ytownfootball;664827 wrote:On the subject though, I don't like having my gratuity dictated (what is it 18%?), nor included on my receipt. It's up to my discretion what my "gratuity" is.

Couldn't agree more. I feel like if I'm in a party of 6 or more, we're going to get screwed because the waiter/waitress already has the tip included on the check. It sucks for them because I usually tip way more than 18%, but when I see that on my check I might throw down an extra buck and that's it.

I also have always wanted to see if I can put a negative amount on the "additional gratuity" line if their service didn't warrant an 18% tip and lower the total price that I owe. My wife never lets me do it though.

^^^That would be awesome if you did.

I would like to complain to the manager "The service I received did not deserve gratuity of 18%, so I think my bill should be less."

I had lunch Weds with about 8 people. I was leaving 2.00 for a tip when someone pointed out to me the tip was already added by the server. (I need to look at my bill closer). My bill was like 5.12 and the tip already added was 1.47. Guess the waiter lost out on that deal.

Lets do a comparison here

Job Server To-go Specialist
Takes order Yes Yes
Brings drink Yes Yes
Puts order in Yes Yes
Brings u Food Yes Yes
Pay the for food Yes Yes
Cleans Up Afterwards No No
Refills Yes No


Ok so if refills make a server deserve that tip that much more than so be it. But i work just as hard if not harder on a to go order than i would a table. And with to go you gotta make sure you get your shit right cause the guest isnt going to be there for you to fix it. So if youve repeatedly gotten take out from a restaraunt that was correct numerous times and you dont tip. I believe you are in the wrong.

Big_Mirg_ZHS;665946 wrote:Lets do a comparison here

Job Server To-go Specialist
Takes order Yes Yes
Brings drink Yes Yes
Puts order in Yes Yes
Brings u Food Yes Yes
Pay the for food Yes Yes
Cleans Up Afterwards No No
Refills Yes Yes


Ok so if refills make a server deserve that tip that much more than so be it. But i work just as hard if not harder on a to go order than i would a table. And with to go you gotta make sure you get your shit right cause the guest isnt going to be there for you to fix it. So if youve repeatedly gotten take out from a restaraunt that was correct numerous times and you dont tip. I believe you are in the wrong.

I'm going to disagree with what's highlighted.

I've never gotten a drink with a to-go order, so why would they need to bring me the drink or refill it?
A good server will make sure the table is clear before you leave. Depending on how busy they are, they may or may not clean the table after you leave.

If you're talking about going to a place (Applebee's for example), and you sit at the bar and get something to go, then it's essentially the same thing as sitting at a bar in a bar. Do you not tip the bartender? If you're sitting in the restaurant as an active customer waiting for your food and not just sitting in the lobby or something, then you should tip.

Big_Mirg_ZHS;665946 wrote:Lets do a comparison here

Job Server To-go Specialist
Takes order Yes Yes
Brings drink Yes Yes
Puts order in Yes Yes
Brings u Food Yes Yes
Pay the for food Yes Yes
Cleans Up Afterwards No No
Refills Yes Yes


Ok so if refills make a server deserve that tip that much more than so be it. But i work just as hard if not harder on a to go order than i would a table. And with to go you gotta make sure you get your shit right cause the guest isnt going to be there for you to fix it. So if youve repeatedly gotten take out from a restaraunt that was correct numerous times and you dont tip. I believe you are in the wrong.

You're either lying or you're vastly in the minority.

Sounds like there are several cheap bastards on this site...

Worked pizza take out years ago, never expected or got any tips. Never thought twice about it. No on tipping for carryout unless something special is done. I did ask a pizza place to arrange the pepperoni's in the shape of a 50 for my brother's birthday party. That would've gotten them $5, but they said we can't do that. Hmmmmm......

Worked delivery pizza, had some good tippers out there, still gave good service to those that didn't.

Tip 20% at restaurants now, more and/or round up for exceptional service, or maybe around Christmas if we have had the server through the year.
Deduct on tip if something is not taken care of by server, like drinks aren't right, they don't pay attention, or other reasons, but it is less than 1 out of 100 that they wouldn't get 10%, they'd really have to be bad.

One of my customers who is the sweetest little 93 year old lady tells me at the store the other day (pharmacy) to give he some quarters for change, because they are good for tips. I bet the wait staff falls all over each other fighting over who gets to wait on her and her buddies when they get seated. lol

Big_Mirg_ZHS;665946 wrote:Lets do a comparison here

Job Server To-go Specialist
Takes order Yes Yes
Brings drink Yes Yes
Puts order in Yes Yes
Brings u Food Yes Yes
Pay the for food Yes Yes
Cleans Up Afterwards No No
Refills Yes Yes


Ok so if refills make a server deserve that tip that much more than so be it. But i work just as hard if not harder on a to go order than i would a table. And with to go you gotta make sure you get your shit right cause the guest isnt going to be there for you to fix it. So if youve repeatedly gotten take out from a restaraunt that was correct numerous times and you dont tip. I believe you are in the wrong.

smh...definitely just lying out of your ass

Carryout? No. When I tip, though, I try to do between 20% and 25%. I've never been a server, but I know they don't make great money, and typically get nothing aside from pay.

I start at 20%. If you suck, then you get less (I've left 3 pennies as a tip before ... they didn't even deserve that). If you go above and beyond, I do more.

For what it's worth, I also do a minimum of $2.

Only thing that need changed is refills. Honestly youve never gotten a drink with your food? ANd no im not lying out my ass di it for over 2 years. And made shitty money because people didnt feel i deserved a tip.

Big_Mirg_ZHS;666196 wrote:Only thing that need changed is refills. Honestly youve never gotten a drink with your food? ANd no im not lying out my ass di it for over 2 years. And made shitty money because people didnt feel i deserved a tip.

what did you make an hour

Some good points. I kind of feel like maybe I should tip a to-go order, in some cases it's a waitress taking your order. However, if it's a hostess that does that (i.e. you call in your order ahead) and it's part of their job, which they are compensated for...Maybe it is worth a buck or two, but not 15-20%. Part of what you are tipping for IS the refilss, which at the end of the day is the main difference. I guess tips aren't shared with the busboy, and maybe people will say all that is included in the price, but to me the main difference is someone is setting the table and then taking away my dishes and that is part of the overall service I tip for. Not really my concern how the restauarant shares tips or compensates its employees.

It's just funny that you go over to places in Europe and no one tips (although I believe it's because,technically, he tip is included in the price). America has gone tip crazy, and truthfully the sad part is it has become much more an expectation than an incentive for good service. It's kind of stupid to me. Why do I have to tip my cab driver - it should be part of the price. Why do I have to tip my barber - it should be part of the price, and if he wants me to return he should do a good job. And tip my mail carrier? Are you serious?!? Do you have any idea how much you will be paying for his cushy govt pension for years and years?

Mostly I tolerate it. I'm happy to throw a buck or two to less fortunate and hard working, especially if they brighten my day a bit with friendliness. But my one pet peeve is taking a cab to or from the hotel. I can get my own bags, thank you, and I really don't want to pay you $2-$4 coming and going for 10 seconds of work I'm perfectly capable of handling myself, nor do I want to feel guilty stiffing you.

Manhattan Buckeye;665202 wrote:Here is the way we roll - if we're ordering from an establishment that is mostly an inside eatery, and the bartender/server has to pay special attention to us for a take-out order, I'll usually drop them 3 or 4 dollars.

If we're ordering from an establishment that is practically all take-out - as in pretty much all Chinese restaurants and a few others in our hood, absolutely not. There is no service to tip.

I think this is a good rule of thumb. You are taking them away from customers who will tip them, so it's justified. And at least in case of the waitress who makes less than min. wage, it's not equivalent to the McD's drive thru worker that you don't tip because they get min. wage.

Just to bring a little anecdotal evidence to the discussion.

I get beers with the gang occasionally at BW3's. And sometimes I stop by for some wings to go. So I tip the bartender well (who also gets my food), but I don't tip for the carryout. Got on the discussion one time for some reason, and like I said I tip well so he's not guilting me or anything....He said about 80% of people tip for carry out. I was shocked. He said he doesn't expect it and it doesn't bother him when people don't tip and - his words - "the order is called in, they bring it out from the kitchen and all I really do is ring them out".

So I may revise my position to say it's nice to tip, and the server/host/waiter should be grateful for your generosity but probably should not expect a tip. You tip for being waited on and they aren't really waiting on you.

^^^^This is the difference I was talking about. If you're sitting at the bar and order some food to go, then yes tip because you should be tipping the bar tender in the first place. If it's a call ahead, then no.

And, yes I've gotten a drink with my take out order, but that involves me going into the Pizza Joint, Chinese Place... and grabbing a bottle or can out of a cooler as I walk in. I've never gotten a drink when I get takeout from AppleBee's or something similar to it. If you're the hostess taking care of it, you're getting minimum wage and don't NEED a tip.

Big_Mirg_ZHS;666196 wrote:Only thing that need changed is refills. Honestly youve never gotten a drink with your food? ANd no im not lying out my ass di it for over 2 years. And made shitty money because people didnt feel i deserved a tip.

I can honestly say I've never ordered a drink in carryout. Why the eff would I pay restaurant prices for a drink when I can previously get the drink at grocery store prices?

"Part of what you are tipping for IS the refilss, which at the end of the day is the main difference."

Agree it is part of it, but IMO the wait staff does more than refills that are far more important. They need to know the menu inside out, be able to answer questions about certain dishes, be able to make recommendations, continue to take follow up orders and check to see if the food is satisfactory. The take-out crew simply takes the bags from the kitchen and rings the cash register. It is a completely different job.

Manhattan Buckeye;666370 wrote:"Part of what you are tipping for IS the refilss, which at the end of the day is the main difference."

Agree it is part of it, but IMO the wait staff does more than refills that are far more important. They need to know the menu inside out, be able to answer questions about certain dishes, be able to make recommendations, continue to take follow up orders and check to see if the food is satisfactory. The take-out crew simply takes the bags from the kitchen and rings the cash register. It is a completely different job.

True. I think I might adopt a 5-7% tip for carryout if it's a diner type place where a waitress might take and fetch my order.

But the carryout people don't get tip wage, do they?

I want to start getting tipped for doing my job as IT Manager!

WebFire;666404 wrote:But the carryout people don't get tip wage, do they?

I want to start getting tipped for doing my job as IT Manager!

But the waitress does, and they are usually the ones to take your order and often bag it up, put in your utensils and condiments, and sometimes billl you out. And that time, limited as it may be, takes them away from their tables. Only real difference is if you sat down at a table she'd be back 3 maybe 4 times to check on you and bring some refills. I think 5-7% seems appropriate.

Only for curbside service

Big_Mirg_ZHS;666196 wrote:Only thing that need changed is refills. Honestly youve never gotten a drink with your food? ANd no im not lying out my ass di it for over 2 years. And made shitty money because people didnt feel i deserved a tip.

Maybe you were a shitty server and that is why they felt you didn't deserve a tip?

DeyDurkie5;666193 wrote:smh...definitely just lying out of your ass

Of course he is, unless he worked at the weirdest restaurant in the world.

Takes order: The waiter takes multiple orders, they have to explain the specials and in our experience hands us the menu and asks what we want to drink (order 1), they come back with the drinks and ask if we would like an appetizer (order 2), brings that in and ask what we want for the main course (order 3), and after the main course bring the dessert/coffee menu (order 4). The to go "specialist" just answers the phone and takes the order from the take out menu.

Brings drink: The waiter constantly refills and takes drink orders. As stated above who the hell orders a drink from take-out - you can't order alcoholic drinks in most jurisdictions for take out.

Puts order in: Same analysis as takes order.

Brings u (sic) food: The waitstaff brings in multiple orders at different times, the "specialist" hands you a bag.

Pay for food: The waitstaff still does more work, they often have to deal with multiple checks. The "specialist" rings up the CC/cash at the register.

Cleans up Afterward: Not sure where Big Mirg worked but most waiters remove dishes when we are finished with them, most restaurants remove appetizer dishes before they serve the main course.

Refills: Who the hell drives back after taking take-out to refill their drink?

That was one of the strangest posts I've seen here.

No jackass its because fucks who think they didnt need to tip carry out. I was never a server was strictly to-go and thats where i worked. It not as simple as just ringing it up. You (At applebees at least) The togo person is the only one supposed to answer the phone. They take your order have to know every dish inside and out to answer questions. Then we put it in the computer then go back and put it in the containers in the kitchen after the food is cooked. They when you arrive I walk it out to your car, rain or shine, take your money and bring you your change. BTW we made 3.30 and hour.