What is the proper etiquette for tipping at a pick up restuarant?

Question

When I eat out at restuarants I always try to leave a good tip. However, sometimes when I get carryout they run my credit card and there is a spot for a tip. Since I am carrying out I would think I would not have to tip, but I feel guilty handing it back with that spot blank. I usually put down one or two dollars. Is this good manners or am I throwing money away. I am not a rich person but I do like to pay when its due. If I was not cheating anyone it would really help to not add a tip everytime for these carryout orders. Thanks for the advice!

Answer 1

tipping at a take-out really is throwing money away unless of course you like and know the cook and have access to him/her.  no one else really does any work besides putting it in a bag.

Answer 2

Since getting to-go meals at sit-down restaurants is a fairly new practice, I don't think that the etiquette for this is completely established yet. When you sit down and are waited on by a server, you know that person doesn't make very much as an hourly wage and needs to be tipped, but when you're dealing with someone operating a cash register, you don't know who that is. It could be the manager, it could be the owner, so they could be making a lot more than $2-something an hour. And if you don't see them pack the bag, how do you know they did that either? It might have been somebody else. I don't think putting something in a bag necessarily warrants a tip anyway. I think that if these restaurants expect a tip for take-out, they ought to just add to your bill whatever they feel is an appropriate fee. Don't feel bad that you see a space for a tip on your credit card slip, that's probably just printed automatically on every credit card slip, whether the person is eating in or taking out. So I say, no tip on take-out.

Answer 3

These people are taking care that all of your food that you ordered is there in the bag. They are also making sure that you have ranch, ketchup, napkins, utensils, etc...... They are doing all of this while waiting on other tables and 1000's of other little odd jobs. It is very easy to forget, but they don't, so I think a tip is a good idea to show your appreciation.

Answer 4

I always leave a couple dollars, I'm a nice guy.

Answer 5

I always like to tip the person who actually packages and hands me the food a cash tip.  Adding it to the check would not go to the person who earned it.