OT: Tipping at the register? How do you handle it?

[Walter White.sixpack]

I'm all for tipping for great service. If a waiter/waitress keeps my table's drinks filled and notices if we need some extra this or that and does it with a great attitude I'm a good tipper.

But what about the places where you place your order at the counter and either receive your food/drink at the counter or someone drops it at your table but no longer serves you ... do you still tip?

I know it may be a line on the bottom of the receipt when you order or it might be one of the places with the iPad "register" where you sign, pay & tip with a finger swipe. Let's say a place like a coffee shop, frozen yogurt, or Newk's and McAllisters or Chipotle type places. The transaction is right when you order.

Do you tip at the register before getting your food/drinks? How much? If not, why not?

Or let's say you ordered something from Chili's for carryout. You're simply walking in, grabbing your bag of food, and handing over your card. Do they need a tip for the service of handing you a bag?

I want to do it "right". I don't know exactly what and how the restaurants pay their employees. So I don't want to be that stingy idiot who doesn't do it right. But I guess I'm used to tipping for a server doing a good job throughout the meal.

 

[dalmuti]

if you don't tip >= 20%, you're a bellend

 

[cowbell88]

I usually still tip a little dollar or so for lunch up to five for a pick up/ carry out dinner.

 

[AROB44]

I don't tip unless I get full service at a resturant. I am totally annoyed at the tip jars at every register when you just go down a line and pick your food. What did they do for a tip? A lot of times, I am expected to clear my table as well.

 

[AlCoDog]

I typically write “TBD” or “we’ll see” and leave cash on the table afterwards if anyone actually did anything like bring my food out or refill my drink.

 

[patdog]

I tip a dollar or two at the register. I don't know that you have to, but it's so insignificant why not? Also, usually when I'm paying at the register, it's my usual lunch spots where I know all the staff so I'm definitely tipping them.

 

[woozman]

I always tip 10% for to go orders or when I place a counter order that gets delivered by someone. They should still check that your order is correct and check for silverware. Plus they only make like $2 an hour and bagging or delivering the order does take time.

For reference - I tip 20%-30% for full service dependent on the quality, friendliness, etc.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

But what about the places where you place your order at the counter and either receive your food/drink at the counter or someone drops it at your table but no longer serves you ... do you still tip?

No.

If your tip is based on service and you receive zero service, you shouldn't feel bad for a zero tip. At the time of your transaction, you have received no service. After your meal, you may have received more service than expected, or your server has gone above and beyond. I think that would be the time to leave a tip. Not at the point of payment, in your scenario.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

One of the Subways in town started asking if you want to tip at the register. I've always left at least some tip, but felt like it was a little much for them to even ask.

The others haven't started doing this yet.

 

[tenureplan]

This

 

[bulldogbaja]

There's a separate minimum wage for tipped employees ($2.13/hour). Tipping is assumed to be part of their wage, and you should tip them.

For everyone else... I mean, it's almost a social requirement to do so, but it's a fairly new idea, and it only happens in America.

 

[bulldogbaja]

I got asked at Sonic once for a tip. I didn't, and the carhop dude got mad.

 

[FreeDawg]

Full service I’m pretty standard 20% or more unless it’s bad. Counter service usually 10ish%. To-go food usually 10%ish maybe 15% if it’s curbside and they were good. Having worked in food for 20 years, I would not recommend making any TBD designations or announcements to staff that you’ll tip if they do x,y, and z in any situations. I promise you’re not coming off well which could effect your level of service. The best thing you can do anywhere is be friendly and tip as generous as you see fit. Nothing more. Nothing less

 

[Go Budaw]

There's a separate minimum wage for tipped employees ($2.13/hour). Tipping is assumed to be part of their wage, and you should tip them.

For everyone else... I mean, it's almost a social requirement to do so, but it's a fairly new idea, and it only happens in America.

The whole system is bogus. I saw something on reddit yesterday which showed a disclaimer on a table at a Texas restaurant. It simply said that the restaurant made a choice to pay its entire staff a living wage (including benefits), and the added cost of that overhead into the prices of all its menu items, and therefore tipping was not expected. Wish more people would follow their lead.

The biggest issue is places like McAllister’s or other counter-order places definitely don’t pay anyone $2.13 an hour, but they still put the jar up there just to (presumably) help pass along some of their general employment costs to their customers.

 

[Walter White.sixpack]

There's a separate minimum wage for tipped employees ($2.13/hour). Tipping is assumed to be part of their wage, and you should tip them.

I get that 100%.

But what I am not sure of is about the people working the register. Is the restaurant or shop paying the person running the register a similar wage of $2.13/hr or are they getting minimum wage? If one tips at the register who exactly is getting that tip if someone different brings the food out? Or in Chipotle situation, if 5 different people touched my plate/trey before I got my burritos who gets the tip?

 

[bulldogbaja]

Yeah I'm not sure either.
Additionally, I think that in some states, employers are required to make sure that their employees get at least minimum wage (even tipped employees). So you might actually basically just be tipping the restaurant.
If you figure it out, let us know.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

If I go to papa johns and pick my pizza up I am not tipping
If someone at sonic brings me my food on skates I will tip a couple bucks
If I am being served at a restaurant I will tip 20% at a minimum

 

[Go Budaw]

I get that 100%.

But what I am not sure of is about the people working the register. Is the restaurant or shop paying the person running the register a similar wage of $2.13/hr or are they getting minimum wage? If one tips at the register who exactly is getting that tip if someone different brings the food out? Or in Chipotle situation, if 5 different people touched my plate/trey before I got my burritos who gets the tip?

Anyone working a register at a counter order place is making minimum wage or more, not the $2.13. It’s more of a gray area with to-go orders at full service restaurants.

 

[FreeDawg]

If it’s full service, waiters make $2.13.

If it’s counter service there are numerous ways it can be done and virtually none of those include paying staff $2.13. They could make minimum wage as a base and then get a tip share. So tipping 20% isn’t necessary but it isn’t expected of you because you’re not getting full service. I generally tip at least 10% at counter service restaurants. You don’t have to but I like being generous.

 

[Walter White.sixpack]

Yeah I'm not sure either.
Additionally, I think that in some states, employers are required to make sure that their employees get at least minimum wage (even tipped employees). So you might actually basically just be tipping the restaurant.
If you figure it out, let us know.

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[tenureplan]

Thread hijack, now that all the food delivery services charge both a delivery fee and a service fee how do you tip those? I'm still doing 20% but I'm considering changing.

 

[FreeDawg]

I’ve been in the food and beverage industry for over 20 years and have never seen an employee have to make up minimum wage for a $2.13 employee. It’s a law but I’ve never seen it happen. Now what I have seen and personally experienced is not getting payroll checks because you’re taxable tip income eats up your gross wages at $2.13. That’s very common

 

[Hail State]

I tip 20 percent for full service anything, restaurants, uber, food delivery and other services etc. but I DO NOT tip for carry out orders. That's the whole 17'n point of me getting off my couch and coming in and picking it up. It's ridiculous what people think they should be tipped for these days. Nobody tips me at my job. If you're in the service industry and don't like that, go get another job. The world is wide open. They can be so ****** about tips like its an entitlement. Rant over.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

I loathe the auto-tip suggestions you find at most tablet-based registers, especially when it's 20%, 25%, 30%, or custom. Like I have to look like a total cheapass to give you the what used to be standard 15%. So I'll tap near the 30% box and then tap done. Whoops, no tip.

 

[dorndawg]

Thread hijack, now that all the food delivery services charge both a delivery fee and a service fee how do you tip those? I'm still doing 20% but I'm considering changing.

Grubhub: Order $28 worth of food, total is somehow 80 bucks.

On the one hand, tipping 20% on top of their delivery fee ($3-5) and service fee (another ~10%) is kinda steep. On the other, I'm usually tipsy when I order it so the convenience + not getting a dui is awesome. Plus I'm not keen on someone being well aware I haven't tipped them while also being alone with my food. Like absolute best case, they're stealing some fries. So I usually do the 20% but don't love it.

 

[dorndawg]

Heady play. Right up there with the ol' "get a water cup and put lemonade in it".

 

[8dog]

Getting your order correct should be a baseline accomplishment for any restaurant to get paid period. I dont tip at counter service. I stand in line to give someone my order who just stands there. The fact someone hands me my order or has to walk 15 feet to give it
to me isnt service

doing it out of kindness is an entirely separate deal and thats a fine justification

 

[RocketDawg]

A good example is "Nothing But Noodles". You walk in, order and pay at the register, get a receipt, a numbered card, and glasses for your drinks. On the receipt is a line for a tip. I generally just mark through the amount and make the total whatever the food costs. A few minutes later, someone brings your food to the table. If the server is in a good mood, and has done a good job, I tip then, but not 20% because I have to get my own drinks, etc. The person at the register really hasn't done anything deserving of a tip, and the server hasn't done much.

 

[mstateglfr]

carry out at a full service restaurant = $0
anywhere i sit down and drinks are served to me = tip thats 20% or more.

When I call in an order to the local Thai restaurant then drive and pick it up, I am not tipping. I have not used their full service side of the business.
My threshold is if I get my drink or if someone gets it for me and refills it. Anywhere that refills = tip.

 

[FreeDawg]

If the server is in a good mood, and has done a good job, I tip then, but not 20% because I have to get my own drinks, etc. The person at the register really hasn't done anything deserving of a tip, and the server hasn't done much.

The only problem with that line of thought is you don't know who or how they are splitting that tip. Every company is set up different in how that tip share is dictated. They might pay the register person $10 hr, the food runner $7.25 and the bus boy $5.50. The bus boys gets split 75% of tip share and the runners split the 25%.

Even in full service where server make $2.13, they almost always have a tip share that is based off total sales, not tips. So if a server has a 3% tip out and sales $1k worth of food, they have a $30 tip share that is probably split between hostess, bussers, and bartenders. Just depends on how that particular restaurant sets it up.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Would it help if I added that most of the time I see this it is at restaurants where I have to order at the counter and the only service you get is that they bring the food out to you? If it's an actual sit down place, I give the tip.

But please, if you are setting one of these up, don't set the default options way above typical.

 

[Madison Swinger]

A good example is "Nothing But Noodles". You walk in, order and pay at the register, get a receipt, a numbered card, and glasses for your drinks. On the receipt is a line for a tip. I generally just mark through the amount and make the total whatever the food costs. A few minutes later, someone brings your food to the table. If the server is in a good mood, and has done a good job, I tip then, but not 20% because I have to get my own drinks, etc. The person at the register really hasn't done anything deserving of a tip, and the server hasn't done much.

Only a chump would pay money for noodles

 

[TrueMaroonGrind]

The whole system is bogus. I saw something on reddit yesterday which showed a disclaimer on a table at a Texas restaurant. It simply said that the restaurant made a choice to pay its entire staff a living wage (including benefits), and the added cost of that overhead into the prices of all its menu items, and therefore tipping was not expected. Wish more people would follow their lead.

The biggest issue is places like McAllister’s or other counter-order places definitely don’t pay anyone $2.13 an hour, but they still put the jar up there just to (presumably) help pass along some of their general employment costs to their customers.

There is a really good Freakanomics episode about how tipping is completely broken. They focus on high scale restaurants and how chefs are quitting because the waiters make twice as much. It is very interesting and brings to light just how silly the whole system is.

 

[Bullldawg78]

I agree if all the do is take my order and drop off food at table. They doesn't require a tip. If they are filling drinks coming by to make sure everything is ok, that's different. If excellent service I will tip up to 35%. The way the tips are split amongst workers at the place is not my problem. There is a reason there is a high turnover in food service, it's hard to make a living and maybe if someone isn't making enough money at tips and base wage it will motivate them to work hard to get a better job. That thought process though appears to be becoming foreign in this day and age.

 

[AlCoDog]

Nm

 

[ChinaDogSunflower]

I usually tip $1-2 depending what kind of place and what type of service I received. Newk's/MacAlister's type of places usually get a couple dollars for cleaning the table; for fancier take out I'll sometimes leave 10% (especially if it's a place that I frequent)

 

[Dawgfan61]

I tip 20 percent for full service anything, restaurants, uber, food delivery and other services etc. but I DO NOT tip for carry out orders. That's the whole 17'n point of me getting off my couch and coming in and picking it up. It's ridiculous what people think they should be tipped for these days. Nobody tips me at my job. If you're in the service industry and don't like that, go get another job. The world is wide open. They can be so ****** about tips like its an entitlement. Rant over.

I feel you and understand completely. As a former server/bartender who had to prepare carryout/to go orders, we did make $2.13/hr and I didn't expect a tip for to go / carryout orders because the customer is doing most of the work and about 50% of them would not tip. However, when friends would ask me what they should tip on to go orders, I would tell them 10% because we are responsible for checking the order to make sure its right, collecting utensils, napkins, side sauces and items and lastly bagging it up and presenting you with the check. So the server is doing service work behind the scenes that you can't see and most likely only making $2.13/hr. Now, I'm not saying you should always tip 10% on to go orders, just letting you know what the server behind the to go order is going through.

 

[AlCoDog]

I always tip sonic as long as i have cash, but if they roller skate it out, i will usually double the tip. Stopping those skates with a bag of food and 4 drinks on it is a very impressive skill to me.

 

[aTotal360]

I don't mind tipping 35%. I also don't mind tipping 0%.

 

[Walter White.sixpack]

Even picking up a couple of pizzas at Domino's there's a place on the screen to add a tip for someone handing me a box of pizza.