# Do You Tip on Take Out Orders? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [March 14, 2023, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148 "2023-03-14T09:23:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/1 "2023-03-14T09:23:20Z")
On orders where you call a restaurant or go online and place an order, go into the restaurant (so not the situations where you park and they bring it out to you), and they hand you a bag with your order and you leave, do you leave a tip? I am curious. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/2 "2023-03-14T10:24:36Z")
Yes. I tip for everything. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/3 "2023-03-14T10:47:43Z")
Maybe 5 to 10%, nothing more. The way I see it I am not being served by a waiter, not dirtying up their dishes and tables and not using their utilities. I am using their kitchen staff, so they get a cut. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/4 "2023-03-14T10:59:11Z")
Yes. Tip well and you will be remembered the next time you order. That’s been my experience anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/5 "2023-03-14T11:20:11Z")
No. Not a fan of tipping, and generally do it only for personal services rendered. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/6 "2023-03-14T11:28:23Z")
No, that’s where I draw the line. I’m a generous tipper elsewhere but not on take out. I’ll sometimes drop a buck or two in the tip jar if I have cash. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/7 "2023-03-14T12:07:48Z")
Yep, a buck or two in the tip jar. During the pandemic though, we tipped a full 15-20% to try to support our favorite local restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/8 "2023-03-14T12:39:56Z")
Usually 5-10% and hope it goes to the cook. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/9 "2023-03-14T12:55:31Z")
> [@solost](#): > > During the pandemic though, we tipped a full 15-20% to try to support our favorite local restaurants. I got into the habit during the Covid shutdown, and never really got out of it. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/10 "2023-03-14T13:01:36Z")
I still do 15% many times for carryout, but it depends on the situation. For example, Friday is pizza night in our house. I drive to pick it up. Sometimes I do 15% on the credit card machine, and sometimes I do 0 and just put a couple bucks in the jar. I sort of alternate. Hey, I drove there myself in a snowstorm, I don’t feel like I need to give 15% every single time. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/11 "2023-03-14T13:36:29Z")
I don’t know exactly when tipping for takeout orders became expected, but I don’t tip for takeout because I’m not getting any kind of personal service like I do from a server, a delivery to my home, or when I get my hair cut. I won’t lie, I haven’t ordered delivery in a long, long time in response to businesses adding delivery fees. i.e. I didn’t want to play a tip + a delivery fee so I’ve been picking my food up for a number of years. I made an exception during the COVID lockdown because I know folks were going through a particularly rough patch and I did appreciate them remaining open so I could eat. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/12 "2023-03-14T13:38:01Z")
Tip who? The guy who handed me the bag without moving a muscle? Why does he deserve a tip? All he did was take the order and hand me the bag. The cook deserves a tip, but I never see him. If there is a jar where tips are shared then I will tip. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/13 "2023-03-14T13:55:17Z")
No way. Why would I tip the cashier for handing me a bag? Do you tip at McDonalds? Same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/14 "2023-03-14T14:00:31Z")
It depends. Large or complicated orders and I’ll tip up to 15%. Smaller, routine orders and I’ll tip no more than the coins from the change. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/15 "2023-03-14T14:00:52Z")
Nope - I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/16 "2023-03-14T14:31:58Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Why would I tip the cashier for handing me a bag? Do you tip at McDonalds? Same thing. There may be enough effort and/or expense involved in packaging up a to-go order in a sit-down restaurant that it’s worth adding it a tip. And the person who does the packing up may be a server who’s spending time that they could otherwise be using to serve a tipping customer. (As opposed to McDonald’s, where all the items get wrapped up automatically.) But I don’t know what things look like from the restaurant’s point of view; and I suspect it varies depending on the circumstances. The other reason to tip is that, if you can easily afford it, it’s nice to let the money flow to someone who needs it more than you do, and who is making your life better in some small way. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/17 "2023-03-14T14:42:59Z")
I’ll tip a buck or two. I almost always party by CC so I’ll round it up to the nearest whole dollar, e.g., for a $17.23 bill then I’ll add $1.77 or $2.77. I guess that’s the CC equivalent of tossing in the change from the cash payment plus a buck or two. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/18 "2023-03-14T14:46:18Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Yes. Tip well and you will be remembered the next time you order. This. I rarely order take out, but when I do I want it to be perfect. Being “the guy who tips” seems to work out in my favor. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/19 "2023-03-14T14:58:06Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I don’t know exactly when tipping for takeout orders became expected I remember first being confronted with this situation in 2007 and not knowing what to do. I was getting takeout from a normally sit down restaurant, and I’m guessing their software just automatically included the tip line, so I left 10%. Since Covid, I usually leave 15-20%, even though logically I feel I should f need to leave anything. For as rarely as we get take out, I figure I could spare the extra couple bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2023, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/20 "2023-03-14T15:10:53Z")
I tip around 20%. Maybe it will make someone with a shitty job a little happier. Unlike others, I don’t do it with an eye towards better service in the future. I don’t expect to be remembered. I assume they try to give everyone good service anyway. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148.md?page=2)