By Kevin Williams
This is a little off-topic but, hey, why not?
This weekend we ordered a carry-out meal from Bob Evans, a regional restaurant chain that might be comparable to a Denny's or a Perkins.  We were just spending Saturday evening in and thought the food would be a quick and cheap way to have an enjoyable meal and it was.  That said, when it came time to pay for the meal, I was caught off guard by the "tip screen."  More and more at restaurants where you pay at the register you swipe your card and then a screen comes up asking if you'd like to add a 15 percent, 20 percent , etc tip.
Obviously, for a sit-down meal, you tip the waiter or waitress. Â But what IS the proper protocol for tipping on a carry-out meal? Â Do you do it? Â Do you not do it? Â I mean, I have no problem tipping...but if the meal has just been taken from the kitchen, boxed and bagged up, is there anyone even to tip? Â Perhaps my views on tipping are just outmoded and outdated. When I was a kid I think tipping was still something that was largely arbitrary, you tipped to show appreciation for good service and you tipped accordingly. Â But, now, I think tips are more viewed as necessity to compensate for the lack of a decent wage by the employers. Â So I do want to do the right thing, but I also don't want to tip (sorry, funds are too scarce to do anything but think through each dollar doled out) if it's not something that is expected. Â So, does anyone have any thoughts on this topic?
As an aside, I've never worked in foodservice, but I do have admiration for those who do. Â My deceased Grandma Williams, Â especially in her older years, was a sweet woman and a wonderful grandma and I miss her but she could be brutal on servers. Â And I shouldn't single her out, I have other extended family members even today that give servers a hard time if things are exactly according to specifications. Â It's got to be a very tough job. Â As a teenager, my brother was waiter at Frisch's (another Bob Evans/Denny's type regional chain) and I think he lasted a single shift before being shown the door (I think he was cutting the slices of dessert cake too large, a definite a no-n0 for restaurants hyper-concerned about profit margin). Â So he eventually landed at the much quiet, much less busy Day's Inn restaurant in our hometown. Â And that was the late 80s. Â Nowadays most hotels (unless it is really upscale) don't have their own restaurants, but back the even some of the most mid-list hotels and motels ran their own restaurants.
Jo
I tip if the meal is delivered to my door (and even when the restaurant charges me for delivery, I think not all share generously with their employees who do this job). However, if I have to drive, walk, whatever, to pick up the item/s myself, I do not tip. Anyone else???
Kevin
Jo, that sounds like a good "rule of thumb" to me...would be interested in what others say?
sara marsh
My daughter-in-law used to waitress. If you didn't get along with the scheduler or had some sort of problem with them. They would put you on the carryout area, that way you made very little monney for the day or week or ever.
Kevin
Sara, interesting...well, I definitely WANT to tip if that's what is expected, I guess I'm just unclear on what the expectation is for a carry-out meal..should it be the same percentage as a table service experience?
Bonnie P.
I don't tip for carry out food unless the cashier does something extra nice at the time. I always tip food delivery people.
Judy
I do the same as Jo. If the meal is delivered to my door even if there is a delivery charge I tip. If I have to go out to pick up the meal I don't feel the need to tip. I'm sure there are exceptions to this protocol. Just an opinion.
Nannette
I don't tip if I am doing the work of ordering/picking up...would if they deliver to my house or office- after all your time is valuable too.. I work retail and often do much more to help / assist my customers and sadly some new fellow workers make less than a McDonalds worker...and we don't get tipped! We live in small town in Hardin County Ohio but I would assume this is pretty universal not to tip carryout.
Rhonda Woodsmall
We tip at a sit down restaurant where the server waits on you. but in a carry out or where we take care of ourselves then no tipping. When there is no service performed then there is no tip. We don't live where we could get delivery but if we did I would tip a delivery person.
Jennifer
I have worked in restaurants, hotels and shops throughout my life, and have several years of hospitality experience under my belt and I believe tipping has gotten out of hand. I'm a very good tipper when I'm eating in a restaurant and get incredible service as the waiters in my favorite local restaurants can attest, because they are providing a service and making my dining experience more pleasant. I also tip generously when I get food delivered to my home because for whatever reason, I do not feel like going out. I also know that generally wait staff gets taxed on a percentage of their sales for the night because of the whacked out system that their employers pay them a little tiny hourly wage and the customers will pay the rest of their wages by tipping them. Which is horrible. The employer should pay wait staff a decent hourly wage and their tips should go directly to them as icing on the cake so to speak. In what other business can employers get away with paying their employees next to nothing and expect the guests to pay their wages? But I digress, I do not believe in paying people for doing their jobs. If I call in and order and drive in to pick it up, and they are simply taking my money and giving me my order in a friendly fashion. That is their job as hostess, host or manager, and the take out orders are not going on anyone's sales totals for the night. It's their jobs to be friendly and welcoming and they are not dependent on tips as part of their income and should not expect one for simply bringing your order to you from the kitchen. I also do not believe in prepaid tips, I went to Golden Corral several years ago, and they made me pay a tip when we walked in. The service was terrible and I that waiter got my tip even though he didn't deserve it. I have never ate there again.
Kevin
Okay, I thinking I am detecting a theme here....First of all, Jennifer, thank you for weighing in on this topic...I think I erred in tipping then when picking up my meal..It definitely adds to the bill....a $15 meal for 3 suddenly becomes $18..and certainly want to tip if that is what needs to be done, but it doesn't sound like it does in the case of carryout!
hmchelen
I wouldn't tip if I was just picking up a meal to go. But if eating at the restaurant I do tip. I also tip according to service. If we get good service I will tip more than if we got poor service. Most of the time we get very good service.
Kathy
We don't eat out much, but when we get carry out at our local car-hop eatery, I tend to tip at least a dollar and if there is any loose change I might throw that in also. If we get carry out pizza and I drive to the restaurant to pick it up myself, I don't tip. I've worked in food service and have respect for those who work in it. I always tip when it's a sit down meal.
Kevin
Okay, Kathy, that seems to be a good "rule of thumb", if I am driving to the restaurant myself to pick up the meal, then no tip...maybe that is what I'll use as my guide
Kevin
Thanks, Lorraine...I know you work hard in your business, so I am happy to tip for take-out, just wasn't sure if there was a proper "protocol."
Kevin
Thanks, Lorraine, I know you work hard in your business...so I am happy to tip for take-out, just wondering if there was a proper "protocol."