Comments on: Do You Tip on Carry Out?

By: J. Money

J. Money — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 17:11:48 +0000

In reply to Jenny Bradley. Good call on all the modification stuff - I can see how a tip would help make up for how annoying it is :)

By: Jenny Bradley

Jenny Bradley — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 20:48:54 +0000

If you ordered through an app, maybe not. But if you called in a someone patiently took your order, added all your picky modifications to the order, had to explain to the kitchen what all your modifications meant, double checked your order to make sure everything was right, sent back any food that wasn’t, wrote everyone’s names on the boxes if that’s what you insisted on, packed it, and then gave it to you with a smile, it’s kind of douchey not to tip. It doesn’t have to be 20%, there was no table service, we understand that.

By: korgy

korgy — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 21:00:18 +0000

give or don’t give , as one choose’s — i generally give less to a takeout than i would to a table service restaurant — but what concerns me more is that some types of takeout places (like Chinese, eg) i am pretty sure do not give the “tips” to the people working in back. this infuriates me. sometimes i ask them — “you are going to give this to the guy cooking back there. right?” sometimes they give me a BS answer about it being a “family-owned business” blah blah blah. sad.

By: J. Money

J. Money — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 15:10:14 +0000

Really interesting reading all this from those of y’all in the industry. Appreciate you stopping by to continue the discussion!

By: Licha

Licha — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 20:37:25 +0000

I’m a cook. Back of the house makes out with half or less of what a server or bartender makes. This has been a consistent throughout 10+ years of experience. I wish the cook could get a tip because it would make a huge difference. I think everyone in a restaurant should be paid the same. They are all expected to do a good job and work hard. I always thought it was bull that the dishwasher makes the least amount of money when that’s the hardest job, especially when they have you cleaning grills, doing leaf blowing, dumping out grease, and extra stuff a boss wants to tack on.

But let’s get back to this question, I get that if I want to go out I should be tipping. I think the bartender makes plenty and don’t see how they need another tip for giving you the order. Someone has to answer the phone, a cook has to prepare it, and it makes no sense unless your tipping everyone involved. I always do 20% even on drinks but not for carry out. Unless the bartender or whoever gave me my order charms me a little bit.

By: Craig Dean

Craig Dean — Thu, 19 May 2016 04:15:07 +0000

I work in a restaurant as a server and I hate taking take out orders. I have to tip out 10% of my total sales to the other waitstaff/bar at the end of my shift. So if I take $100 in take out orders and receive no tip from the orders then I have to tip out $10 from my tipa for the night and I wind up paying out of my own pocket for the people who ordered by phone to enjoy their meals. If you order take out from a restaurant where you have the option to sit down and eat and would usually tip then you should always tip at least 10%, if not more, to cover the tip-out that servers have to do at the end of the night. At least they won’t have to pay for your to pick up your food.

By: Cory

Cory — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 18:54:56 +0000

I haven’t read through all of the replies, but I compare it to fast food. If I tip for carry out at a full service restaurant then I feel like I should be tipping at McDonald’s, and nobody does that, right? (Maybe a rare few, but not common.) What’s the difference? Someone in the back makes the food. The person in front bags it up and I pay them.

Yes, I would allow for a small tip for extra service for curbside pickup or a complicated order, but it’s $1. It’s still nowhere near the service level of if I was eating in.

By: J. Money

J. Money — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 15:31:48 +0000

In reply to Chris. They expected you to claim 10%? Man, that sucks, I'm sorry... At least with wait staff the majority of people KNOW to tip them, but with take out it's such a gray area and most people have no idea what's expected or not to do :(

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 20:58:39 +0000

I don’t tip on take out orders, nor do I tip at restaurants where I have to stand in line to order, go pickup my food when the numbers called, and am expected to bus my own table (Caliburger). However, I do I agree that the tip line makes you feel guilty for leaving it blank.

I don’t tip at weddings either. I’m still jaded at the whole wedding industry. Plus, the bride and groom was already forced to pay that 20% service charge anyways. They’re just double dipping with those tip jars now.

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 20:15:51 +0000

In reply to Jen. Exactly. Also, the server who provides your carry out order will still have it in their sales at the end of the night, which they use to tip-out other staff. So without providing a small tip, you may be making the server lose money simply by providing your carry out order.