Tip on carry-out order

[sparksals]

For pick-up orders? I liken it to a drive through. Do you tip your McDonalds servers?

But, unfortunately, it's really not.  Some server, making less than minimum wage in most states,  is adding the tab to his or her "total".  That server must "tip out" a variety of other employees based on that total, and the IRS expects that the server earn a minimum percentage of that total. That server is also taking time away from his or her sit down tables, making it even harder to give the stellar service required to earn really good money. The ONLY place I know of that has a dedicated "to go" staff is Chili's. Unfortunately, until the restaurant industry changes they way they do things, or educates the public on how they really pay their employees, it's best to assume the people putting together your to go orders are earning $2.13/hr (or whatever the "tipped employee minimum wage" is in your state).

I highly doubt most establishments have servers from the floor also working the carry out counter.  If I am going to pick it up, then it is part of their job, perhaps one of the bum aspects of it to deal with carry out.  I am a good tipper, but I'm not tipping for my meal to be placed into a bag with plastic cutlery and napkins.  I equate this to walking into a McD's, but preordering it.

I have worked at TGI Friday's, Cracker Barrel, O'Charlie's, Hooters, Ruby Tuesdays, and Longhorn Steakhouse.  They ALL worked the way I described.  The hostess took the order then handed it to a server to ring in, and then package for the customer.  There were many, many nights I went home with less than 7% of my total sales because of a large number of take out orders jacking up the amount I had to tip out to the auxiliary staff, even though most take out customers believe that we don't deserve a tip for the time and effort required to put together a take out order.  It is, by the way, a non-trivial amount of work.

I have to agree with someone above about tip entitlement.   The problem I have with it is someone chooses to work in the restaurant with low wages and to rely upon tips.  It is not my responsibility to subsidize the low wages.  If one needs to make more money, find a job that meets at least minimum wage.   Again, I will not pay for take out service when I am driving to pick it up and carrying a bag home.  I tip very well when I sit in a restaurant and receive good food and service.  Perhaps these chains should change it so the carry out people are separate from servers.  I don't understand why food service workers expect the customer to subsidize the low wage restaurants pay. 

[mmswm]

For pick-up orders? I liken it to a drive through. Do you tip your McDonalds servers?

But, unfortunately, it's really not.  Some server, making less than minimum wage in most states,  is adding the tab to his or her "total".  That server must "tip out" a variety of other employees based on that total, and the IRS expects that the server earn a minimum percentage of that total. That server is also taking time away from his or her sit down tables, making it even harder to give the stellar service required to earn really good money. The ONLY place I know of that has a dedicated "to go" staff is Chili's. Unfortunately, until the restaurant industry changes they way they do things, or educates the public on how they really pay their employees, it's best to assume the people putting together your to go orders are earning $2.13/hr (or whatever the "tipped employee minimum wage" is in your state).

I highly doubt most establishments have servers from the floor also working the carry out counter.  If I am going to pick it up, then it is part of their job, perhaps one of the bum aspects of it to deal with carry out.  I am a good tipper, but I'm not tipping for my meal to be placed into a bag with plastic cutlery and napkins.  I equate this to walking into a McD's, but preordering it.

I have worked at TGI Friday's, Cracker Barrel, O'Charlie's, Hooters, Ruby Tuesdays, and Longhorn Steakhouse.  They ALL worked the way I described.  The hostess took the order then handed it to a server to ring in, and then package for the customer.  There were many, many nights I went home with less than 7% of my total sales because of a large number of take out orders jacking up the amount I had to tip out to the auxiliary staff, even though most take out customers believe that we don't deserve a tip for the time and effort required to put together a take out order.  It is, by the way, a non-trivial amount of work.

I have to agree with someone above about tip entitlement.   The problem I have with it is someone chooses to work in the restaurant with low wages and to rely upon tips.  It is not my responsibility to subsidize the low wages.  If one needs to make more money, find a job that meets at least minimum wage.   Again, I will not pay for take out service when I am driving to pick it up and carrying a bag home.  I tip very well when I sit in a restaurant and receive good food and service.  Perhaps these chains should change it so the carry out people are separate from servers.  I don't understand why food service workers expect the customer to subsidize the low wage restaurants pay.

Personally I think restaurants should jack the price of their food up by whatever amount, pay the servers on a commission basis, and then refuse to allow tipping.  Unfortunately, I don't run the world. That being the case, the customs of the food service industry developed over the course of a very long time in this country. People work those jobs because tipping CAN amount to a very good income.  If the majority of customers refuse to abide by the customs that in place, things will change, but not to the benefit of the customer. What would happen if people just started refusing to work as servers?  Or restaurants just decided that they would no longer offer take out service?  I know several local places that are already making changes, including tacking on extra fees for take out to be able to pay their servers at least the regular minimum wage, since they weren't getting there with tips.

*Note: I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I don't believe that anything will change for the better unless the general public is well informed of what conditions are really like for the wait staff at most restaurants. I agree that you shouldn't have to tip anybody.  It should not be compulsory, but unfortunately, unless we as the public can convince restaurant owners to change the way they operate, then the only person you (general you) hurt by not tipping is the poor soul who's working his or her hiney off to serve you a good meal.

[nuit93]

For pick-up orders? I liken it to a drive through. Do you tip your McDonalds servers?

But, unfortunately, it's really not.  Some server, making less than minimum wage in most states,  is adding the tab to his or her "total".  That server must "tip out" a variety of other employees based on that total, and the IRS expects that the server earn a minimum percentage of that total. That server is also taking time away from his or her sit down tables, making it even harder to give the stellar service required to earn really good money. The ONLY place I know of that has a dedicated "to go" staff is Chili's. Unfortunately, until the restaurant industry changes they way they do things, or educates the public on how they really pay their employees, it's best to assume the people putting together your to go orders are earning $2.13/hr (or whatever the "tipped employee minimum wage" is in your state).

I highly doubt most establishments have servers from the floor also working the carry out counter.  If I am going to pick it up, then it is part of their job, perhaps one of the bum aspects of it to deal with carry out.  I am a good tipper, but I'm not tipping for my meal to be placed into a bag with plastic cutlery and napkins.  I equate this to walking into a McD's, but preordering it.

I have worked at TGI Friday's, Cracker Barrel, O'Charlie's, Hooters, Ruby Tuesdays, and Longhorn Steakhouse.  They ALL worked the way I described.  The hostess took the order then handed it to a server to ring in, and then package for the customer.  There were many, many nights I went home with less than 7% of my total sales because of a large number of take out orders jacking up the amount I had to tip out to the auxiliary staff, even though most take out customers believe that we don't deserve a tip for the time and effort required to put together a take out order.  It is, by the way, a non-trivial amount of work.

I have to agree with someone above about tip entitlement.   The problem I have with it is someone chooses to work in the restaurant with low wages and to rely upon tips.  It is not my responsibility to subsidize the low wages.  If one needs to make more money, find a job that meets at least minimum wage.   Again, I will not pay for take out service when I am driving to pick it up and carrying a bag home.  I tip very well when I sit in a restaurant and receive good food and service.  Perhaps these chains should change it so the carry out people are separate from servers.  I don't understand why food service workers expect the customer to subsidize the low wage restaurants pay.

I don't think restaurants should be allowed to pay less than minimum wage (yes, technically they are supposed to make up the difference if the server's tips don't add up to minimum wage, but many do not and it's very difficult for the server to prove otherwise).  However if they did, the added costs would probably be added to the food prices.

[oceanus]

[snip]It is not my responsibility to subsidize the low wages.  If one needs to make more money, find a job that meets at least minimum wage.   Again, I will not pay for take out service when I am driving to pick it up and carrying a bag home.  I tip very well when I sit in a restaurant and receive good food and service. [snip]

Very well stated.  I totally agree.

[CharlieBraun]

10% is considered the appropriate tip for carry-out orders in non-fast-food settings.

[camlan]

I have worked at TGI Friday's, Cracker Barrel, O'Charlie's, Hooters, Ruby Tuesdays, and Longhorn Steakhouse.  They ALL worked the way I described.  The hostess took the order then handed it to a server to ring in, and then package for the customer.  There were many, many nights I went home with less than 7% of my total sales because of a large number of take out orders jacking up the amount I had to tip out to the auxiliary staff, even though most take out customers believe that we don't deserve a tip for the time and effort required to put together a take out order.  It is, by the way, a non-trivial amount of work.

The problem is that for me, as a customer, I have no way of knowing this. Absolutely none.

My assumption would have been that there were one or two people, maybe kitchen staff, designated to deal with the carry-out meals and that they were not waiting tables that night, but getting at least minimum wage and just working in back dealing with the carry-out meals. That wait staff were fitting this work in while waiting on tables would simply never cross my mind.

Really, I put the blame for this on the restaurants. They want to offer the carry-out service, but not pay any extra for it. And they aren't going to tell the customer that they still need to tip, because, as many people here have noted, the customers aren't seeing much service being performed (no matter how much actual work is involved, the customer does not see it) and therefore see no real need to tip, or tip significantly less than at a sit-down meal.

It's up to the restaurants, who created the problem, to solve it.

[gramma dishes]

...   Really, I put the blame for this on the restaurants. They want to offer the carry-out service, but not pay any extra for it. ...
It's up to the restaurants, who created the problem, to solve it.

Interestingly, especially for 'larger' orders of carry out, I know of restaurants which DO charge more for the meal itself than the menu inside the restaurant states.  So they are basically charging extra for the assembly and packing of the order, just not paying their staff for doing it? 

[delabela]

I tip about 10% on take away orders.  It is more work to put together a restaurant meal for take away than to serve a fast food meal in a system that is designed to streamline that.

I do blame the restaurants for the low pay and tip-dependence of servers, but we as patrons are also to blame.  We benefit from the artificially low prices that the restaurants are able to charge.

With all due respect, I don't think the sentiment "well, get a better job" is particularly helpful.  I don't pretend to know another person's circumstances.  They may be able to waltz out of that job whenever they want, but for reasons that are not apparent to me they may not. 

[kckgirl]

Thanks for all your input. I ended up tipping about 10%.

[CharlieBraun]

(snipped)
With all due respect, I don't think the sentiment "well, get a better job" is particularly helpful.  I don't pretend to know another person's circumstances.  They may be able to waltz out of that job whenever they want, but for reasons that are not apparent to me they may not.

Delabela, that's very well stated and thank you for expressing it.

[gollymolly2]

For pick-up orders? I liken it to a drive through. Do you tip your McDonalds servers?

But, unfortunately, it's really not.  Some server, making less than minimum wage in most states,  is adding the tab to his or her "total".  That server must "tip out" a variety of other employees based on that total, and the IRS expects that the server earn a minimum percentage of that total. That server is also taking time away from his or her sit down tables, making it even harder to give the stellar service required to earn really good money. The ONLY place I know of that has a dedicated "to go" staff is Chili's. Unfortunately, until the restaurant industry changes they way they do things, or educates the public on how they really pay their employees, it's best to assume the people putting together your to go orders are earning $2.13/hr (or whatever the "tipped employee minimum wage" is in your state).

I highly doubt most establishments have servers from the floor also working the carry out counter.  If I am going to pick it up, then it is part of their job, perhaps one of the bum aspects of it to deal with carry out.  I am a good tipper, but I'm not tipping for my meal to be placed into a bag with plastic cutlery and napkins.  I equate this to walking into a McD's, but preordering it.

I have worked at TGI Friday's, Cracker Barrel, O'Charlie's, Hooters, Ruby Tuesdays, and Longhorn Steakhouse.  They ALL worked the way I described.  The hostess took the order then handed it to a server to ring in, and then package for the customer.  There were many, many nights I went home with less than 7% of my total sales because of a large number of take out orders jacking up the amount I had to tip out to the auxiliary staff, even though most take out customers believe that we don't deserve a tip for the time and effort required to put together a take out order.  It is, by the way, a non-trivial amount of work.

I have to agree with someone above about tip entitlement.   The problem I have with it is someone chooses to work in the restaurant with low wages and to rely upon tips.  It is not my responsibility to subsidize the low wages. If one needs to make more money, find a job that meets at least minimum wage.   Again, I will not pay for take out service when I am driving to pick it up and carrying a bag home.  I tip very well when I sit in a restaurant and receive good food and service.  Perhaps these chains should change it so the carry out people are separate from servers.  I don't understand why food service workers expect the customer to subsidize the low wage restaurants pay.

I don't understand why using this logic you'd be comfortable tipping servers but not to-go staff.

[jaxsue]

For pick-up orders? I liken it to a drive through. Do you tip your McDonalds servers?

But, unfortunately, it's really not.  Some server, making less than minimum wage in most states,  is adding the tab to his or her "total".  That server must "tip out" a variety of other employees based on that total, and the IRS expects that the server earn a minimum percentage of that total. That server is also taking time away from his or her sit down tables, making it even harder to give the stellar service required to earn really good money. The ONLY place I know of that has a dedicated "to go" staff is Chili's. Unfortunately, until the restaurant industry changes they way they do things, or educates the public on how they really pay their employees, it's best to assume the people putting together your to go orders are earning $2.13/hr (or whatever the "tipped employee minimum wage" is in your state).

I highly doubt most establishments have servers from the floor also working the carry out counter.  If I am going to pick it up, then it is part of their job, perhaps one of the bum aspects of it to deal with carry out.  I am a good tipper, but I'm not tipping for my meal to be placed into a bag with plastic cutlery and napkins.  I equate this to walking into a McD's, but preordering it.

I have worked at TGI Friday's, Cracker Barrel, O'Charlie's, Hooters, Ruby Tuesdays, and Longhorn Steakhouse.  They ALL worked the way I described.  The hostess took the order then handed it to a server to ring in, and then package for the customer.  There were many, many nights I went home with less than 7% of my total sales because of a large number of take out orders jacking up the amount I had to tip out to the auxiliary staff, even though most take out customers believe that we don't deserve a tip for the time and effort required to put together a take out order.  It is, by the way, a non-trivial amount of work.

Forgive me for not clipping the quote tree, but it's all relevant. I worked as a waitress back in the late 70s-early 80s. Our restaurant, Big Boy, decided to offer full take-out as well as sit-down service. There were no dedicated workers for take-out. They'd tell you that you were on take-out duty that night - the entire night! So we were making the $2.15/hr and Uncle Sam, assuming that we were making tips, taxed us accordingly. So if you were unlucky enough to have that job, you made next to nothing that night.

So, yes, there are places that use regular waitstaff to do the take-out work. I tip; not as much as if I'm sitting down, but I do tip a little bit.

[jaxsue]

(snipped)
With all due respect, I don't think the sentiment "well, get a better job" is particularly helpful.  I don't pretend to know another person's circumstances.  They may be able to waltz out of that job whenever they want, but for reasons that are not apparent to me they may not.

Delabela, that's very well stated and thank you for expressing it.

This. Especially in this economy. 

[jaxsue]

I do agree with PP's that the current system is not great. Restaurants should pay better wages and are only too happy to pass the costs onto the consumer. I remember my boss gleefully saying that he got to pay us very low wages and put the burden on customers to make up the difference. Yeah, he was a piece of work. 

OTOH, you have some servers who make very good tips and would be upset if things were to change.

Personally, I loved the system they have in the UK.

[Sophia]

Waiters often have to do stuff that doesn't result in tips.  Every chain I worked at had required prep work before or after.  Rolling silverware in the napkins.  Putting little balls of butter in tiny ramekins, that sort of thing. 

On the other hand, I don't them to be out-of-pocket because they handled my order.  In which case, I will do 4-5% depending on rounding and whether I got a mint.