Fast food, etc. and tipping…
 

I’m seeing more and more tipping requests when I pay electronically. Typically fast food, but I’ve seen at some unusual places. I think they start at 15% and go to 20%. Of course, no tipping is an option.

Way back when, I worked in restaurants, so I’ve always been aware of tipping for good service, but I just don’t see it for fast food or some other places when you buy something.

I ask, because I just went through the drive-through window at tropical smoothie and they told me how to tip when I gave them my card. Besides screwing up my order and no napkins, all they did was hand me my food.

Thoughts?

I may be a CSOB but no I do not tip for fast food type service .

Our local Applebees started using a table-top electronic bill pay system. The tip part started at 25% and went up from there. A person could over-ride the rate..but it wasn't easy.

It only lasted a few weeks and it was gone...too many complaints.

Tips starting at 25%, and I'm sure that's after taxes, are a bit aggressive. I'm pretty sure we maybe got there at sushi yesterday, including a tenner in the jar at the fish-bar but it was up to us.

As a lad in the 1980s my parents were very much "15%, not counting booze, before taxes". I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be well regarded these days. However it might also be why we never got great service when we went back to that place.

However with a (now very well paid and can pay for it) spouse who waited and did housekeeping in HS and college, I get a smack upside the head for not tipping well. Heck, even the CourtyardCrew gets $10 for cleaning my toilet every night.

Honestly it's immaterial to us and it is likely welcome for some, so I'm cool with that. Those jobs are a grind, especially in housekeeping. I've heard some stories...

My typical lunch spot is a "carry your own tray" type place where I fill up my own soup bowl, pay at a register, grab my own silverware, and bus my own table. They ask for a tip on every transaction. I don't tip there and know the staff very well.

When I get take out pizza and salad that I pick up, usually tip a couple bucks. For delivery, if there is no additional fee, around $5-$6.

When I get take out Sushi/Chinese/Thai/Indian I tip around 10%. That stuff requires a bit of packaging and multiple containers. Doing it right is worth a tip.

Bartender gets $1/drink. Barista gets $1/order- sometimes 2-3 drinks per order, but one might be drip.

At a full service restaurant, you used to be a good tipper if you tipped 20%. 15% was adequate. Then restaurants imposed a "service fee" in lieu of tipping. That more or less turned the whole concept on its head. The last restaurant I ate at had a 20% service fee added and a 3% "kitchen gratuity". And the bill still had a space to include an extra tip.

It's frankly getting completely out of control and is no longer related to service. It's a tax on whether you are paying attention or not.

Nope, no more at fast food or take outs at restaurants type places. What broke the camel's back was suggested tipping starts at 18% and goes up to 25% and I have seen 28% at some places. Ask for tips? Well then, they are going to get what I think they deserve. With some restaurant adding a 3-5% health insurance fee or whatever they call it for their waiting staff, this can get out of control, at or above 30%. Had a 40 dollar lunch with another person the other day. Waitress came by once when she took our order but the bus boy brought us our lunchn and no one came back to refill our coffee. Both of us thought she didn't deserve 10 bucks worth of tip. I left 5 bucks and we both go the stink eye from her. I love what some foreign countries do, no tips and everyone is on the level playing field and know exactly what's expected come time to pay for the bill.

Chick Fillet (at least here) doesn't allow their employees to accept tips ;).

Unfortunately though, their sammiches have really dropped off in quality ... but I digress :(.

I remember when 10% was considered the proper amount. I also recall when both Barney and Andy left a quarter on the table at the diner and Barney was thinking about going back and retrieving one of them :D.

Bartenders get a buck a bottled beer .... ever since it was 1.50 a bottle. If the beer is now $10 each ... then tough chit ;).

Hooters girlz used to hit the freakin' lottery at our table 3 decades ago :).

Regular FF joints where they just hand you the food (and before Covid and passing my stimuli checks along) .... naw.

there are alot of places these days with a tip line where I don't really think it is justified. Especially food trucks.

I hit the 15% line, grumble a bit, since I have no spine for taking a stand on this sort of thing.


At 15 for a burger and fries I would hope the workers in the food truck are paid decent as salary.

Do you tip at the donut shop? I don't.

Haven't been in a Jack in the Box for maybe 10 years but I can't imagine leaving a tip at a place like that. What has changed?

The systems they use. And something of a social experiment.

I tip for sit down dining, that's it. No take away.

Systems? I take my wallet out of my pocket and pay. I even buy groceries with cash. If I have cash, that's what gets spent first. IDK about systems.

I stopped using cards at restaurants 30 years ago when they'd take the card away from the table. When I can't see my card during the entire transaction, I don't use it.

Never tip fast food...They are paid too much for what they do. Resturants go ahead, not FF.

I see no reason to tip at a fast food joint. The prices are high. The food and service sucks. Nope.

No, I will never tip t a fast food joint for picking up my own food, finding silverware, filling my drink, and bussing my own mess at the end....although in the last two years during the plandemic, I might have tipped if I found that one place that bucked the system, and actually opened their dining room, and allowed me to sit/eat inside.

Edit: I first went to Subway, to get a veggie sandwich, but it was closed due to lack of help. It’s been happening at that store more often. They also have a tip when you pay option.

When I work from home I get out at least once a day, run an errand, etc.

Once a week I get three potato soft tacos from T Bell...two for lunch and one for the next day. They are great for reheating with leftovers inside - I'll even stuff them with pasta:eek:

I round up to the next dollar amount and add another dollar. Makes them happy, makes me happy. I worked in food service in HS and college so I am a bit of a softy in the tip/no tip department.

I only tip fast food workers if they're on roller skates. :)

Comical to see unskilled labor ask for gratuity.

I am a generous tipper as a restaurant where we sit down and the waiter or waitress comes over and takes our order, and if they are fairly attentive, and keep my coffee or iced tea topped up. And the food is served hot and promptly, and does not sit under the lights while they are chit chatting with fellow employees.

We go to one local BBQ place that their setup is to go to the counter, place your order, and go sit down and wait for them to bring the food, and there you just leave the stuff on your table when done and leave. Refills on drinks are up to the customer. I will leave a dollar on the table, regardless of how much I spent.

As a regular fast food place where I get the food to go, I never go through a drive through, I go in. I don't ever want to be so dang lazy that I can't get out of the car and walk in. And of course, I park at the far end of the lot to avoid door dings. I hate talking to a box that makes the voice sound so hard to understand. I don't tip there either.

Of course not. Tipped employees are being paid $3.63/hr, not $15/hr.