Tipping take out

[KSH]

Trisk..i've travelled & can follow different practices...I'm cool with toileting a different way or eating way cool foods a differnt way..

It's being reminded that you guys tip in the US..

So when you eat at a sit down place... do you not have to tip? You just pay the bill as is, even though a server has helped you?

I haven't been to Austrailia so I'm not sure how it works over there.

I know in other countries the tip was added to the bill already. I didn't like that at all. The server knew he was getting tipped bad service or not.

[SadieKate]

Don't forget that here in the US, a gratuity is freqently automatically added to the bill for groups of 6 or more. In a culture that does use tips for rewarding performance it makes me a bit cranky as I've paid 18-20% tip for horrible service.

PS to the servers out there - please don't sit down at the table or kneel on the floor next to me. I'm not a child. I'm your customer. Act like a professional.

[Blueberry]

Don't forget that here in the US, a gratuity is freqently automatically added to the bill for groups of 6 or more. In a culture that does use tips for rewarding performance it makes me a bit cranky as I've paid 18-20% tip for horrible service.

Or worse, they don't disclose the auto tip adding anywhere, and end up getting more. I've talked to the manager on occasion when with a very large group with a mandatory 20% tip, where I sat for 30 minutes with nothing to drink. However, I'll also add additional tip where someone is particularly accommodating (eg voluntarily splitting a check for 10 people).

In restaurants, I generally tip 18-20%. For takeout, I usually don't tip. I get annoyed at places like Mama Fu's where you order at the counter, pick up your food, and they still have a tip line on the receipt. The cooks are the ones who package the food, yet the checker gets a tip.

CA

[SadieKate]

Don't some places split the tips between all the staff including the buspersons (boys, whatever)? I swear I knew someone who said the place she worked even split it with the cooks.

Fortunately, I never had to wait table. I did a LOT of tutoring and typing, in and out of the classroom. Nothing like being 21 and have some gigantic football dude break down in tears because he's having problems with his writing skills. Whew boy, you learn about others' challenges really, really fast. Really, really.

[Deanna]

I get annoyed at places like Mama Fu's where you order at the counter, pick up your food, and they still have a tip line on the receipt. The cooks are the ones who package the food, yet the checker gets a tip.

CA

Usually a business only gets to chose only one template for their receipts. It may be annoying, but the technology to print multiple receipt options is probably beyond the budget of take out places.

[Blueberry]

Usually a business only gets to chose only one template for their receipts. It may be annoying, but the technology to print multiple receipt options is probably beyond the budget of take out places.

Yeah, but even if you eat there, you bus your own table and pick up your own food. Uh yeah - they've cooked it. Why do they get $$ "to insure prompt service??"

[Deanna]

Just leave it blank. My drycleaners receipt has a place for the tip too, my point being not everybody's technically savvy enough to change what their receipt says, if they have the option. It's not worth the effort to be annoyed over something so easily ignored.

[SadieKate]

Just leave it blank.

Nooooo! At least put a line through it. I've had a restaurant provide themselves a nice $100 tip by just strategically inserting a "1". Fortunately, the credit card company believed me when I asked them how many college students would provide a $100 tip on a $17 meal.

[kiwi girl]

So when you eat at a sit down place... do you not have to tip? You just pay the bill as is, even though a server has helped you?

I haven't been to Austrailia so I'm not sure how it works over there.

I know in other countries the tip was added to the bill already. I didn't like that at all. The server knew he was getting tipped bad service or not.

Certainly in New Zealand you don't 'have' to tip. Peopel earn at least minimum wage so any tips are bonuses. In a nice sit down resturant I might tip for excellent service, and there is one regular place we go to where we tip a bit (and always get good service). But normal service in a middle of the road resturant I don't tip. Some receipts have a line for adding a tip - but its quite OK to ignore it. You don't have to tip taxi drivers here - I've even had cab drivers seem surprised when I say 'keep the change' from $10 on a $9.50 cab fare (which I would always do).