tip for carry out?

[Inkstain82]

Originally Posted by Fizgig

Servers have to pay an estimated gratuity income tax based on a percentage of their sales for the evening, whether it's dine in OR carry out. If you do not tip on carry out, you are taking money out of underpaid person's wallet

I would say that a bad law is taking money out of that person's wallet. I have nothing to do with it.

[DebbieL]

I don't understand that about the US. Here in Canada it is illegal to pay less than minimum wage whether they are a server or not (which is $8/hr in my province - but higher in most provinces). When I was a waitress 20 years ago we all made minimum wage - plus kept our tips. Now most of the restaurants seem to have tip pools (which I think is just another way they probably screw the servers out of their "true" tips - just guessing though).

Even here though, all the places seem to want tips for services that nobody would have tipped for before (such as going up to a counter and ordering some take-out lunch or something). What is up with that? Then you feel kind of cheap because you didn't tip them for what exactly? Throwing your food into the bag? I've seen also many of the places such as Starbucks with tip jars. No thanks. McDonalds will be next I'm sure.

PS - Minimum wage in the US seems low (at least from what Ima said). When I got my first job at a fast food place at age 15 (back in 1985) minimum wage was $5/hr here even then. I earned the student wage at that time (which no longer exists - everyone has the same minimum wage now). I was earning $3.50 at age 15, but no income taxes came out of the student wage. I thought I was rich, lol. I got a cheque for $140 every two weeks and blew it all on pizza, beer, records, etc. Life was good I didn't even think about saving back then.

[autoxer]

Originally Posted by Fizgig

If you do not tip on carry out, you are taking money out of underpaid person's wallet

And if you do tip on carry out, then they are taking money out of your wallet.

[irmanator]

I don't know who your kidding here, I know people who waitress and make 300 on a weekend. I don't feel sorry for them. I tip what i think is fair for the service provided.

[goldentraders]

LOLs to that... did you give them a tip anyway? No don't ever do that unless you're too generous...

[Fizgig]

Originally Posted by Inkstain82

I would say that a bad law is taking money out of that person's wallet. I have nothing to do with it.

You do have something to do with it, if you know how the system works and still choose to stiff the server. If you want to lobby to change the law, I think that's great. Unless the law it changed, however, you should kick in a few bucks.

10% on a $30 takeout order is $3. If that's gonna break you, you should cook your own meal.

[Inkstain82]

Originally Posted by Fizgig

You do have something to do with it, if you know how the system works and still choose to stiff the server. If you want to lobby to change the law, I think that's great. Unless the law it changed, however, you should kick in a few bucks.

10% on a $30 takeout order is $3. If that's gonna break you, you should cook your own meal.

Nothing to do with breaking me. Everything to do with how I choose to interact with a business.

[HamSandwich]

While on the topic of tipping, I'm a little peeved on how tipping has become more of a requirement than an option. Now don't get me wrong, I always tip at least 15%, but I always wonder, why am I rewarding someone for doing their job? I mean, you wouldn't tip a pilot everytime they landed a plane would you?

And on top of that, it bothers me that whenever I tip anything below the standard 15%, they look at me as though I murdered a baby. I mean, tip is optional. I could be leaving nothing at all and that should be fine, right?

Am I missing something here? Thoughts?

[boosami]

Here are my thoughts on tipping... In countries where servers are paid a normal minimum wage, tipping is optional. In countries where servers are paid less and are expected to make up the difference with tips, it is seen as "required" though it is not illegal to stiff them. (I know some provinces in Canada are an exception to this, but I thinks it's just a mix of the two tipping cultures.)

I tip because servers in the US make garbage otherwise. If the laws changed and they made regular salaries, I would tip based solely on service, and not feel bad leaving no tip at all if it was warranted. And yes, I tip on carry-out.

[KTP]

Originally Posted by boosami

Here are my thoughts on tipping... In countries where servers are paid a normal minimum wage, tipping is optional. In countries where servers are paid less and are expected to make up the difference with tips, it is seen as "required" though it is not illegal to stiff them. (I know some provinces in Canada are an exception to this, but I thinks it's just a mix of the two tipping cultures.)

I tip because servers in the US make garbage otherwise. If the laws changed and they made regular salaries, I would tip based solely on service, and not feel bad leaving no tip at all if it was warranted. And yes, I tip on carry-out.

I sometimes tip on carry-out if I feel they did some effort in packaging my food. One place I go to though is more of a buffet style, and for carryout you actually get the styrofoam box and put the food in it yourself, then take it to the register to pay. And yet there is a tip jar there at the register and the reciept when you pay for credit card has a tip line.

Should we start tipping at McDonalds and the grocery store? I bet the cashiers there don't make much money either...

[boosami]

Originally Posted by KTP

Should we start tipping at McDonalds and the grocery store? I bet the cashiers there don't make much money either...

They don't get paid much, but at least they are subject to normal minimum wage requirements. They aren't expected to make up a significant portion of their wages with tips. I do not tip in tip jars, except for my change (because I hate carrying it around).

[mom-from-missouri]

Originally Posted by gamecock43

yup I've seen them. And ignored them. McD's and other fast food workers make min wage.

not all of them make min wage at fast food.

I consider Sonic to be fast food, as do most people. They only make $2 something an hour (2 daughters of friends work at 2 different sonics and both have told me that rarely do they get tips).

[mnpqrd]

I rarely eat out and when I do I tip 15-25% whether the service is good or bad. The reason I don't eat out much is because the food is usually high in sodium and fat. For take out, I don't tip except leaving my change in tip jars if there is one. I like the idea that they should get paid at least minimum wage and get rid of tipping. People tip in other areas such as beauty salon, hotel, parking services, ... even though they make much more than $3/hr so tipping is not neccessary for only waitstaffs making a couple $ an hour.

[HamSandwich]

im a little confused here. where are you guys from? i've never heard of a 2-3 dollar an hr minimum wage. im from california and the minimum wage here is 8 dollars an hr.

[mnpqrd]

I never worked in a restaurant so I can't confirm that waitstaff's wage is $2-3/hr. It's what I heard from others and I was surprised when I first learned that.

[Fizgig]

I just don't think it's right to punish the server because we have a crappy compensation/tax system. Refusing to tip isn't a valid form of social protest that's going to topple the system or anything - it's just being cheap and insensitive.

If you can afford the meal, you can afford the tip. If not, you should cook your own meal.

[rizzmo]

Ham when a person is classified as a "server" in the US the employer does not have to meet the normal minimum wage requirement. I think current normal minimum wage is about $7, by contrast servers are typically paid 2-3 dollars an hour by their employer and tips are expected to make up the difference.