Do you leave a tip when you place a pick-up order?

D

Dick Tracy

Guest
We've had tipping topics before, but this is a new one.

I was listening to the radio at work a few days ago, and some financial talk show host said that it was standard to leave a 14% tip when placing and picking up pick-up orders. I've never heard of this before... I place 2 or 3 pick-up orders a week (typically Chinese food), and I never leave a tip.

Is it a standard to do so? That's why I made this poll -- the people set standards.
 
[quote name='guardian_owl']Haven't heard that one before, don't see why you would if you're not dining in.[/QUOTE]

Yea... no one is really "serving" you, per se, and the tip is usually gratitude for the server.
 
I give a tip when they deliver it to you. But in the case of the customer picking up the food, there should be no tip.

A tip should be given only when a service is administered to you (example: The guy that delivers your pizza).

Does that make sense?
 
Right... Logically, if you had to tip someone for pick-up orders, you'd tip the chef... and it just doesn't work that way, as their wage is higher than the servers whom rely on tips.
 
I leave the tips depending on the service and sitution.I generally leave $5-7 tip for pizza deliver guy during winter.In pick-up order I don't bother leaving a tip since I'm picking it up anyway.Plus, it's part of their job if they don't like it I just take my business elsewhere.
 
[quote name='Brak']We've had tipping topics before, but this is a new one.

I was listening to the radio at work a few days ago, and some financial talk show host said that it was standard to leave a 14% tip when placing and picking up pick-up orders. I've never heard of this before... I place 2 or 3 pick-up orders a week (typically Chinese food), and I never leave a tip.

Is it a standard to do so? That's why I made this poll -- the people set standards.[/QUOTE]
Did he have any other brilliant tips? Extended warranties on DVDs? Insurance against penguin attack? Investing 20% of each paycheque in lotto tickets?
 
That sounds pretty dumb to me, it makes sense to tip somebody for delivering a pizza (unless they charged extra for it) or something since they delivered it, but you're supposed to pay somebody for allowing you to spend your own time and money picking something up?

That makes no fucking sense.
 
it depends, i usually do it so that they wont screw up my order the next time.

I usually only pick up food at taco teusday at bars tho, and i usually have a beer anyways while i am waiting, so instead of a $1-$2 tip (for the drink) i leave $3
 
I dont see any reason for tipping a place just cause they made your food for you. The only time I could even think of when it would make sense to do it is if you made some kind of special request for ingredients they dont normally have or you asked the food to be made in a certain way that it normally isnt made in.
 
Strange, you'd think a financial talk show would have a section on not tipping to save money and justifications on why you shouldn't feel bad about it.
 
if it's a place that i frequent and the service is friendly then i will tip a buck or so for take-out. i once heard that it's proper etiquette to tip take-out (like the curbside take-outs that are growing in popularity at places like applebee's and outback) one dollar per bag. i don't buy that personally, but based on my former days of food service work, i do believe in tipping if you like the place. i will never work in a restaurant again because there are too many bad tippers out there, and it's just not worth the effort. i do my part to keep the people that work at crappy jobs happy.
 
Ok, maybe up to 2 bucks for curbside service. Same with a bar with foodservices. But if my ass is picking up Take out, no tip. fuck that bullshit.
 
[quote name='Xevious']One thing that always baffled me is how much you tip your barber (or hair stylist)[/QUOTE]
i always treat it like a meal at a proper restaurant...an average cut gets you 15%. a bad cut gets you a bad tip and no repeat business. a good cut gets 15-20% and a customer that comes back. for example, i got my haircut yesterday. it was the second time at this place and also the second good haircut i've gotten since i moved here. my total was roughly 24 bucks, so i tipped 5 (just over 20%). better safe than going back next month and they remember the cheapass (not a slam on the site) that didn't tip good. when i waited tables i didn't always remember the customers that tipped good, but i ALWAYS remembered the bad tippers. they never got good service when they came back...why waste the effort? just depends on how much you value your haircut i guess.
 
[quote name='Xevious']One thing that always baffled me is how much you tip your barber (or hair stylist)[/QUOTE]

Isn't it the same as tips for other services? Around 15% or so of the price? I tip my barber $2, because the hair cut is only $5. And I feel $1 is too cheap.

I've never tip for pickup orders. But I always tip for delivery or if I eat at a restaurant where a water/watress takes my order.
 
Don't tip for a pickup order. They're making their money by making you the food for its listed and agreed upon price. That's it, they did their job. What's next, tipping people who serve you fast food?
 
There is a nice couple that works at a chinese resturant at the mall near me. I give them what ever coin change I have left over, sometines a dollar and coins if he is being extra nice with the portions and I feel generous. If I place a take out order and do actually get served a drink or something I will tip. Other than that, yeah I don't tip when I drive my car using my gas to pick up an order.
 
I would like Jimmiemac opinion on this. I do depending on the joint, if I get a take out order at lets say smokey bones, red lobster, or some other place where its at least $15 bucks a person to eat I do. Cause those type of places a waiteress is taking care of my order. So she is taking time from tables to take care of me who does not want to sit in. I always give them a tip of a few bucks.


If I call in at lets say skyline chili or penn station, chipotles I don't tip anyone. If no ones what those places are they are a "nicer" fast food joints.
 
most of the time I do tip, between a dollar or two, up to 10%....depends on what type of mood I am in, and the friendliness of the host/hostess.
 
Are you shitting me? Why the hell would you give a tip if you're PICKING UP? I pay tips only for the sake of them actually coming to give it to me.
 
You tip when someone serves you, i.e. delivery, or table service. You don't tip for take out. That would be like tipping at McDonalds. Its similar to how you don't tip the bagger at the supermarket, but you do tip if they carry the bags out to your car. The tip is predicated on someone serving you. When picking up a take out order, no one is really serving you beyond the required handing you the food and taking your money.
 
[quote name='dafoomie']You tip when someone serves you, i.e. delivery, or table service. You don't tip for take out. That would be like tipping at McDonalds. Its similar to how you don't tip the bagger at the supermarket, but you do tip if they carry the bags out to your car. The tip is predicated on someone serving you. When picking up a take out order, no one is really serving you beyond the required handing you the food and taking your money.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. Tipping someone for takeout is dumb.
 
[quote name='dafoomie']You tip when someone serves you, i.e. delivery, or table service. You don't tip for take out. That would be like tipping at McDonalds. Its similar to how you don't tip the bagger at the supermarket, but you do tip if they carry the bags out to your car. The tip is predicated on someone serving you. When picking up a take out order, no one is really serving you beyond the required handing you the food and taking your money.[/QUOTE]
Actually at the local military commissary, it's customary to tip the bagger regardless of whether they carry your bags out or not. I usually tip more when they carry out the bags, but always leave something regarless. It's their only source of income, but from what I hear they make better money than any baggers at local grocery stores.
 
I'd have gone w/ gaurdian_owl's option - 'No, and I don't think you should'

As for tipping a barber, if you get your hair cut by the owner you aren't supposed to tip. So if you're a true cheapass make sure you work that angle. ;)
 
I never tip when I am picking up the order.

I have wondered if you should tip a delivery person if they are already charging you for delivery. Almost all of the places around here that deliver pizza charge you anywhere from $2 to $4 to deliver. If there is no charge I will always tip them, but I usually don't when I am being charged for delivery.
 
14% tip on pickup?? For what? "Thanks for handing me that there bag, here's $2 for your hard work" - what the fuck is that?

I'm not giving people handouts for doing nothing.
 
You don't tip when picking up your own food. That's just retarded to think that you should leave one.

Delivery, tip, always, a few bucks. Next time you place an order, they'll get there quicker. They got ways of marking you in the computer so you get preferential treatment.
 
I rarely tip on to-go orders, unless it's a place I frequently dine in at as well. I tend to go to the same restaurants, so they definitely know me. I can't be a cheapass even if I'm picking up takeout from the same restaurants.

When it comes to a haircut, I tip my barber around 35%.
 
[quote name='radjago']Actually at the local military commissary, it's customary to tip the bagger regardless of whether they carry your bags out or not. I usually tip more when they carry out the bags, but always leave something regarless. It's their only source of income, but from what I hear they make better money than any baggers at local grocery stores.[/QUOTE]
I know its different at the commissary, but thats because those guys aren't otherwise paid anything. Its mandatory to tip those guys. Thats the price you pay for getting everything else dirt cheap.
 
I don't know if it's the same kind of tipping, but if there is a particular pickup place I frequent, then I do tend to tip. And for the same reasons you would tip a doorman, mail carrier, garbage pickup people. A job is being done, not in the same way of serving a meal at a table, but one where it often depends on how nice, friendly, considerate you are. It doesn't make sense to tip at a pickup place you will never use again, but a neighborhood one you use all the time, tipping can make a lot of difference in terms of: getting your order right, at the proper temp., having it ready for you on arrival, "clean" food and extra amenities, like an extra egg roll, more fortune cookies, additional napkins without asking. And so on. Conversely, and independent of tipping, if you treat someone poorly, swearing at them, constant and unfair complaining, they are far less likely to treat you well the next time. A few extra dollars (or friendly hello) can be well worth it in the longrun, whereas being a dick is something folks remember always.
 
Wow, I was actually just thinking of making a topic about this, as it's been bugging for the last couple days (good thing I use the search function).

I never tip for takeout, but the other day I ordered a dinner special to-go from a sit-down place. It usually comes with a dessert as part of the dinner, but they don't seem to give it out as part of a takeout order, only served when you sitdown. My bf asked if we could have our free dessert while we're waiting, and the hostess (who also took our order) was nice about it and essentially served us the dessert. I wanted to give her a buck for tip, but my bf was like, don't worry about it... it's takeout. I figure I'd ignore him and tip anyways when I got my order and the credit card slip for it. But then some other guy brings out my meal and credit card slip, and I didn't really want to tip anymore since it didn't seem like it would be going to the right person... so I still ended up not tipping. Also on the topic, it really bugs me that there is a tip line on the credit card slip for takeout orders, I just assumed receipts automatically did that and I hope it's not some trick to get me to tip.

I looked up this topic on Google, and you see lots of forum threads talking about how servers have to spend time packing the food, taking your order, we get crappy wages, blah blah blah, and that it's customary to tip for takeout (which I had never heard of). Some also use the excuse that servers have to tax out on the total sales they do, but the only thing I saw on the IRS website was that carry-out sales are exempt from this... so I don't know if it's a state thing? Either way, how is any customer supposed to know about this sort of stuff?

Rambling aside, looking at this poll makes me feel a lot better about my tipping habits for takeout. If 90%+ didn't realize you should tip on takeout, I fail to see how that is customary (tho... this is a site of cheap asses...). Tipping etiquette in the US is way too complicated.
 
[quote name='JimmieMac']
Delivery, tip, always, a few bucks. Next time you place an order, they'll get there quicker. They got ways of marking you in the computer so you get preferential treatment.[/QUOTE]

The man speaks the truth. I once didn't tip a Papa John's delivery guy, and the next three deliveries were over an hour late or "lost".
 
Speaking of tips, WTF is up with Dunkin Donuts having tip jars? Here's a buck for making a fucking cup of coffee? Give me a freaking break. If I had my way, wait staff would be paid the minimum wage rate they should be at least paid (food would be priced accordingly). It's your fucking JOB to give good customer service. I do tech support. If I customer is pleased with my work, do they tip you? No becuase it's my job to perform that service. The only people who should be getting ANY form of conpensation are delivery drivers as they actually do work in bringing it to you and hustling thier ass.
 
I have my own unrelated tipping question, but I don't think it deserves it's own thread so I'll stick it here.

Ok, so let's say you've established yourself as a high tipper (over 30%). Assuming the same level of service, is it acceptable to drop to the normal rate? My first thought was "yes", but then I started to consider something: What if the disparity in tipping levels for the same service destroys the server's very perception of reality? Would the breakdown of their effort/tips connection somehow disrupt the space-time continuum?

Or more on point: Assuming they would provide a hightened level of service given your tipping habits, would the normal tip be perceived as lacking, resulting in decreased service on your following trip? And should I give a fuck?
 
I personally bon't like tipping. They are doing there job, if they're paid to deliver pizza, thats what they're paid for, why should I give them more. You shouldn't have to tip someone for doing there job.

But on the other not it is true if you don't tip they remember, as I had a friend who worked at a pizza joint and he said when the delivery guy came back to the shop he was all pissed and talking shit because I didn't give him a tip.

One more tipping story. My order once came to like $23 or something so I give her 2 $20 bills, and she just keeps all the change doesn't even hesitate to give me change. Just takes my money and puts it in her pocket. That was like a $17 tip!!!! But I din't want to be an ass and say "hey where's my change?" so I just let her go.
 
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