Should I tip if so, how much?

[Cindy B]

I have placed a catering order to be delivered to my home tomorrow evening-Saturday. I ordered from Maggiano's, and the location is only five minutes away from my house.

The order included a delivery and setup fee of 15% of total food bill, which was exactly $300. Maggianos will be doing complete set up, sterno, paper products, etc. The food includes bread, appetizers, entree, pasta and dessert. (full pans)

The salaried manager does the delivery along with one waitress. (the managers sister) They said they will be at my home for 15 minutes or less.

Do I tip since delivery and service charge is included? If so, how much?

I''ve never done this before.

 

[MissBritt]

I see that 15% as a tip for driving and setting up. It's not covering the paper products, etc or you would be paying a set $ amount for those, not a percentage. I haven't done this before either, but that's what it looks like to me.

 

[shortbun]

I don't think you can consider the 15% a tip, it's a set up and delivery fee because these people consider their time as valuable. A gratuity is in addition to stated fees and I'd probably hand them three 10s.

 

[Kellydelly]

I don't think I would tip people for setting up the food and then leaving. The 15% you are already being charged should cover that .

 

[happygirl]

Yes, you should leave a tip.

 

[SaraJayne]

No, I wouldn't tip. The 15% "delivery/set up fee" covers it.

 

[kirstenb1]

I think you should tip the waitress. She's losing tips that she could be making at the restaurant. I realize this isn't your "problem", but it would be a nice gesture.

 

[Eastern]

If they are charging you a setup fee of 15%, I wouldn't tip additionally.

 

[shortbun]

If they are charging you a setup fee of 15%, I wouldn't tip additionally.

So, you wouldn't tip any delivery people because their fee is in the cost? I don't think the OP or anyone else can assume that the delivery and set up fees are going directly to the people coming to her home. It's a fee charged for the time they are taking bringing, setting up and returning to their business-about an hour. Two people for an hour's work and the fee is $45. Cheap labor and not a tip.

 

[MinnieLove]

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Oh can you feel my love! What time is dinner. Your guests are so lucky!

 

[MissBritt]

$30 for a maximum of 30 minutes of time? I think not! If OP was picking the food up herself and taking it home, she wouldn't be charged the additional 15%. So it's a tip/payment for their drive and effort. Paying them $15 a pop for doing what is within their job descriptions and they are already being "tipped" for is overkill to me.

OP, if you still have concerns, call the restaurant and ask. Be vague, they don't have to know you already placed the order. Say "I have some questions about your catering service. What exactly does the 15% setup charge pay for, and who recieves it? Is it customary for people to tip in addition to that?". Since you know it's the manager and his sister delivering (and that he's salaried- don't know how that came up in conversation), it's probably routine for them and they aren't losing money... if the total came out to $300 even after the charge, they are pocketing almost $20 a piece!

 

[delmar411]

it is customary to be tipped when you are delivering food. You tip your pizza guy even though the company collects a delivery fee. Delivery fees do not go to the delivery person, even in restaurants.

HTH!

 

[LuLuO]

it is customary to be tipped when you are delivering food. You tip your pizza guy even though the company collects a delivery fee. Delivery fees do not go to the delivery person, even in restaurants.

HTH!

 

[klacey1]

it is customary to be tipped when you are delivering food. You tip your pizza guy even though the company collects a delivery fee. Delivery fees do not go to the delivery person, even in restaurants.

HTH!

Exactly! I'd probably give about $20. I'd hand it to the waitress, though, not the salaried manager. If she wanted to share it with him, that's up to her. Like PP said-- she's missing on money she could make waitressing. There's no way that 15% is going to her.

 

[momxx5]

After years of being in food service and other service types of jobs, I have found it most productive to "tip" a head of time.

I would probably give the waitress $10-20 as soon as she walks in the door and with a great big smile say something like "here's something for your work, I know how hard your job is and I can't wait to see how great this is going to turn out".
That gives a lot of incentive for her to do a good job putting it all together, knowing you'll be watching and anticipationg the great outcome.

In certain situations, tipping after the fact in moot.

Other situations that tipping ahead is for carpet cleaning "here's a little something for y'all to get lunch after working so hard here", appliance service, etc.

Good luck.
Let up know how it turns out.

 

[kirstenb1]

After years of being in food service and other service types of jobs, I have found it most productive to "tip" a head of time.

I would probably give the waitress $10-20 as soon as she walks in the door and with a great big smile say something like "here's something for your work, I know how hard your job is and I can't wait to see how great this is going to turn out".
That gives a lot of incentive for her to do a good job putting it all together, knowing you'll be watching and anticipationg the great outcome.

In certain situations, tipping after the fact in moot.

Other situations that tipping ahead is for carpet cleaning "here's a little something for y'all to get lunch after working so hard here", appliance service, etc.

Good luck.
Let up know how it turns out.

Very sharp advice. I hadn't considered tipping ahead before.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I would tip $30. The work they do isn't just the 15 mintue set-up it's also getting things together at the restaraunt. It's unlikely they get any of the delivery fee. I tip the pizza guy even though there's a delivery charge- ya know?

And something to consider...sometimes the managers at such places make less per hour than a waitress with tips. Personally I'd tip with the intention of them sharing.

Good of you to ask and be prepared!

BTW we are ordering food for 20 people tomorrow for a birthday party fom a more casual place than Maggiano's but we plan to tip on top of the delivery charge.

 

[dis75ney]

My parents used to own a restaurant, and I was their cheif delivery person for both regular delivery orders and catering. At least with my parents' restaurant, the setup/delivery fee included all paper products (plates, silverware, napkins, etc.), the trays the food was carried in, the serving trays, sternos, serving utensils, and the like. I can tell you that I never received any portion of the setup/delivery fee when I set up a catering order (or even when I delivered a regular order, for that matter). 9 times out of 10, I was tipped for delivering a catering order.

Of course, this is coming from a tipped/hourly position, not a salaried manager position, so I would call Maggiano's and ask what the tipping policy is for catered orders...

And what time is dinner?

 

[Cindy B]

Welll thanks for the advice. I really like the idea of giving the waitress the money as she comes in. I'll hand it to her and let her decide what to do with it. I know the manager does the deliveries and that he is salaried.. he mentioned it once in our conversations.. I did mention about being the boss.and he said something like "I don't make the money I used to when I was a waiter"


As for the menu, the appetizer is the spinach and artichoke dip, Maggiano's chopped salad, Chicken piccata, Rigatoni "D", and 24 mini desserts. -- creme brulee, NY cheesecake, Zuccotta cake, Pumpkin cheesecake and the apple crostada.

 

[kirstenb1]

Cindy thanks for sharing the menu!! I've never had anything catered (other than our wedding, and Mom took care of all the details), so I was curious about the selections. I'll have to keep this mind. I hope you guys have a great party!