Anonymous wrote:Yikes. Did any of you ever work in a restaurant?

When I was a hostess who also handled take-out /pick-up orders, I was routinely given a few bucks. (And this was in the 80s!)

I worked as a hostess. Wage is significantly higher than table servers since hostesses don't rely on tips.

I don't tip for carry out.

Nothing at carry out!

But give it time and we'll all be made to feel guilty about not tipping for carry out.

The tipping culture here is insane.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here: I feel bad about not leaving any tip. My husband always tells me not to. I usually order from restaurants like CPK, Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, Friday's etc.

It takes courage to admit you actually eat at those places. Very middle American.

Eating at "American" food does not make you American... By the way, did you now that America is composed of north, south and Central America and cuisine varies greatly- beyond cheeseburger and French fries?

tipping is a disgusting american tradition!

This thread makes me hate tipping in general even more. It's awkward and confusing. Just put it in the damn price of the carryout if this is such a big f-ing deal. People obviously have a spectrum of ideas about what's normal and it's not like when you go pick up your carryout you're opening the boxes and making sure everything's right and tipping accordingly in any way that provides an incentive to do the job right. Enough with the tipping, America! I loved Iceland for this reason! We went to a super fancy restaurant and asked the waitress if tips are allowed in this culture -- and she just said NO. Super! Pay your employees what you need to and your customers have a nice relaxing meal without worrying their offending the staff.

Neither my dh nor I tip at carryout.

Crazy tipping culture. Seems like people are constantly tipping people who are already getting paid for doing their jobs. Mailmen, garbage men, barristas, cashiers for takeout...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here: I feel bad about not leaving any tip. My husband always tells me not to. I usually order from restaurants like CPK, Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, Friday's etc.

It takes courage to admit you actually eat at those places. Very middle American.

Oh, shut the fuck up. Posting on a place like DCUM doesn't make you very classy, either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here: I feel bad about not leaving any tip. My husband always tells me not to. I usually order from restaurants like CPK, Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, Friday's etc.

It takes courage to admit you actually eat at those places. Very middle American.

0-2 dollars

I tip a few dollars usually rounding up the tab to the nearest $5.

tipping culture has really gotten way out of control. why would you tip at a carry out place? That's the product they are selling. Part of selling take out food involves putting it in carry out containers--that does not constitute extra service. Next we will be expected to tip cashiers for the "service" they provide by ringing up our purchases.


Of course, I would tip a delivery person, but that is different.

About 10% or a couple of bucks. Someone has to package up the food and put it together for me to pick up.

If I can't afford an extra 10% on top of my meal, I can't afford to eat takeout. It's as simple as that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't tip for carryout. Why would you do that?

Exactly. I tip for the service when I eat in. I don't think that swiping my credit card and handing me a bag of food constitutes service.

Completely agree!

If you're getting it from a sit-down place, that's not all that it entails. The server or bartender will have to ring it up, go get all the necessary to-go containers and distribute them to the appropriate line cooks (possibly), double-check the order when it comes out, add the sauces/silver/napkins or whatever, throw it in a bag, come greet you when you get there, make change or swipe the card, and then close it out at the end of the night. It's certainly worth a buck or two for something who's making $2 an hour and who's already busy trying to give good service to the actual tables they have. I'm not talking about the counter person at a pizza place, who makes minimum wage or more. I'm simply talking about sit-down restaurants that don't predominately do take-out as the main business, which are the types of places OP is going to. OP, I'd tip a buck or two, but wouldn't go above 10%. I think restaurants should have dedicated carry out people so this isn't an issue, but a lot of them don't.

Anonymous wrote:Op here: I feel bad about not leaving any tip. My husband always tells me not to. I usually order from restaurants like CPK, Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, Friday's etc.

It takes courage to admit you actually eat at those places. Very middle American.