Pizza Hut raised their cost of the delivery pizza $2. and used the tips as an excuse so I quit tipping. I mentioned it to the delivery guy the last time I ordered out and he said a lot of people felt like I did. He only got a dollar of the raise from Pizza Hut, his tips went way down. I felt bad about it so I just quit delivery. It's better for me to go to a buffet for my pizza since it's just me. I don't have anything else delivered.

I never tip for take-out. All that's happening is that the person at the counter hands me a bag; it's not like they're waiting on me, bringing me beverages, back and forth to the table, clearing the table, etc. They're handing a bag over the counter. Nope - never.

I do tip for delivery and I tip for 2 when we get a 2-for-1, if I have a coupon for a percentage off I tip on the amount before the discount, etc. I am a fair and generous tipper (not if service is poor, however). But I won't tip takeout unless I learn something that I wasn't aware of that makes me change my mind.

Suzieque

We have never tipped for carry-out orders.

If you need to tip when you pick up "take-out" then next I guess would be the cashier at the grocery!
Not a chance!

Nope, with the economy the way it is, restaurants should be happy you even order at their restaurant and doubly happy they don't have to pay someone to bring your order, clean the table, floor, etc., and do the dishes. Tipping IMHO has gotten way out of hand with those tip jars.

Different story if we eat in at the restaurant, though. 20% tipper here. Same with delivery (although we rarely do that).

If we do carryout we usually go and pick it up. Usually Pizza. I never tip. Only if they deliver. Usually if we eat at Folks restaurant we also tip 20% with a coupon. I did a carry out from that restaurant not long go and they had a "tip" jar on the counter. I thought that was odd and I did leave a tip and I questioned to myself how much to leave so I left half of what I would have if I had been eating there. I also thought it didn't seem right that they a tip jar. But they guilted me to do it. The store manager took my order and I wondered if she would share it with the cooks or keep it for herself.

Last year when we would call in our take out order to Bob Evan's they would ask if we would like to add a tip to that. I always told them no. They haven't done that in a long time now, at least not when I phone an order in. I never have anything delivered.

Sue

I tip a little bit but not much. Only the extra change I get back. When I do delivery, I tip. But I never do delivery at my home, only at work when there's a meeting and we are ordering in. No delivery at home because no one will deliver to me.

I don't tip for take out....if anyone, I should tip myself for getting the food. If we order it in, we tip usually a couple of bucks to the driver. We are noticing more and more though that the tip is included with the order.

I only tip at one place for takeout. Some friends of ours own a little place in town and the kids all work there. I tip there. But other than that, no. We don't have places that deliver here so that is not an issue.

Trish in SC

We so seldom do take-out it probably doesn't matter. I put a dollar or two in the tip jar -- big deal, huh? I can afford it, and maybe they need some encouragement to keep on keeping on. Often students from the local college are the staff.

My daughter used to work of Cotton Patch restaurant as a hostess. When people did take out she had to do more then just hand them a bag. She put the food in the container, filled the drinks, added silverware, napkins, rolls,and anything else they wanted. Then she had to ring it up. This was in addition to her actual hostessing.

She made minimum wage for this job. She told me she really appreciated it when people gave her a dollar or two but she didn't expect it.

I don't tip for takeout but I do tip well for dine in.

I often wondered about this... I like to order pick up from Pasta House and places like there where you can tell you are putting a little extra work on people.. but not as much as a waiter. Our bill is often around $30 so I don't tip 20%, but I do usually try to give them dollar or two.

If someone does extra special on a take out you should tip them. Next time they will remember you and give even better service.

This is a timely post for me. DH and are 20% tippers, more if it is warranted. WE seldom get pizza delivery but did last night because we had friends over to watch a movie. Pizza Hut, like vala said, has added a 2 dollar delivery charge to the bill. My DH tipped the delivery guy 15%, of the total which included the del. fee. The delivery guy went off saying that he was getting tired of poor tippers. We might be mistaken since we do not get a lot delivered here, but thought that 15% was fair. For him to carry it to the door. We seldom tip for take out, sometimes will throw the change in the tip jar at Five Guys and other places, IF the service was good, and the server at least attempted to be pleasant.

I don't have takeout delivered but when I did several years ago, I would tip a couple of dollars. A couple of years ago, DS and I went to Des Moines for a Christmas show and there was a blizzard so we got a hotel room. We were so hungry and certainly didn't want to go outside in the blizzard so I phoned and had a pizza delivered to our room. I gave the guy $5 tip and told him I was so sorry he had to go out in that weather.

I never tip on takeout. Now once we got Outback to go and they come right out to your car, and it was raining so I felt really bad for the girl and gave her a couple bucks, figured she earned it getting wet etc.

The pizza places around here added a "Delivery charge" $1.50 or $2.00 back when gas went sky-high, but it has stayed there, so when we get pizza DH usually picks it up on the way home from work to save us the Delivery charge and tip.

The general rule is if you have a coupon or discount, tip on the original total (before the discount).

I never get home delivery but if I did I'd tip, but would never tip for picking up a take out order. What for? I don't tip the person bagging my groceries, why should I tip someone who hands me a bag?

I don't tip on takeout. I do tip on home delivery. I usually tip about $5.

We always tip about 15% for delivery, and (depending on the size of the order), the same amount for take-out. We can afford it, and I think the cook and the those behind the counter probably appreciate it.

I'm sure every place is different. When I worked in a pizza place, the cooks did not get tipped. Waitresses waited and bussed their own tables and kept the entire tip. Delivery drivers used their own cars and delivered the pizzas. They kept whatever tips they received. I'm not sure how they were compensated for gas or insurance. My parents would not let me be a delivery driver. They said I wouldn't get paid enough for the wear and tear on my car. There was also the safety factor particularly for a young female visiting strangers homes.

When I was in college, it seemed like a lot of people didn't tip when the drivers delivered to the dorm. I was surprised by that. OT, but these same people didn't pull over to the side of the road when an ambulance or fire truck came by so maybe it was just a lack of manners.

No delivery out here in the country, but when I pick up at the Chinese carry out, I always leave a dollar or two no matter what the bill. They know me by now and go out of their way to make sure my order is prompt & correct, with extra duck sauce and fortune cookies.
Reward courtesy...

Waitresses and waiters typically don't make minimum wage. It is expected that they will get tips. But as far as I know, in most places, the cooks and hosts/hostesses DO make at least minimum wage.

I'm sure it varies, but I think that's the norm.

As far as throwing some plastic cutlery and napkins into a bag and handing it over, I really don't think that requires a tip. I do absolutely understand tipping and being treated extra well from then on.

This weekend I was out of town and decided to get the "curbside service" from Applebee's. I just didn't feel like going in so I picked it up and brought it to the motel. I was wondering what the protocol would be but it seemed to me that the one who carried it out to my car deserved something. It wasn't a drive-up window. They have a few "reserved" parking spots and they bring it out to your car. If I were to go inside to pick it up, I would not tip but them being the ones to bring to the cars seems a tip is appropriate for good service. I gave a couple bucks. But like I said if I had to go inside for it or drive to a window it'd be no different than getting something at KFC or McDonalds IMO. And I don't know whether she was a cook, manager, waitress or janitor so no idea what really would be appropriate or who even packed it. It was what I ordered so I was satisfied.

I *do* think however that tipping is out of hand. I don't like this business of paying them next to nothing assuming they'll get tips and then everyone, down to the garbage haulers, postals, plumbers and so many others expecting a tip or a "gift" (since technically some can't accept "tips") at holiday time.

About once a week I go to a Buffet and set at the Bar by myself. I then get two take-out Buffet Dinner's for my friend who has "C" and her Hubby. I tip for all 3 meals because they package it up so nicely.

I tip on take-out from a full service restaurant. Someone had to stop what they were doing to take my order,place it,get all the condiments together,perhaps make a salad or get a cup of soup that has to be carefully packed and maybe a dessert and bag it all together with napkins etc. I've often sat and watched waitstaff work harder at getting a to go order together than serving a table.

At a place that is generally take-out I don't tip unless someone goes out of their way to do something extra for me.

Workers at fast food places,pizza parlors and other take out places get more than minimum wage. Workers at full service places get minimum wage and work for tips.

I absolutely detest tip jars and tend to ignore them unless they are at a specific station of a worker who is serving me and goes the extra mile to get it right. Like at a sandwich place for example.

This subject has come up before and the first time I read it, I researched tipping. I found that back east a lot of the restaurant managers take a third of the waitresses tips, some for himself and some for the busser. It will probably be the same here some day. I don't tip anyone who gets a minimum wage. I don't understand why anyone would tip a trash man, they get a good wage, the same with the postman. It's not a personal service it is someone working for a living. They are not doing a favor for me. Here in our city one of the Buffet restaurants reduced the busser's wages to that of a waitress. This was told to us by a busser that worked the area that we sat in. I asked why we should tip, she said because we get water and coff......she stopped right there. She knew she had never given us one bit of personal service. If she offered I would not let her because of her handling all of the dishes other diners had used. I am very nice to people, I treat them with respect and help them when I can. I also tip waitresses according to the service I receive. In my opinion tipping has gotten way out of hand. My postal delivery person told me she could not take money from customers. When I first met her she was being attacked by some of the neighbors because she delivered late in the day. I felt so sorry for her because of their rudeness I left a box of chocolates for her, just like I would a friend.

this should answer any questions

Here is a link that might be useful: Tipping

I did stop at our neighborhood Thai restaurant for pick-up, but while waiting for my order, did request a Coke with ice to drink there. My bill totaled something like $12.50 & I left a $2.00 tip, which amount I've left in the past, Coke or not.

One can only hope this will bring me Good Karma from the Tipping Gods.

"Workers at fast food places,pizza parlors and other take out places get more than minimum wage. Workers at full service places get minimum wage and work for tips."

That is not true everywhere. There are only two states that I know of that insist that restaurant workers get minimum wage and even that is very recent legislation. There is a separate wage for tipped workers that hovers at around $2/hr.

"As far as throwing some plastic cutlery and napkins into a bag and handing it over, I really don't think that requires a tip"

"I don't tip the person bagging my groceries, why should I tip someone who hands me a bag?"

If you are talking about a McDonalds or some place that specialized in to-go food then no it is not necessary. They get minimum wage at least and maybe even more in some places, and the place is set up for this style service so that the whole process is done efficiently. If you are ordering to-go from a full service restaurant, then there is just as much work to service a to-go order as there is to bring it to the table if not more. The items have to be picked up from the various hot/cold/grill/fryer stations and transfered. The cooks in most places keep bags and containers stored near the grills and do not bag anything up and the server must do this. It's a PITA and takes time away from servicing tipping tables who are probably wondering "where their waitress went" when they don't see them for some time.

The worker who rings the order is taxed on the amount they ring by the IRS so if you do not tip on a to-go order they lose money right out of their pocket by servicing you. True.

I agree the tipping thing has gotten out of hand. More and more restaurants are not paying minimum wage to bartenders and busboys anymore and paying them the legal 'tip wage'. This creates a lot of tension among the staff regarding the divvying up of tips. Managers are now taking a cut of tips - even owners. Lots of places require staff to tip the hostess and sometimes even the cooks. The coat check person and even the lounge piano player may be working for tips only, and not even get a wage at all.

The whole custom of tipping goes back very far to an era where workers did not get paychecks and everyone was paid directly. I'm talking about the Middle Ages. I would like to see all workers get a wage and let the whole tipping thing fade away. I work in the restaurant business.

I meant to say "The cooks in most places DON'T keep bags and containers stored near the grills and do not bag anything up and the server must do this."