Tipping take out

[7rider]

Hey all.
Need some input...
At a restaurant, DH and I typically tip 20% for good service.
Tonight, however, we called a local restaurant (our first time doing this at this particular place) and ordered dinner for take out. I went and gassed up the truck for a road trip tomorrow, and picked up dinner and brought it home.
I put the dinner on my debit card. There was a spot on the receipt for a tip. I wrote in about 20%, but then I thought...it's not like we got served or had anyone wait on us. The woman bagged our styrofoam (gasp!) containers in a bag, and that was it.
So...what's the etiquette for tipping for take out? Nothing? 15%? 20%
Thoughts?
Thanks!

[PinkBike]

i dont know about etiquette, but we usually give about $1.50 - $2 when we do Applebbe's carside-to-go. i mean, all they gotta do is bring it out, right?

[Aggie_Ama]

It depends on the place. I go to Jason's Deli regularly at lunch and don't tip at all. I mean, if I ate it there I would get the same amount of service and not be given the option to tip. Sometimes I get restaurant food to go and the to go person gets me dressing, plastic ware and a drink, then I give a buck or two.

[crazybikinchic]

If I am getting take-out, I do not tip. I will tip a little for the carhops at Sonic, or the pizza delivery driver, but not on food that I spend my gas to go get and take home.

[Di bear]

They get pissy if they don't get the normal tip, but I agree, they don't earn it anymore than a McDonald's employee.

What you DO need to consider: Server's taxes are based on the cost of the meal, not the amount tipped. For example, if the bill is $100, in Michigan, they will take 8%, or $8 for taxes, even if no tip was left (some servers actually do get negative checks, owing the restaurant). So, for carside, you should tip at least $8 in this very expensive takout meal rather than the usual $15.

* Prices chosen for obvious math.

Find out what your state charges servers for income tax.

[snapdragen]

They actually do everything they would do for you in the restarant, take your order, get the food, pack it up, make sure you have your condiments etc., then deliver it to you. They're taxed based on their sales, just like all the other servers.

[luv'nAustin]

I tip for take out, but not the full 20%. I do recognize that they bring the food to me, but I'm not holding up a table and they don't have to refill my drink or check on me during the meal. I also figure that I'm a quick turn around for them and not holding up a table. So, I'll tip 10-15% for the service.

[shootingstar]

From a carless perspective, this tipping thing vs. gas cost is abit interesting.

Terrible as it may seem, I never thought of tipping when I walk/bike to a restaurant to pick up a takeout dinner/lunch from restaurant. Take-out dinner from a restaurant is pretty rare for us. It's just insane for us when we live near many restaurants and cafes within a 15-min. walk.

We do tip on the rare occassion we order takeout dinner to be delivered to our hotel rm. when we travel...that's desperation point to us... Normally we prefer to walk around a town that we've visited and drop by the Arby's/Boston Pizza (if no other choice but a chain) to sit down for a meal within restaurant. We will tip 10- 15%..for the delivery person.

I actually find it abit depressing eating takeout food in a hotel rm. which is why I avoid it or at home....which for the latter I think we might have done once.....in past...um 15 years.

[Irulan]

They actually do everything they would do for you in the restarant, take your order, get the food, pack it up, make sure you have your condiments etc., then deliver it to you. They're taxed based on their sales, just like all the other servers.

When I was a server, I was taxed on my wages and estimated tips, not my sales.

[ehirsch83]

When I was a server, I was taxed on my wages and estimated tips, not my sales.

No but, you tip out on your sales.

So at most restaurants(I served for 4 years and did to go in that time also) you tip out anywhere from 1-3 percent to the bar, the bussers, and the food expediter. And at some places, the to go people are also serving(depends where you go).

When I worked at Chili's the to-go people had to tip out to the food expediter still, based on sales. So if they had crappy tips that night, they then did not make as much as they could of because they have to give to those who help them get everything together.

[crazycanuck]

Quick question...We're visiting the US soon & i'm wondering if we have to tip? Are we forced to? We don't tip & don't feel we should.

[Pedal Wench]

CC,

The minimum wage (and typical wage) for restaurant servers is significantly lower per hour than other workers. Their income is almost solely based on tips. If you don't feel that you should tip, perhaps you could go to places where they're not a factor of the waitservers wages, such as fast food places.

[crazycanuck]

Fast food places are out of the q..blech

I guess we'll just have to cringe & tip only a small amount. I don't think it should be up to the customer to perk up someone's wage.

[snapdragen]

cc - most servers are paid under minimum wage. I don't know what it is in Canada, here in the states it's $5.85 an hour, unless you work for tips, then it's $2.13 an hour. This varies by state, but in many cases, it is very low; tips are expected to make up the difference.

[Triskeliongirl]

CC- practices are different in different countries. In the USA, you are not perking up someones salary, but rather their wages are calculated with the expectation that the customer will provide a tip. The customary tip is 20% for satisfactory service. If you really feel the service was bad you could give less (not the food mind you, but that the server did a poor job). While it is optional in the sense that you won't be arrested for failing to tip, to not tip for satisfactory service is just not right (in the USA, I know this is diff in other countries). But read your bill, as some restaurants do add a tip for large parties.