Should you leave a tip when you are picking up a carry-out?
 

I went today to pick up a pizza that I had ordered over the phone for a carry-out. The bill was $16.00. I handed the girl at the counter a $20.00 bill. After I gave it to her, I realized I had a single dollar bill in my pocket so I told her that I would give it to her and then she could give me a $5.00 bill back. She took it but acted as though "well now, you won't have singles to give me a tip!".

This happened to me once before at a Pizza Hut. The only difference was that the girl at the register said out loud to the other employees that she couldn't believe how cheap I was in not giving her a tip. She said it acting like she was saying it with no intention of me hearing it. Yet she made sure she spoke loud enough for me to hear. (does that make sense?)

I just ignored her, but it got me thinking if maybe I WAS cheap. I don't believe that getting my pizza from the counter, handing it to me, and then ringing me up on the register warrants a tip.

What do u think?

No tip if I have to get in my car and pick it up.
Do I tip at a McDonald's Drive through? No.
Delivery and table service is an entirely different story.

If I drive to pick up carry out never.....on delivery yes.....

Maybe she used to work in Key West. Even the drugstores have tip jars there :O

No way, doesn't make any sense to tip her at all when you're picking it up yourself.

if i go to pick up something from chilis curbside i usually give a dollar tip....but thats it....if i have to go inside and you ring me up then hand me my food, you dont get a tip...restaurants are different though...we go to a BBQ place about 2-3 times a week after our deliveries, and the girls there bust thier asses to make you happy...and they are really nice, theres a couple that sit with us and just chill while we eat...we always go around 2:00 or 3:00 so we are basically the only ones in there...those girls could just about live off of us...we usually give them a 100% tip if we had a seven or eight dollar meal...i know, if they are anything like me, a little larger than normal tip is really appreciated...but if im at a new place or i dont know the waitress, i usually tip about 20%....but for getting my own damn food? youd have to be crazy to expect me to give a tip

I see this a lot and disagree with it.

I had a local Mexican place I used to swing by once every couple of weeks. It had a tip jar at the drive through window. I thought that was pretty strange. One day, I was in a good mood and dropped a buck in the jar. The gal didn't even say thanks. That was the last time I did (or would consider) that again.

you should have taken the tip of your index finger and planted it firmly in her eye.

At one of the local pizza/sub shop, there have a tip jars AND a note posted to remind people that tips are appropriate for carry out.
I avoid the place for carry out, even though they have the best crab cakes in the area. ( And thats saying something).
I will dine in, and leave a tip when I do.

ps, do any of you remember the origin of the term, "tip" and its purpose?

So some of you have seen this as well....

It's funny. When I was stationed in Okinawa in the early 80's, I was told that you are NOT supposed to tip servers/waitresses. It was considered an insult to them. It was as though you were saying "you are NOT doing a good enough job so youmust not be getting paid well. Here's a little extra to help you out!"

Wish these people over here felt that way. I've been to too many restaurants where the waitress acted as though waiting on me and my wife was the last place on earth they wanted to be at. Or that for some reason they wanted to take out their lousy existence on my wife and I.

What about you?

How Rude
 

The wages for those employees are usually lower because they get tips to boost their wage, some of them get paid a lot for wating on tables. I had worked my way through college working as a cook in resturants.

Common rule of thumb that I use is if your sitting down and someone brings you your food, drink ect.. they get tiped on their performance, anywhere from $0 to 20%. usually when there good 15% if their bad the manger should be told. I tip at Sonics for this reason, they bring me my food to the car.

If you are picking up your food at the register no tip should be given, I would have let the manager know how RUDE that person was, and I would have let him know how much $$$$ I spend there and that might just be the last time I go. Let him know your opinion, she didn't "serve you" she just took your money so why is a tip needed. If you notice most the time the person taking the money at the register is the manager or someone that is not wating on tables.

Anymore the service of these people is getting worse, and they think they deserve a tip, the tip is to rate their service.

Interesting....(re: To go food)

but.....don't we tip bartenders for opening up a bottle of beer for us?

Not sure if this is the same thing but what about the few places that have Bathroom attendents. In europe I am used to it so I tip accordingly but in the US it just pisses me off. I can get my own soap out of the disspenser along with my hand towel. Makes me feel weird.

I did read an article about them once. The stores usually do not pay them squat, they are barely surviving. I feel bad for them but I am realy PO'ed at the establishment for having them in the first place.

Generally I leave a buck or two. Depends on the place.

No, only if the deliver to your car.