Tipping On Take Out Orders: Yes or No?

There is an increasing expectation to tip when picking up your take out orders, but should you?

Should you tip when it comes to delivery?

Absolutely.

Should you tip when you’re dining in at a restaurant?

Of course.

Should you tip when you are picking up a simple to-go order?

I’m often told I’m a cheapskate because I say NO.

It’s now become the norm in pretty much any location that uses point of sale counter carry out service to see an option when making payments that automatically suggests the “recommended” tip. It is also usually printed on the bottom of many receipts now telling you how much you should tip. This amount is usually the standard 15% to as much as 30% (or more).

Everyone wants your money, but what’s worse is I have even seen tipping prompts appear on self checkout terminals. Ridiculous does not even remotely cover how brazenly rude this is for consumers. This makes me very uncomfortable because there is an expectation to provide a reward that has nothing to do with how the service or product is. It is purely a new custom being forced upon the populous.

Some employees try to guilt you into tipping with subtle hints such as circling the tip area as they hand you the receipt. Some will straight up tell you there is a section for a tip. Others post signs saying they want tips offering options to tip with Venmo, Cash App, or other online money services. Regardless, this is all pushy as they expect you are going to give them something extra for doing their job, “just because.”

Keep in mind, we are talking about pick up orders.

I tend not to tip on pick ups because in many cases it seems I am an inconvenience to employees when I walk into a business. When I approach the counter it appears I am interrupting a very important conversation about whatever topic it is they are discussing. Sometimes I cause the employees to actually have to put their phone down, taking them away from texting or gaming. Other times it’s just a glare and snarky stare followed by a glaring sigh with a groaning comment of, “Can I help you?”

If I am the person who is picking up the food, that means I am the one who is enduring the existing weather conditions to go pick up the food. I am the one who is using my own gas to get there and I am the one who has to stand in line waiting to pick it up. More than likely, I am the one who placed the order online meaning the employees did nothing more than read the screen and cook the food, which they are paid to do. AND, the person on the register is only running the register. They probably didn’t have anything to do with making the food!

Does standing at a counter playing on a phone truly warrant a tip?

Do I have to offer extra payment to ensure my food is cooked is cooked correctly?

There is the argument food workers deserve a tip because do not make that much money…

Prior to the covid-19 nonsense, I did occasionally drop some change in tip jars if I was paying with cash, but in the ensuing craziness of lower wage workers demanding higher salaries since then, you now have fast food workers in some cases making more money per hour than teachers, nurses, and other jobs that require a college degree or skilled labor, yet they have the nerve to ask for a tip when selling already overpriced food which keeps increasing in price.

My gripes about the ignorance of higher salaries and the post Covid-19 lack of work ethic are stories for another day, but tipping now seems be reflective of the “everyone gets a trophy” generation. You are expected to reward others just for being there.

Domino’s may not be the best pizza out there, but when it comes to marketing they got it right in 2022 when they started offering a $3.00 tip to customers (to be applied as a discount to a future order) for using carryout rather than delivery. This $3.00 discount was in addition to any other coupons used. This was an ingenious marketing ploy that absolutely should be adopted by other businesses. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long and I couldn’t find any other company who has tried anything similar since.

What do you think?

Do you tip when you pick up your own food?

Would you tip at a self checkout?

~ Marty ~

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