'I swear I’m not cheap': Waiters discuss what are 'reasonable' and 'unreasonable' tipping habits in the U.S.

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Jan 28, 2024 9:00 PM EST

When you place an order for pick up—which means you are going to the store, they are handing you a bag of your food, and then you take it home yourself—are you leaving a tip? How much of a tip? Less than the usual 20% or none at all? What about when it's a delivery or sit-down meal? Do you take out of your tip when a sauce is forgotten or utensils missing? 

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  • In the U.S., most service industry employees earn a good portion of their paycheck, if not entirely, from tips. So when you get angry about something as small as "they forgot to bring the ketchup!" and you give them a 10% tip instead of 20%, you're potentially taking away from their ability to make rent this month. Because of ketchup… But on the flip side, when you tip on something like a pick-up order, where the employees that earn off of tipping wages don't really do much, then you're supporting a system for them to never earn a livable wage from their employers. If we didn't have enough to ponder over in the U.S., now we have to reevaluate how we tip. Let these service industry employees online explain. 

    Here's another service industry story that will have your head spinning!

  • 01
    r/Waiters. 1 day ago Both-Manufacturer339 (r/ Are my tipping habits reasonable unreasonable? or So I've been going back and forth with some friends about how tipping should work. We all kinda have mixed feelings about it in different situations, particularly to-go orders. Here's the scenario. Scenario: I call in a TO-GO order and drive myself to the restaurant.
    via u/Both-Manufacturer339
  • 02
    I pick up the order myself by walking into the restaurant. While carside delivery is available, I have found it is quicker if I go inside myself rather than wait. The staff member walks into the kitchen, returns with a bag containing my food, and hands it to me. I pay for my meal but leave no tip.
    via u/Both-Manufacturer339
  • 03
    I would like to note that while I understand tipping is sometimes part of the hourly wage, I do not believe in this particular instance it is necessary as I am not staying to be seated, not being given full service, and am simply being handed a bag of food from the kitchen. Am I wrong in this situation? Why or why not?
    via u/Both-Manufacturer339
  • 04
    taters_po_tae_toes. 1d ago absolutely reasonable. as a waitress, i never expect tips on to go orders. if i get one, it's an added little bonus, an extra thank you! but i wouldn't be mad if you didn't ↑ 166 ↑ Share Reply ... thebestjoeever. 1d ago Yeah I worked in restaurants, although usually back of house, for like a decade. Your answer is pretty much exactly right. 438 Reply ↑ Share ...
    via u/taters_po_tae_toes
  • 05
    sleverest 1d ago I tip about 10% on takeout from a restaurant I know has tipped wage workers. As a former server, I understand I'm using a bit of that server's time and mental capacity away from their tipping tables, so they deserve something for that. Somewhere more fast casual type where workers are getting regular wages, I might leave a buck or two, bc I've also done that job and it's minimum wage isn't enough for the put up with. and they gotta
    via u/sleverest
  • 06
    swaggyxwaggy. 15h ago I used to be a server. We are the last point of contact between kitchen and customer, even on to go orders. We check the containers to make sure the order is correct, bag them, add correct sauces/utensils/napkins as well as cash out the customer (if they haven't paid ahead of time). I never expected 20% on togos, but a couple bucks is always nice, because we do take time to get them ready. As a former server, I always tip 20% on my togos, just because I know how it is and i
    via u/swaggyxwaggy
  • 07
    Blacktail Jack. 1d ago I worked as a server at a family restaurant once- absolute nightmare job, customer base were mostly the meanest, stingiest sort of elderly folks. Take-out orders were randomly assigned to servers as they came in. If you got assigned a takeout order, it was now YOUR job to box it, get all the condiments, napkins, etc. packed, bag it, and take payment when the customer arrived (this was a bit before meal delivery apps, and most people were paying cash because that was the ki
    via u/BlacktailJack
  • 08
    The customers might have been cheap sit-down diners already, but they NEVER, EVER tipped for takeout orders. Getting assigned a takeout order was absolutely guaranteed to be work you weren't getting compensated for- and we were getting paid less than 3 bucks an hour before tips. I always tip for takeout orders, though usually at around 10-15% rather than 20, depending on complexity. Someone had to box all of that up, gather up my little containers of sauces. With how common tip pooling is these
    via u/BlacktailJack
  • 09
    nicvaykay 1d ago That was my experience, too. I always tip on to-go orders now. 4 14 ↓ + More replies Reply 1 Share Old-Arachnid77. 1d ago Same but I just do 20% for everything and call it a day. If someone really looked like they're having a day I'll go a little higher. I waited tables for many years before becoming a corporate flunky. That : is hard. 42 ↓ Reply 1 Share
    via u/nicvaycay
  • 10
    soonx3 22h ago It's not the customer's job to make sure you're compensated for your work, it's your boss's. 42 ↓ Reply Share NotSoEasyGoing 17h ago I have worked at more than a few restaurants, and that was always how it was done. You are receiving a service from someone who is making $2.13/hr so you should tip them for it. 42 Reply ↑ Share 凸 ...
    via u/soonx3
  • 11
    Perfect Guest6913 16h ago . God cry me a river. You want a tip for putting food in bag? Jfc. 423 Reply Share William Bott. 10h ago So you tip the McDonald's guy bagging up your takeout order, right? If not, why not? They make minimum wage, too, and do the same thing. 423 Reply ↑ Share ...
    via u/Perfect_Guest6913
  • 12
    vvildlings 1d ago So any restaurant where there isn't a dedicated to-go employee, that usually means a server or bartender is the one doing the work for call in orders. If they take your order, fire it into the system, expo the order when it comes up, check it/collect to-go cutlery and other sides, and cash you out when you come in it sounds like they did at least 50% of the work they would do for a dine in guest. 10% is a solid tip for to-go food imo, especially if you are getting a larger orde
    via u/vvildlings
  • 13
    RalphWolfsNemesis 1d ago The people doing the bagging are getting paid garbage wages with the expectation they will be tipped. I have a family member that did a car side position, and she made less than a Wendy's worker for making sure your order was correct, packing sides and condiments, etc. It's bad enough they have to do it for every door dash driver for no chance of a tip, actual humans could at least consider it.
    via u/RalphWolfsNemisis
  • 14
    Mountain_Act2603 1d ago If the kitchen gets tipped out, or the host and food runner do, tipping would be morally preferable. That said I tip 10% on pickup, 20% dine in and delivery 49 + Reply ↑ Share DogKnowsBest • 1d ago No customer is going to know the rules of who gets paid what and what tips are split, nor should they be expected to. It's entirely reasonable for takeout orders that are picked up by the customer to not be tipped. 44 ↓ Reply 1 Share
    via u/Mountain_Act2603
  • 15
    • 1d ago Totally legit mindset, but the only thing is the person who boxes and bags your stuff, makes sure all the dressings, utensils, napkins and such are in there for you are usually a FOH person making the $2.13/hr. Now, what they are doing for you is no where near the level of service that waitstaff performs when you sit down. Because of this, I like to drop a dollar or two in the "To-Go" tip jar when I'm doing pickup. Besides, most places break up the tips in some way amongst the kitchen s
    via u/JetPoweredJer*
  • 16
    IMissMyBeddddd. 1d ago I work at Waffle House and advise people on pick up orders to not tip. We already get a 10% service charge on your order. lol I posted about it on my university's YikYak and actually started an argument about tipping. I was just trying to help and I kept getting comments like "well you guys don't deserve a tip anyway for just handing us the food" for to-go". That's why I said don't! Sorry just had to rant a lil about some of Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids apparent lack of compre
    via u/IMissMyBeddddd

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