Tipping on to-go orders: What's the consensus?

Chris

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Lately we've been getting a lot of to-go from restaurants. I've noticed a lot of these restaurants have apps that automatically include a tip when you're checking out, unless you go in and set the top amount to zero.

Now my question is this: Why the hell would I tip for a to-go order? I'm going in and picking up my food, no one is waiting on me, and it's just a cook making my food and someone putting in a bag.

However, I feel that often times I get the cold shoulder, almost as if when I pick it up, they are disgruntled that I didn't leave them a tip.

Do you tip on to-go orders? I just can't wrap my head around this one for the life of me.

Why does everyone feel like they deserve a tip these days. I feel like George Costanza :rolleyes:
 
Logically, I'm the same as you - no driver is bringing it to my house, the cook is already getting an hourly wage, and folks that run the register didn't do anything.

But I still feel like an asshole if I don't. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. There's no rhyme or reason for me when I do or don't. I always do if delivered, but picking it up myself, I don't logically feel compelled to do so.
 
I tip service workers. Waiters, bartenders, barber. I don't tip in the drive thru, why would I be expected to do so for carry out? Unless it is a sit down restaurant whose employees fall under the aforementioned categories. Shit is complicated now days. We need to go to the European system of paying people a decent wage, charging accordingly for products, and eliminating the expectation of gratuity. One man's opinion.
 
There is a fair amount of effort given to how the food is packaged so as to not make the food look like shit by the time you get it home. If I get it to go, and the containers are nice, and the food is packaged to survive the trip, I don't mind throwing a couple extra bucks in for a tip. They have to pay for those containers, so that is how I justify it. I certainly won't pay the expected 15-20% tip they are used to getting.
 
Service industry workers live off tips. Many servers make LESS than minimum wage with tips supposedly bringing their hourly pay to a legal wage. This is a terrible system obviously, but that 10% tip is what they rely on to be able to pay their rent and feed their children. Consider also the fact that we are in the middle of pandemic which means they will be making even less and putting themselves at the most risk. So I dont mind throwing in a percentage for a delivery driver or a couple bucks for a pickup order.
I 100% agree with what AMS417 said about paying people a living wage.
 
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Yep, I tip a few bucks based on the amount of the meal. Especially now trying the help the workers and restaurants during this covid crap. I worked in that industry in my 20s and correct, made $2.01 an hour....tips covered the rest (not carry out though).
 
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Pre-pandemic = not consistently. Now, yes. I'd have tipped 20% if I dined in, so I continue to do so for carryout and rationalize the gesture using "Jeep math" to convince myself that I would have spent the money anyways. It might as well go directly in to someone's pocket who'll directly benefit from it.
 
I leave 10% or more for to go orders these days, more if they bring it curbside. The hostess that rings you up does usually pack the order and brings it from the kitchen. Yes the cooks make a better hourly wage, but the service staff don't. The past few months with the restaurants only open for takeout had the servers performing this job. They don't get much of an hourly wage so 10% helps some. I'm still working and can afford it, so I do.
 
I was in the service industry in my younger days, at the end of the shift the waite staff would pool, then split their tips with the bus boys and the cooks. Everyone tried a little harder because it paided off in the end.
Today I always tip, even in the drive-thru.
 
Apparently I'm thinking of something different than you folks. I'm talking about picking up through the drive-thru from like McDonalds or Pizza Hut.
 
What irked me is we ordered P.F. Chang’s which is very expensive. The order total came to $86 before tip. You’re telling me that with those high prices dishes you can’t afford to pay your employees a living wage?
 
Another thing is you order food on their website. They ask for a tip. That doesn't include anything going to the driver who's delivering it to you (unless he gets a share of it). I found this out from my local pizza shop. Last time I ordered I asked the driver, hey when I put add a tip on the website.. he interrupts me and laughs, I don't get any of that. I replied thanks for clearing that up!
 
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My daughter worked in a restaurant most of her college years. Minimum wage in Ohio for servers and such is about 1/2 of the real minimum wage. That includes the hostess, or whoever, that was usually the one to take your phone order, pour your drinks (if included), package it all up, run the register and hand it to you. She hated that job. She said it was like doing everything for almost nothing and that was long before covid increased the carry out business.


What irked me is we ordered P.F. Chang’s which is very expensive. The order total came to $86 before tip. You’re telling me that with those high prices dishes you can’t afford to pay your employees a living wage?

HA! You posted that while I was typing. Not too many people working in anything based in china make a living wage. Oops you meant an American restaurant here with chinese food? Same thing. FWIW, my daughter worked in a Thai restaurant and did fairly good as long as she wasn't doing the take out.
 
I don’t even order drinks when ordering to go. I literally got three entrees and hot and sour soup. I mean I guess someone put those entrees in to-go containers and put them in a bag for me with utensils. So okay, maybe a 5-10% tip?

It irritated me that in the P.F. Chang’s app they automatically have the tip included and you have to actually go edit it if you want to remove it.
 
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Another thing is you order food on their website. They ask for a tip. That doesn't include anything going to the driver who's delivering it to you (unless he gets a share of it). I found this out from my local pizza shop. Last time I ordered I asked the driver, hey when I put add a tip on the website.. he interrupts me and laughs, I don't get any of that. I replied thanks for clearing that up!

 
I don’t even order drinks when ordering to go. I literally got three entrees and hot and sour soup. I mean I guess someone put those entrees in to-go containers and put them in a bag for me with utensils. So okay, maybe a 5-10% tip?

It irritated me that in the P.F. Chang’s app they automatically have the tip included and you have to actually go edit it if you want to remove it.

A couple months ago some places in Colorado have a “Covid” fee of 10%, and now some places are just adding a Gratuity straight to the total price from take out orders. These places I do not tip, because if you are going to charge these fees the customer should be aware before placing an order.
 
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