Tipping for take-out or counter service (store, food, phone)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

I have and I still don't expect any money for working. I recieved a solid wage a hour.



Saw this at Moes last week and I just . Give me a break...

That makes me think of another thing that doesn't sit right with me about this tipping-for-takeout-service thing. The way these tip jars are basically placed in your face takes them out of the realm of a voluntary gratuity. They're essentially a demand for the customer to pay up money that should be paid by the owner.

The picture you've posted, PKCorey, is an even more over the top example of that. The clear subtext is, "Please don't deny us poor, lowly workers the money to even pay for gas." And of course the implication is that if you don't you're some kind of hard-hearted heel who turns his back on the needy.

In my opinion, that's not far from the guilt trip some of these street beggars try to lay on you. "C'mon, man in the fancy suit, you know you've got it -- won't you give me $5 for something to eat?"

Frankly, these "mandatory" tip jars deter me from going in coffee shops sometimes. I'd rather just make my own or stop into the Quik Trip than subject myself to an unfair guilt trip.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by arjay57

That makes me think of another thing that doesn't sit right with me about this tipping-for-takeout-service thing. The way these tip jars are basically placed in your face takes them out of the realm of a voluntary gratuity. They're essentially a demand for the customer to pay up money that should be paid by the owner.

The picture you've posted, PKCorey, is an even more over the top example of that. The clear subtext is, "Please don't deny us poor, lowly workers the money to even pay for gas." And of course the implication is that if you don't you're some kind of hard-hearted heel who turns his back on the needy.

In my opinion, that's not far from the guilt trip some of these street beggars try to lay on you. "C'mon, man in the fancy suit, you know you've got it -- won't you give me $5 for something to eat?"

Frankly, these "mandatory" tip jars deter me from going in coffee shops sometimes. I'd rather just make my own or stop into the Quik Trip than subject myself to an unfair guilt trip.

Gas money, my ass. The money in the tip jar gets spent on beer and cigarettes.

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by sjuraud

Yeah, if your idea of solid wage an hour is minimum wage. I guess you do.

Well, I made way above mininum wage when I worked fast food. A $1 or $2 when I left my job. I'm pretty sure, I make more then my old supervisor did with my current job .

Spare me like I don't understand the work that we do for low pay. From coming in at 4:30 in the morning to open then empty the delivery truck at the end of your shift for another hour or two and work in the blaze heat of the summer because they refuse to fix the a/c.

[Mattie]

I was under the impression that Starbucks (where I assume you are referring to Arjay) paid their workers better than the average fast food joint, and supplied benefits too. I know a couple of college grads who were trying to get hired there because it wasn't your typical fast food wage/benefits. True?

I hate tip jars, but I don't see them going away either. If anything, they seem more prevalent. I throw something in when I feel it is deserved, and have no trouble ignoring them otherwise.

[JonSavage]

Originally Posted by neil0311

One difference...delivery drivers make at least minimum wage. Why is it any different tipping them...for simply doing their job...than it would be tipping the cashier at McDonalds for doing theirs?

Why do we owe someone who is paid at least minimum wage a tip for doing what they signed up to do? I get servers in restaurants who get sub-minimun wages, and the tip is supposed to make up the difference. I don't why it should be automatic to tip someone making a normal hourly wage, and why delivery drivers and not the person at McDonalds or Starbucks, or at the grocery store. Hmmmm?

Not true, most drivers make sub-minimum wage.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by JonSavage

Not true, most drivers make sub-minimum wage.

Is that because drivers are considered tippable positions?

I've always found it fascinating that some states allow jobs to pay less than the minimum wage. Business-friendly, perhaps, and it might also result in better service in some situations, but...

[JonSavage]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

Is that because drivers are considered tippable positions?

I've always found it fascinating that some states allow jobs to pay less than the minimum wage. Business-friendly, perhaps, and it might also result in better service in some situations, but...

It's definitely business-friendly. The business owners can pass the responsibility of mileage reimbursement (A fraction of the delivery charge) over to the customers. Also, the possibility of getting a sizable tip can motivate most drivers to provide good service

[sweetheart1311]

I love this topic, because I also don't tip for take out service, but I always feel a little guilty when I put a 0 on the tip line of the receipt.
Tip jars don't intimidate me, though. I think most of them are completely ridiculous. Like a tip jar at the frozen yogurt places in L.A. You walk around filling up your cup and then they expect you to tip the cashier for ringing you up???

I went grocery shopping at my favorite market here in L.A. called Jons Market. They have a bunch of locations. The one I went to actually made you leave your cart at the register, so that they can load your groceries into another cart and have the baggy person escort you to your car. It was either that or you carry your own groceries. You had no option at all to push your own cart to your own car. Of course, you are expected to tip the person that "help you". How ridiculous is that???

I've always wondered about these two situations and I'd love to hear your opinions:

1. Do you tip furniture delivery people if you already paid a delivery charge? (which in some cases is $ 50 +)

2. I had my tires rotated for free at the Discount Tires store a couple of times (they do that even if you don't buy anything). Should I tip them? I always feel kinda guilty just saying "Thank you" and walking away. But you don't usually tip the mechanics, do you?

[Mattie]

Yes to tipping furniture delivery people, no to mechanics. Whenever I've had to pick up a car from service I don't deal with anybody who worked on it anyway. Usually they just have a cashier who pulls your paperwork.

Furniture deliverers who set up my purchase, take away all the packing materials, and are considerate of my walls, floors, etc, always get $10-$20 each.

BTW: Publix grocery stores here always offer to take the cart to the car, but employees are not supposed to accept tips. It's just a service they offer.

[sweetheart1311]

Originally Posted by Mattie

BTW: Publix grocery stores here always offer to take the cart to the car, but employees are not supposed to accept tips. It's just a service they offer.

Thanks for your response.
Yes, I've had Publix and Kroger employees ask me if I needed help taking my groceries to my car (I guess cause I'm a petite girl and I usually have a cart full of groceries ) and I know they don't expect to be tipped (I lived in Atlanta before I moved here). But at least I have the option to take my own groceries to my car. I couldn't BELIEVE I couldn't use their carts at that market! I'm a perfectly healthy human being capable of pushing my own cart.