/hr for tipped workers.)

The place survived a few years, but ended up closing. The food wasn't bad, but reviews constantly mentioned the service, describing it as uncaring, disinterested, unfriendly.

Of course, this was likely a bigger issue with management or owners. But I was sad it failed.

I definitely wish the tipping culture wasn't as crazy as it is now in the US.