On Tipping and Correct Amount and When

[Hmmmmm]

I once read something written by a person who said they had been a server and on certain days they were assigned to handle all takeout. So takeout total sales for the night were reported on their income as part of the standard 8%.  If a $100 in takeout sales, then the restaurant had to report $8 in taxable income.  And since they were handling takeout they were waiting less table so really not making any money that night.

The argument made me feel like I needed to start tipping a minimum of 10-15% to cover their tax issue and to give some tip. But then I went and read the US tax law and learned takeout is excluded from them 8% calculation.  So now I tip a few dollars for them to ring up myn order and maybe puttingitems in a bag.

[jaxsue]

I once read something written by a person who said they had been a server and on certain days they were assigned to handle all takeout. So takeout total sales for the night were reported on their income as part of the standard 8%.  If a $100 in takeout sales, then the restaurant had to report $8 in taxable income.  And since they were handling takeout they were waiting less table so really not making any money that night.

The argument made me feel like I needed to start tipping a minimum of 10-15% to cover their tax issue and to give some tip. But then I went and read the US tax law and learned takeout is excluded from them 8% calculation.  So now I tip a few dollars for them to ring up myn order and maybe puttingitems in a bag.

That may have been me. Honestly, I don't blame people for being exasperated by tipping. But in my case we did have to do a considerable amount of work for take out (making salads using customers' preferences, and the system wasn't as streamlined as it is now). Even a dollar or two was appeeciated.

[CluelessBride]

When I get takeout, its almost always from places that also do delivery (some of which also have dine-in). If I get delivery, I tip the driver. But if I'm doing takeout, I figure I'm the driver. I assume if they are offering delivery and takeout, they must have someone responsible to deal with those orders. I certainly wouldn't think that someone ordering delivery should need to tip 20% for the driver and another 20% for the food prepper.

I could see how things would feel different if I were ordering from a place that did only dine-in and takeout, with no delivery. It still wouldn't be worth even close to 20% (might as well eat in and let you clean up my mess then!), but I might round up to a convenient number.

[jaxsue]

When I get takeout, its almost always from places that also do delivery (some of which also have dine-in). If I get delivery, I tip the driver. But if I'm doing takeout, I figure I'm the driver. I assume if they are offering delivery and takeout, they must have someone responsible to deal with those orders. I certainly wouldn't think that someone ordering delivery should need to tip 20% for the driver and another 20% for the food prepper.

I could see how things would feel different if I were ordering from a place that did only dine-in and takeout, with no delivery. It still wouldn't be worth even close to 20% (might as well eat in and let you clean up my mess then!), but I might round up to a convenient number.

In my case, it was a Big Boy restaurant, and dine-in only. But the store manager wanted to be able to compete with fast food places, so he started offering take-out service. It didn't work out too well. This was in the early 80s, and full service restaurants offering take-out were not common where I lived. We were all happy when he abandoned the take-out option. 

[MeowMixer]

I tip on delivery. I do not tip on take out. As far as I'm concerned I drove there, I'm waiting around for the food to be ready, I'm driving home. Self serve.

The waitress adding her own tip? That's theft as far as I'm concerned. I would have spoken with the manager about it, and if it were a restaurant that I frequented often depending on the response from management they would be losing a valued customer. And anyone I tell my experience to as well they can potentially lose/never see.