Been to Denny's yesterday and ordered some food to go. The waiter gave me the receipt and a pen, obviously expecting me to tip. I didn't. After that he stopped talking to me and never uttered another word until I left. He was obviously mad.

So are you really supposed to tip even if you order takeout food? That seems pretty ridiculous to me since the waiter doesn't have to take care or the table or anything - he even asked me to stand up and order directly at the front desk.

For reference I live in the Bay Area.

iamperfection

United States9645 Posts

June 21 2012 19:33 GMT

Delivery yes. Pick up no.

Angel_

United States1617 Posts

June 21 2012 19:33 GMT

As far as I know, you don't ever tip for takeout. However. You do have to sign if you use a credit card at most restaurants regardless of whether you plan to tip or not.

DarkPlasmaBall

United States45362 Posts

June 21 2012 19:35 GMT

Tipping for takeout isn't always necessary, as they don't usually take care of you, but when you actually have a waiter who serves you and takes care of you, we Americans find it culturally/ socially acceptable to tip them somewhere around 15% because their normal hourly wages are incredibly low, so tips are how they make the majority of their salary.

It's not necessarily something most of us agree with, and you don't *need* to tip (although keep in mind that they *do* handle your food...), and the amount you tip can always be more or less depending on how well they treat you... but that's about it here in America. I understand it's very different elsewhere throughout the world.

Also, this is a cool video:

munchmunch

Canada789 Posts

June 21 2012 19:39 GMT

Usually you don't have to tip for takeout. In a situation where it would be awkward not to tip, you can always add a small tip... say 1-3 dollars in a cheap place, and 10% in a more expensive place.

In some places in the US, you tip something no matter what (NYC, for example). But the Bay area is not one of those places.

Elegance

Canada917 Posts

June 21 2012 19:50 GMT

I hate tipping

Promethelax

Canada7089 Posts

June 21 2012 19:51 GMT

having worked those jobs I usually tip a dollar or two for take-out. Just to cheer up the poor bastards who make the food and, if I'm a regular, I want them to remember me as someone who tips.
If you are a regular you should totally tip, you'll get better service and sometimes free food. And you can always be sure that there is 0% saliva in your food.

KawaiiRice

United States2914 Posts

June 21 2012 19:54 GMT

why would you tip when they dont do anything. mind kaboom

DarkPlasmaBall

United States45362 Posts

June 21 2012 19:59 GMT

On June 22 2012 04:54 KawaiiRice wrote:
why would you tip when they dont do anything. mind kaboom

Because of the movie Waiting.

mind kaboom

Razith

Canada431 Posts

June 21 2012 20:01 GMT

#10

It all really depends for me when tipping.

Fast food, never.

At a restaurant I randomly go to is the most variable for me. I can go from tipping a couple bucks to 20+% solely based on how you act, talk and watch our table. If you make it your mission to ensure I have everything I need and that I'm having a good time, I'll thank you for that with a fat tip. I'm very easy to get along with, so if you bring your pissy attitude to my table, you're getting nothing.

At the local bar where I'm a regular, where they know me and always treat me nicely, always give me above standard service, I consistently tip above average. These guys treat us like friends and we really appreciate it, but I don't tip crazy because I think I make up for it with volume ^^.

But I agree with pink to an extent. I do have a tip 'base', but the tip only really ramps up with exceptional service. And to those cabbies who don't load my bags, don't lift my bags out, and has a broken credit machine.. bitch all you want about no tip prick.

Torenhire

United States11681 Posts

June 21 2012 20:08 GMT

#11

Denny's isn't Fast Food, for those mentioning it.

I don't usually tip for stuff like that...going there and ordering something to go doesn't really warrant a tip...I will tip, however, to some places I am a regular at. Not every time, but if I'm going there once a week (or sometimes more) and the person mentions that, I'll sometimes tip a buck or two. :D

dAPhREAk

Nauru12397 Posts

June 21 2012 20:50 GMT

#12

On June 22 2012 04:33 iamperfection wrote:
Delivery yes. Pick up no.

agreed.

BruceLee6783

United States196 Posts

June 21 2012 20:57 GMT

#13

I don't usually tip for fast-food (Sonic Drive-In is an exception). I will tip my waiter/waitress at a more expensive restaurant for great service. Most importantly, I will tip my pizza delivery driver because I understand the driver is using his/her personal vehicle and gas money.

Tips provide workers with an incentive to provide exceptional service. I understand it's their job irregardless. But I can't think of a single delivery driver or waiter/waitress who wouldn't want to switch to a different position in their restaurants if tipping disappeared.

http://www.tipthepizzaguy.com is full of great information about why tipping is a good thing.

Noyect

Sweden129 Posts

June 21 2012 20:57 GMT

#14

Tipping is generally a bad idea as it helps keeping the wages down.
Someone mentioned in an earlier post that you should tip because the wages are so low, but they are actually able to keep them that low because "you're supposed to make up for it in tips".

I would feel mean not to tip if someone provided me with excellent service. But not for just serving me my food, which is what I went there and paid for in the first place.

Myles

United States5162 Posts

June 21 2012 21:16 GMT

#15

On June 22 2012 04:54 KawaiiRice wrote:
why would you tip when they dont do anything. mind kaboom

It depends on the restaurant, but in some places they package the food and make sure you get condiments, utensils, ect. Other places the expo puts everything together and they just take it out to the customer. I would say tip them a couple bucks, 10% max, but then again I'm an over-tipper.

Disregard

China10252 Posts

June 21 2012 21:17 GMT

#16

I've never seen or heard of tipping on takeout regardless of how well the service.

edit: I hate the concept of tipping in the States, Asian countries don't understand the concept of gratuity unless you're a foreigner accustomed to it. I've been stopped at the door in Chinese restaurants in the States because I forgot to tip.

dRaW

Canada5744 Posts

June 21 2012 21:35 GMT

#17

LMAO, better yet; should you tip the chick who gives you drinks @ a club? fuck nahh

that's her job

MrF

United States320 Posts

June 21 2012 21:40 GMT

#18

On June 22 2012 05:57 Noyect wrote:
Tipping is generally a bad idea as it helps keeping the wages down.
Someone mentioned in an earlier post that you should tip because the wages are so low, but they are actually able to keep them that low because "you're supposed to make up for it in tips".

I would feel mean not to tip if someone provided me with excellent service. But not for just serving me my food, which is what I went there and paid for in the first place.

I think you are looking at this the wrong way, tipping isnt a way to keep wages down its a way to keep quality of service up. If there were no tips then whats to stop the waiter from being a dick, of course they have to do there job and not be so horrible that they get fired but they have no incentive to try and be pleasant an a basically dead end job. Also just because you pay for your food doesn't give you the right not to tip, you pay for the food and you also pay for the service the waiter is essentially working for you, now if they are severly unsatisfactory you could tip less or not at all i suppose but if they simply do a good job and are pleasant there is no reason you shouldnt tip them. Basically you arent going to change the way the restaurant buisness works by not tipping unless the servise is "exellent" and all you are achieving is depriving people of a part of their wages they depend on because you don't agree with the way things are done. TLDR tip your waiters/waitress they work for you. For the OP generally pickup food does not require tipping at least not in my part of the world. Not sure about Denny's i thought it was a Diner but if you are ordering at the counter and not being served at a table then its up to you.

castled

United States322 Posts

June 21 2012 21:43 GMT

#19

So I think everyone agrees you don't tip for takeout. However, when they hand you the thing to sign, do you write "0" on the tip line, and then the total? For some reason I feel bad about writing 0, but you need to at least write the total otherwise you're giving them the signed receipt to write any value they want... Usually these days I just write the total and either a dash or nothing on the tip line for takeout.

itsjustatank

Hong Kong9169 Posts

June 21 2012 22:41 GMT

#20

On June 22 2012 06:43 castled wrote:
So I think everyone agrees you don't tip for takeout. However, when they hand you the thing to sign, do you write "0" on the tip line, and then the total? For some reason I feel bad about writing 0, but you need to at least write the total otherwise you're giving them the signed receipt to write any value they want... Usually these days I just write the total and either a dash or nothing on the tip line for takeout.

I write a large horizontal line in the area and just put the total below it then sign.