# 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:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/61 "2023-03-19T04:56:28Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > There is a Chinese restaurant here that gives a discount for cash, they have great food (and big portions), and the people that work there are really nice. I’ll give them a tip on take-out just because I like supporting their restaurant. > > For everyone else though, no. I don’t tip for take-out. This caught my eye because I have exactly such a Chinese restaurant conveniently nearby – great food, large portions, friendly staff. As for tipping, I always pay by credit card and their payment system never used to offer the option of a tip until recently. The first time it did, I was rather put off and surprised, and just said “no”. But then I felt bad and vowed that the next time I’d give them a tip even though tipping on takeout seemed strange to me. And the next time … back to the usual payment screen, no tip option! And the time after that, back to a tip option again, at which time the inconsistency began to piss me off so it was “no” again. But a really large number of takeout places have recently sprung up around here. It’s a growing neighbourhood but it’s hard to see how they can all stay in business. So maybe next time, given the option, I actually will tip. Their Singapore noodles and various lo meins and fried rice offerings are fantastic, and ordering just three dishes is like a dinner for ten. Their prices are reasonable, and they deserve to stay in business! ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/62 "2023-03-19T21:59:44Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > (for pi day!) and the charge was $30.01. So I tipped $2.99. Should have been a buck forty … I get especially annoyed by the credit card prompts with suggested 20 or 25% tips at coffee shops. I’m buying two bags of coffee and a coffee drink for my wife. Together that’s $50ish. No way your putting beans through the grinder and ringing it up is worth ten plus bucks. I fear the move to tipping at the counter for no significant service will paradoxically end up with employers using that as justification to pay less hourly, as it has been for waitstaff. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/63 "2023-03-19T22:41:18Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > I fear the move to tipping at the counter for no significant service will paradoxically end up with employers using that as justification to pay less hourly, as it has been for waitstaff. It almost certainly will in many places, because the laws that allow a “tip credit” usually\* limit that credit to occupations where people customarily and regularly receives more a certain amount per month in tips. And once it becomes customary to tip for counter service, you can be sure that plenty of those employers will make it a point to lower wages. About 40 years ago, I worked in a Dunkin Donuts - at that time , they had counter service and used real cups, bowls etc. We got very little in tips, not enough to bring us up to minimum wage on the shifts I worked - but the owner sure paid us the lower tipped minimum. He paid the employees in the Carvel he owned right next door minimum wage because he knew he could never get away with claiming they made it up in tips. \* There are some places where certain employees are excluded from being eligible for a tip credit - and sometimes fast food employees are excluded. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/64 "2023-03-19T22:47:24Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I was under the impression that employees at places like McDonalds were not allowed to accept tips (but maybe I’m wrong). I actually called the franchisee office for the local McDonald’s (they have a dozen locations) and confirmed that any gratuities in cash go into the Ronald McDonald House collection box and anything in kind (I suggested grocery gift cards) would go to the franchisee. Any employee caught keeping tips would be summarily dismissed. They said this is a requirement in the franchise agreement. No way for me to verify that. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/65 "2023-03-19T22:54:25Z")
I’m almost certain that McDonald’s cashiers are not allowed to keep tips - but if they still have birthday parties, the person assigned to the party used to be allowed to accept tips, at least at some locations. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/66 "2023-03-27T18:20:25Z")
“Around 48% of purchases at fast food restaurants, as well as coffee shops, included a tip during the final quarter of 2022, according to data released this month from Toast, a restaurant management software company. That was up 11% from pre-Covid levels.” “But Americans are tipping less.” > **[Customers now face a radically different tipping culture compared to a few...](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/03/25/business/tipping-trends/index.html)** > > More stores now offer customers the option to tip, from coffee shops to ice cream stores. ---
**Author:** ![Beesnest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@Beesnest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beesnest)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2023, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148/67 "2023-03-27T18:35:36Z")
I do at my favorite Japanese place. The sushi guy still does the same work. For Chinese or Pizza shop I might throw in a dollar. For the Peruvian chicken spot I would like to buy someone a house. I can’t/won’t but the thought is there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-on-take-out-orders/981148.md?page=3)