Fast food tipping??

[Idaho45guy]

Went to the little town of Colfax, WA yesterday to pick up my new pistol at my FFL (the only FFL in the county, now) and stopped at a fast food place called "Zips".

It's a local chain with a couple of dozen locations in the Northwest with pretty good fast food. I have been stopping by this one for probably the last 20 years on my trips to Spokane. There is another one 20 miles away in Moscow and I visit that one a couple of times a month.

The food is really not that cheap for fast food. I usually buy the two for $5 Papa Joe burger special (cheeseburger with a slice of ham added) and a large tots and no drink and the total is just over $10.

So I walk into the Colfax location and about fall down due to a super slippery tile floor. Seriously, it felt like it was coated with cooking oil and soap. I manage to make it to the counter and instead of the typical fresh-faced and bubbly teen, I am greeted by a sour-faced middle-aged woman who obviously has made a lot of bad life decisions.

And on the counter is a giant bright silver tin tip bucket.

Wait, what? This is a fast food place!

I pay for my meal with my debit card and there is a section on the receipt for a tip. I grab a pen out of the tip bucket and mark it out. I get my usual receipt with the order number on it.

When my order was ready, an employee walked the 20' to my table and handed me my tray. I guess that's why they want a tip.

I ate my meal and the fries were inedible; way, way over-salted. Done on purpose because I refused to tip?? I took my tray to the garbage and dumped it and hobbled my way out the door without saying a word.

I sent an email to their corporate office complaining about my experience and left a negative Yelp review. I've never done that before. It was just so offensive to me that a fast food place that I've been going to for decades now wants me to tip them for not calling out a number and walking 20' with my food.

Anyway, that's my geezer rant of the day...

[RichardF]

I am of the same mind. If the server comes to the table, brings me drinks, takes my order and brings the food to the table I will tip. Oh yeah, and ice cream places that mix stuff into the ice cream. :-)

[JSnover]

I don't tip at places like that either. The wait staff is kid with a paper bag. The chef puts frozen food in, takes cooked food out, stacks the components into sandwich form.
It isn't necessarily bad, but it doesn't warrant a tip.

[popper]

Did you get tipped when you were working (steel mill, auto parts, medical)? Used to be 5%, then 10, now 20%. You are just subsidizing the workers who 'should' be getting paid for their work. No different than the farm worker that gets welfare as the employer doesn't want to pay decent wage. The TIP was a European custom by the 'upper' class to show they were wealthy (1780s).
Actually it appears to have started in pubs where the TIP was to get you good booze and rapid service. So it was really a bribe.

[dragon813gt]

I just ignore the tip jars. If they aren’t providing a service I don’t tip. And even when they do provide a service I tip accordingly. They start out at 20% and work up and down from there. Going up is extremely rare these days as I find myself tipping less because service has gotten worse.

Anytime there’s a tip line on the receipt the wife feels the need to tip something. This includes when she picks up food, that was called in, at the Italian or Chinese restaurants. I can’t make her understand they didn’t do anything to warrant a tip. Ringing up the order and handing it to me isn’t tip worthy.

I don’t need a fast food place to bring the order to my table. I will wait at the counter and pick it up. It’s more efficient for everyone this way. I have the same issue w/ a lot hotels and their breakfast service. I don’t need or want someone to bring me scrambled eggs, bacon and potatoes. Put it out so I can serve myself like most places. Same goes for orange juice and coffee. Having to wait for someone to bring it out to me isn’t efficient for anyone. And then I’m supposed to feel obligated to tip for this service that does nothing but slow me down in the morning.

[Bent Ramrod]

These are the people that demanded a “Living Wage” for going through the motions and getting the orders wrong. I read the overhead menu and when my turn comes, I ask for a Number 4, Medium, and it’s for here. They answer, “Is this for here or to go?” “What do you want?” “Small, medium or large?” “Would you like to supersize?” “Do you want a cookie (or salad or whatever) with that?” All, of course, mumbled.

I’d sooner tip a computer program, with glitches, than these strivers for a Better Life.

[Scorpion8]

I don't tip when I do all the work. Tip jars have popped up in every location I can think of, even one of our auto parts stores. But if I'm going to the self-serve soda fountain, getting my own bag of ships, and all they do is run the cash register.....whom am I supposed to tip? Myself? The guy from the distributor stocks the shelves with chips and snacks, as does the local Coca-Cola bottler in the drink coolers. Am I supposed to tip because the place is open and somewhat clean (although very often out of straws at the self-serve soda dispenser)? I thought those were things you did to get me into THIS store and not some other store.

[dragon813gt]

I wouldn’t worry to much. Tip jars will be a thing of the past at fast food chains just like people that work there. Automation WILL replace them in my lifetime. The CEOs have stayed that’s what they want and have begun investing in the R&D. Sucks that high school kids won’t have the fast food industry as a first job. But when people demand a living wage for a part time job, not a career, they’re going to be replaced by robots where the cost to run them is cheaper over the long run.

[reddog81]

I'll tip for good service even if it's at a Chipotle or Subway, but if the service is mediocre or poor they don't get anything. To me it's all relative to the work they do and the service they provide. If I pay cash often times I'll just throw the change in there. If a family of 10 comes in and orders $100 worth of food leaving a $5 tip seems reasonable. If I come in and get 1 $5 sandwhich it seems odd to have to tip, but I'll do it if the service was really good.

[am44mag]

Went to the little town of Colfax, WA yesterday to pick up my new pistol at my FFL (the only FFL in the county, now) and stopped at a fast food place called "Zips".

It's a local chain with a couple of dozen locations in the Northwest with pretty good fast food. I have been stopping by this one for probably the last 20 years on my trips to Spokane. There is another one 20 miles away in Moscow and I visit that one a couple of times a month.

The food is really not that cheap for fast food. I usually buy the two for $5 Papa Joe burger special (cheeseburger with a slice of ham added) and a large tots and no drink and the total is just over $10.

So I walk into the Colfax location and about fall down due to a super slippery tile floor. Seriously, it felt like it was coated with cooking oil and soap. I manage to make it to the counter and instead of the typical fresh-faced and bubbly teen, I am greeted by a sour-faced middle-aged woman who obviously has made a lot of bad life decisions.

And on the counter is a giant bright silver tin tip bucket.

Wait, what? This is a fast food place!

I pay for my meal with my debit card and there is a section on the receipt for a tip. I grab a pen out of the tip bucket and mark it out. I get my usual receipt with the order number on it.

When my order was ready, an employee walked the 20' to my table and handed me my tray. I guess that's why they want a tip.

I ate my meal and the fries were inedible; way, way over-salted. Done on purpose because I refused to tip?? I took my tray to the garbage and dumped it and hobbled my way out the door without saying a word.

I sent an email to their corporate office complaining about my experience and left a negative Yelp review. I've never done that before. It was just so offensive to me that a fast food place that I've been going to for decades now wants me to tip them for not calling out a number and walking 20' with my food.

Anyway, that's my geezer rant of the day...

I will tip a SMALL (less than $3) amount at Sonic since they actually come out to your car to give you your food, and are usually pretty good about making sure you don't need any condiments or anything else while you sit there. That's as far as I go for fast food though. If they aren't constantly refilling my drink, checking to see how we like the food, and doing everything else you typically expect at a sit down restaurant, I see no reason to tip them.

[country gent]

Ive notice that the age of the workers in fast food resturants around here is rising. The people behind the counters and drive thrus are getting older. A lot of the "career" jobs, the better paying factory jobs are gone. Some of the factories now only hire thru temp agencies meaning someone is paying the middleman there also. I don't know how many times Ive heard the tips more than make up for the low salary. In a fancy restaraunt or golf clubs maybe, in most regular reteraunts or fast food places no.
I tip for good service, good food ( well prepared, nice servings sizes, politeness and such all factor into my tip). I don't care for the ones that factor the tip in with the bill for several reasons, the main one is it takes the performance factor out of my hands. Another is Several times weve had reservations and had to wait at the bar dueto not being ready we were factore in tips on drinks waiting for the resteraunts over booking along with the meal.

[Thundarstick]

Sorry, but having a son work at a Sonic as a cook (guys cook, girls car hop) and hear him complaining about the girls making the same per hour AND tips, while the cooks bust a hump with no chance of picking up tips I will never tip there!

I only tip at sit down restaurants, I'm polite to my servers, tip well, and extra well if the service warrants it.

[1911sw45]

To Insure Promted Service. Tips. No tipping to fast food, tip sharing places or for bad service or food. I don’t eat at any place that automatically includes the tip in the total.

[Gavetta]

give them a buck, they are not earning squat and a buck wont put you in the poor house.

[higgins]

When I was traveling for work years ago I started seeing requests for tips for the maids start showing up in a few motels, usually a note in the bathroom. Never left one. I don't know if they still do that. I don't tip in fast food places. I do tip in restaurants where they serve me, and I tip my barber.

[JSnover]

To Insure Promted Service. Tips.

If that was true, wouldn't you tip before you got your food?:???:

[redhawk0]

I won't tip fast food...period!!! If they want a higher wage job...go out get it...but don't expect a McD's paycheck to pay all the rent. Its for school students, part timers, and people needing a second job...its not a job for making a living at.

Get off your lazy butt....and get a real job if you expect more pay.

my 2 cents.

redhawk

[Walks]

I tip at my regular stops. The Donut Shop, because they usually see me coming and have 2 donuts bagged & ready for me. They know the varieties that I like and I always get fresh warm donuts, with a happy "GOOD MORNING Mr. Schendel"
I tip at the TOGO'S SUB Shops, they make their sandwiches EXACTLY THE WAY YOU WANT IT AND WORK TO MAKE SURE IT'S RIGHT, WITH A SMILE . Their Sandwiches make subway look like the **** they really are. And THEY MAKE THE BEST SUBMARINE Sandwiches YOU CAN FIND IN SoCal.
I never go into a coffee house because I refuse to pay $3 for a cup of coffee I can make at home for 25cents and take with me in a Travel Cup. And I refuse to go into a starbucks because of their anti- UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION stance.

Hell I've seen a tip jar at a drive-thru McDonalds.

When I go into a true sit down restaurant, I tip according to the quality of the service. It helps that I usually eat in the same few places.

[dragon813gt]

If that was true, wouldn't you tip before you got your food?:???:

I’ve done this at restaurants and bars plenty of times. It’s never failed and I end up w/ very attentive service.

[marlin39a]

Aren't those folks up in Washington State getting $15.00 an hour for flipping burgers? And they want tips? I guess that's the millennial way.

[crowbuster]

Not a chance in hades

[bob208]

we don't use fast food much anymore. there is better food at most dinners. also dinners get the order right.

[Geezer in NH]

At dining functions I always tip the caterer's serving staff before the meal. Learned that a long time ago from family members who were waitresses.

I also tip in cash not on the charge slip. Good waitress deserve that and my aunts would turn over in their graves if I did not.

Tip at a fast food restaurant NO !

[bedbugbilly]

Idaho . . . . I'm with you all the way. Most of the fast food places that we eat at once in a while are staffed by youngsters who either don't care or can't, get the order right to begin with . . . . let alone can any of them count change back. If it is a sit down place where they come to the table, take your order, bring you food out, keep your drink filled, etc. . . . then we will give a 20% tip.

Your post is interesting . . . biven that most places like that are staffed with young kids. The other day, I heard of a study where "millennia's" - many of them - don't tip . . . yet when they are the ones on the other side of the counter they think they deserve a tip for fixing fast food?

We ate at a Bob Evans the other day . . . we were in the city and decided to grab a quick lunch and we eat there once in a while. The service is usually good, food is good and good servers. We had a real nice young lady probably in her ate 20s. She was waiting on quite a few tables and always on the move. Well, that day, we had to wait forever to get our food and my wife and I both commented on how long it was taking. We aren't "on the clock" but for those that came there for their lunch and then back to work, it was an extremely long wait. Our waitress kept apologizing but we realized it wasn't her fault. She came back a number of times with the water pitcher, coffee pot, etc. while we waited. When our food finally came out, she explained that they had a new cook and she was just shaking her head. When sh brought us our bill, I left her a very generous tip . . more than usual. We got up to leave and she thanked us for coming in . . . I smiled and pointed to the tip on the table and told her she had better pick it up before someone else did. When she did, she gave me a funny look and I just told her that she deserved it as she was a hard worker and that the long wait wasn't her fault.

I don't mind leaving a tip when it is warranted . . . a lot of servers work hard and probably have young ones at home that they are working for. But a tip for putting a hamburger on a conveyor that goes through a grill to cook it . . or when it requires a wrappeer that is printed "place burger here" before the wrapper is folded . . . and then if you don't leave a tip in front of them they do stuff like pour the salt on your fries or who knows what . . . forget it.

[andre3k]

I'm in Houston. Very few of the fast food restaurants in the city of almost 2 million people are staffed by "youngsters". They are staffed by Hispanic women of all ages, some legal ,some not legal. And these women are trying to raise families on minimum wage. Sounds like a lot of you are in smaller towns, but the days of kids working fast food here was gone 20 years ago.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[shaune509]

Seattle is $15, rest of state is $10.?? . You can't have a living wage when it costs an hour of work to get lunch, raise wages and all costs go up.
The stupid Dems push there living wage on to a very gullible public. The other problem with tips happens with the restaurant CC systems that all have a tip function, then people think they are required to add the tip, my wife tips the pizza delivery when they order at work, I've told her they are paid to work and if they use a private car the job should add to cover fuel, etc so don't tip. Most pizza is not worth the price let alone a tip.
Shaune509

[buckwheatpaul]

Went to the little town of Colfax, WA yesterday to pick up my new pistol at my FFL (the only FFL in the county, now) and stopped at a fast food place called "Zips".

It's a local chain with a couple of dozen locations in the Northwest with pretty good fast food. I have been stopping by this one for probably the last 20 years on my trips to Spokane. There is another one 20 miles away in Moscow and I visit that one a couple of times a month.

The food is really not that cheap for fast food. I usually buy the two for $5 Papa Joe burger special (cheeseburger with a slice of ham added) and a large tots and no drink and the total is just over $10.

So I walk into the Colfax location and about fall down due to a super slippery tile floor. Seriously, it felt like it was coated with cooking oil and soap. I manage to make it to the counter and instead of the typical fresh-faced and bubbly teen, I am greeted by a sour-faced middle-aged woman who obviously has made a lot of bad life decisions.

And on the counter is a giant bright silver tin tip bucket.

Wait, what? This is a fast food place!

I pay for my meal with my debit card and there is a section on the receipt for a tip. I grab a pen out of the tip bucket and mark it out. I get my usual receipt with the order number on it.

When my order was ready, an employee walked the 20' to my table and handed me my tray. I guess that's why they want a tip.

I ate my meal and the fries were inedible; way, way over-salted. Done on purpose because I refused to tip?? I took my tray to the garbage and dumped it and hobbled my way out the door without saying a word.

I sent an email to their corporate office complaining about my experience and left a negative Yelp review. I've never done that before. It was just so offensive to me that a fast food place that I've been going to for decades now wants me to tip them for not calling out a number and walking 20' with my food.

Anyway, that's my geezer rant of the day...

Tips are for exceptional service....not for just showing up at work. If your order was not acceptable you should have asked for a supervisor and complained.....dont let them get away with that nonsense because they are just being accommodated when we say nothing and accept bad service and food. If you had charged it not debited it you could have disputed the charge.....

[lefty o]

no way in hell do you tip for fast food.

[snowwolfe]

Ditto, fast food? No tip, nada, zilch, zero. Same goes for any place I walk to the counter and see a tip jar. I don’t care if it’s coffee or burgers or fried chicken.

[JimB..]

Here is what I believe, fwiw. There is an exception in the minimum wage laws for wait staff. Those poor folk make like $1.50/hr plus tips, so tipping brings them up to something reasonable and better if they are better. Fast food workers are not exempt, so they get minimum wage plus whatever tip they can squeeze out of you, I don’t usually go for it. It is possible that the fast food guys want to prove that tips are material and so their workers should be exempt from min wage laws, who knows.

I do tip at the place I most often get takeout, mostly because the same folks bring me my bag of takeout as normally wait on me, and I want them to appreciate me all the time.

[Hannibal]

I just don't eat out unless I have to. Don't have to worry about anyone messin' up the order or messin' with the food. Don't have to worry if the cashier knows how to count or if my card # is getting stolen. (It's happened to me 2x). It's cooked exactly how I like it and no one complains about wages or tips. It's my bathroom, so there's never urine on the vanity top, **** in the sink, nor a general odor of unlaundered buttocks in the air. Don't have to pretend not to notice that taking my order is the biggest inconvenience they've been forced to tolerate all day.

Tip, you say? How about get yourself some more valuable skills and move on to a job that has a future.

Tired of all that business.

[john.k]

If you tip on a credit card payment,how do you know the boss aint pocketing the tip.....the guy trying to buy my land to expand his grease factory nextdoor,told me the tips are part of the gross,and the staff get a small weekly bonus ,dependent on showing up on time,everytime they are rostered..

[john.k]

here s something else to ponder.....theres a grease factory nextdoor to me, all the crows have got smart and wont eat the grease laden food,apparently clogs their guts........and the maintenance man there had the gall to complain to me about all the fast food garbage being dumped on my land next to the store......Tips...yeah right.

[nicholst55]

The last fast food joint that I ate at (in the States) was in San Diego. I placed my order and paid with a card at a kiosk, and was handed my order at the counter. IIRC, a machine cooked my 'meal', and a human bagged it. Drinks and condiments were self serve. There were only 2-3 humans in the place. That's what you get when burger-flippers get paid $15 an hour.

[GhostHawk]

I have a step daughter who has been a waitress, survived on tips essentially.

Got paid less than 4$ per hour. If she wanted to eat, she had to hussle and make tips.
Actually it drove home some very good life lessons for her.

And changed my opinion some about tipping.

If I see the server twice, to take order and give me my food my tip is going to be between 5 and 10%.
Three times takes it up a notch to 10% or more.

A server that checks on me several times, fills drinks, makes sure our visit was perfect will get 15 to 20% tip. Depending of course on just how friendly, professional and helpful they are.

Fast food I don't tip. I am not escorted to a nice table, offered water or other drink. She does not go to the counter and order for me. She does not deliver the food when it arrives. It is strictly pay as you go.

And I suspect they make more than 4$ an hour.

So no I don't tip at fast food places. Nor do they expect it where I eat.

Service with a smile will always get a smile back from me.
Personal attention gets personal attention. I look at name plate and use what I see instead of "hey you".

You reap what you sow.

My step daughter is now a LP Nurse, moving back to Fargo ND in Aug. (Yippie, grandkids!) and she very well might be working some weekends as a waitress to make ends meet until they get settled. You GO Katie! That's the stuff. Do what you have to do for family. Yeah I'm proud, and yeah she knows it.

She's come to the big money well twice this spring and got some help both times. Enough to pay off the credit cards so they could get credit rating good enough to rent. And again for enough to be half of a down payment on a house.

Hey, that's what dad's are for, step or otherwise.
Mine taught me well, helped when I needed it. Lectured me when I felt I didn't but really did.
Doing what I can dad. Miss ya. Sorry I got sidetracked. Tip when they earn it. Let em know when they don't.

[wv109323]

I dont know the exact rules but but waitresses salaries are reported as if they receive a 15 or 18% tip. They must pay tax on money they may never recieve. If you order a meal for $15.00, the waitresses W2 shows she earned a $3.00 tip that she m7st pay taxes. It may be just a WV state tax.

[wv109323]

I dont know the exact rules but but waitresses salaries are reported as if they receive a 15 or 18% tip. They must pay tax on money they may never recieve. If you order a meal for $15.00, the waitresses W2 shows she earned a $2.25 tip that she must pay taxes. It may be just a WV state tax.

[merlin101]

I’ve done this at restaurants and bars plenty of times. It’s never failed and I end up w/ very attentive service.

I do the same quite a bit. A decent tip upfront has always resulted in good fast polite service and I've never been disappointed.

[lightman]

It looks like most of us are on the same page about tips.I don't tip in fast food restaurants unless its a place like Sonic where they bring me my order. In restaurants and bars where I am waited on I start at 20% and adjust up or down depending on the service. A favorite waitress in a favorite place around Christmas may get 100%!

dragon813gt, I do about the same thing.

GhostHawk, I liked your story!

I have to tell a few waitress stories:

My senior Daughter-in-law was a waitress in college. When my Son first started dating her we went out to eat together. Of course, Dad paid for it! I paid the tab with cash and left a generous tip on the little plastic clippy thingy. The future DIL scooted it around and looked at it. Knowing she was a waitress I ask her if that was OK? She replied "oh yeah"!

During a major ice storm I had a bunch of out of state linemen working in town. Maybe a hundred or so. It was a real windfall for the restaurant owner but they elected not to call in any extra help. At night, my buddy and I would wait and order last as the other guys were driving 30 or 40 miles back to their motel. The one waitress would come by and sit with us after everyone left and one night I commented that she looked really tired but should be making some nice tips. She replied that the guys were not leaving very much. I informed her that I was adding 15% (the company approved amount) on every ticket that I signed and for her to ask for it. (My company paid for meals)

Another story, same storm, same restaurant, same waitress. Another night we were finishing up our meal about 10:00 and the young Lady came out of the mens room after cleaning it and was carrying a wallet. She said "I found this in the mens room and its got a lot of money in it". I called the mans foreman and ask him to tell the guy that I had his wallet. If I remember correctly it contained about $800-$900. That was probably more than the girl made in a month. He tipped Her and thanked Her the next night!

Well, enough stories. I could write a book about tipping!

[Handloader109]

Tip for fast food? NEVER...... I stop at a Sit down fast food burger chain ( about 5-6 locations) when I travel thru Conway/ Little Rock. Dave's btw, Best burger I've eaten.
Great Greazy fries. Order and pay, get your own drink and sit down. Person brings order out. One person checking on tables, and they pick up trash for you. They will get more soda for you, but still I've never seen NOR left a tip left. EVER. Food isn't cheap, close to $10 for burger fries and drink. But tip? nope. But I'm a poor tipper at a regular restaurant. Sorry.

[Elkins45]

The one that amuses me the most is the tip jar at the drive thru window at Starbucks. You're supposed to tip someone for handing a cup of coffee through the window?

I should add that I only know this because my wife likes Starbucks coffee. I think it's terrible, and I hate the company too.

[popper]

Actually I prefer to go to eateries where tips are NOT allowed. Means the management is paying help properly. Dad was always a big tipper, as he worked his way through college during the depression, when people would order 'pine-floats'. Break a dish and it came out of your wages. Patrons with money knew the situation (MU) and did tip good. Places were happy to get any customers, I suspect there were many 'free' meals too. But slipping a $20 to the hostess to get seated before others, tipping good prior to get 'better service'? Sort of an elitist attitude. The emperors did have food testers and 'tipped' them well - and if the king got sick from the food, prison or off with the head. Lots of incentive there - Danial ...
I regard tipping as a charity, not a gratuity.

[dragon813gt]

Actually I prefer to go to eateries where tips are NOT allowed. Means the management is paying help properly.

This is how it is in Europe. And why Europeans don’t tip when they come here. There’s a flip side to this. I think it’s great that I don’t have to tip because they’re getting paid properly. But it lead to increased time to eat. We averaged two hours per meal because the servers weren’t motivated. And this was w/ us flagging them down and asking for drinks when we needed them and the check at the end. When servers rely on tips they’re motivated to work. When they’re paid accordingly it can lead to no motivation.

[MT Gianni]

I tip fast food because the only one I eat at is local non franchised. What rips me is when I go out of state and a machine has printed what my tip should be based on a total that includes a sales tax. Last one I say was $4.00 added to a $50 bill. Machine suggests I tip $0.80 for an added tax when living in MT we have no sales tax. I usually tip 15% in a sit down restaurant. I don't eat out nearly as much since I retired but used to figure a dinner waitress would see an average of 30 customers a shift. $20 a plate @ 15% was a minimum of $90 in tip money. With the two drinks many have at a meal that figure probably was a lot closer to $25 meals. A good waiter/waitress should be at a classy place with an earning potential greater than making subway sandwiches.

[Hannibal]

The one that amuses me the most is the tip jar at the drive thru window at Starbucks. You're supposed to tip someone for handing a cup of coffee through the window?

I should add that I only know this because my wife likes Starbucks coffee. I think it's terrible, and I hate the company too.

I've never been to a Starbucks and never intend to, but I'm curious. I've heard they do NOT sell plain coffee. Is that factual?

[lightman]

Not a Starbucks regular but they do have a few normal coffees. You have to overlook all of the yuppie stuff but there are a few .

[mold maker]

A tip is supposed to be a personal "Thank You" for above and beyond service. I grew up in an era when 10% was a good tip. If the service you are tipping is the same, why do they expect a higher percent in a tip? The food/hotel price has increased so the same % is more money. At this rate some day you'll pay the tip and they will give you the food/room.

[Walkingwolf]

We don't eat anyplace we are not waited on. Those that do get rewarded well when they are polite, and go out of their way. Today we stopped at Highway 55 for ice cream. The bill was only $9, and I left a $5 dollar tip. Kinda perturbed my wife but I am not leaving a $1.80 for the girl that did her best to take care of us.

[woodbutcher]

[smilie=s: Don`t know how it is now,but IIRC the community tip jar is a NO-NO under wage and hour laws(Federal).No divvying up tips at the end of shift to all servers out of the tip jar.Server gets a tip,it is theirs alone.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[popper]

Yes, a gratuity is awarded when my server is doing all the work and the others are sitting around. Dennys is a good example. When the bell hop stands at the door with his hand out after rolling my small aircraft carry-on bag, I shake his hand. I don't leave a fiver on the pillow for the cleaning crew either. Earn your pay and if you are an over achiever, you do get rewarded. All the places I went overseas, wait staff were very responsive, good jobs are hard to get - well, France is different. Tick off the tourists and they don't come back. Wait staff there doesn't have a big turnover - most in their 30-40ish age.

[Hossfly]

I started in high school working Friday night, Saturday, and half day on Sunday after church, delivering Hamburgers and chicken baskets all over Shreveport, Bossier, min. Pay bout $1.90 per hour. Pretty much got tips by how drunk people were.

[Reverend Al]

I only tip if I feel the service really warranted it. It doesn't matter whether it is a fast food restaurant or an upscale eatery. Tips are a "gratuity" which are (rather generously) given by the patron to the server IF they truly feel it was warranted. Tips are not "automatic" and shouldn't be automatically added to the bill (which is a fairly common practice these days).

[Walks]

I stopped at a jack in the box drive- thru on my way home from ACE Hardware. It was Noon & my Daughter had given me a $1 off coupon for a milkshake. I ordered that and an order of 2 tacos & a Jumbo Jack. I paid for it & was given my food by a middle aged hispanic woman. There was a tip jar hanging out the drive thru window. I asked for the receipt & got napkins, I asked for a second straw & was given a spoon. I asked if there was taco sauce in the bag and finally someone who spoke english came to the window & I FINALLY GOT WHAT I ASKED FOR.
That's the way fast food works around here. Those people learn the names of the food to match the register keys and nothing more.
At the June 5th Primary in California, they issued ballots in 18 different languages.
And I just hijacked this thread.
Sorry

[Bent Ramrod]

I went into an Arby's on the way home on a stormy day. As I was walking to the counter, happily anticipating quick service because there was no one in the place, the girl in the Manager's cap was saying to the boy behind the counter, "The Computer is down; no telling in this weather when it will come back up again. You'll have to do the orders by hand." She tossed a school notebook, a pen and a calculator on the counter and went back to the back.

The look on the kid's face resembled Steve McQueen's in Papillon, when the character he was playing was sentenced to 20 years on Devil's Island. And, of course, I might as well have been standing in line for 20 minutes by the time the kid had worked out the advanced equations necessary to get me my Philly Swiss, Curly Fries and Coke.

I didn't tip him.

The sad fact is that many, if not most, of these "service economy" types think they are too good for the job. It can't be easy enough, and they never get enough money for whatever slight grudging effort they make.

I used to be in a couple Old Geezer Dinner Groups. We would pick a restaurant once a week, sit around the table and solve the problems of the world while we ate. At least, that was the plan. What really happened were endless interruptions in the conversations while the waitress came back to tell us what was unavailable that day, and then the endless "Who ordered soup? Who ordered iced tea? Who ordered meatloaf?" She would stick her face right between us as we talked to ask these questions, nicely busting up the conversations. Of course, being Old Geezers, we had to struggle to remember the thread of the conversation, before the next interruption. That's why the world is still in the shape it is in.

There are still waiters and waitresses who can get orders from 20 people at a table and plunk the selections down in front of them without asking who ordered what, and with ten more tables to cover. But they are a distinct minority now. The New Breed of Service Employee seems to think that while the eee-ville Employer can keep his body in thrall, there is no claim whatsoever on his fine mind or attitude.

Service that is worth a gratuity is service where you give your order, it comes to you in a timely manner, and in the meantime, and throughout the meal, your drink is replenished and your requests fulfilled without a lot of lost motion or conversation. A really top notch waiter is invisible except for the order, the food, and the check. That's who deserves the tip. But not the "living wage," not yet, not at their level. When they show that kind of attitude and smarts, they are in line for the promotion or the better job, that does come with the high salary. If we all got money just because we "need" it, we'd all be billionaires, and a hot dog would cost $3 billion.

[MyFlatline]

Agree,,have a favorite lunch place. A sit at the bar special, cheap burgers and what nots. When I walk in, they know what I am drinking and know that I am working so my order is taken right away. Yes, I tip them accordingly. To tip at McD's? not on your life. first time in 3 years I stopped this morning cause I was starving. 4 bucks for an egg biscuit. It 2 for 4 at hardees, I'll go there next time and give one away.

[Idaho45guy]

If fast food places start expecting tips, then it will drive away business.

When I take lunch at work, there are a few places within driving distance if I don't pack my lunch. McDonald's, Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, and a sit down chinese place.

I can get a plate full of delicious General Tso chicken on steamed broccoli and fried rice for $9.65. With tip I am out the door for $13.00.

Many of the fast food combos are approaching $10. If they add a tip, I might as well get better food and service at the sit down places...

[avogunner]

Aren't those folks up in Washington State getting $15.00 an hour for flipping burgers? And they want tips? I guess that's the millennial way.

My thoughts exactly....paying the rising cost to pay the minimum wage will be my tip (well, if I ever went to one of those places).

Semper FI!

[WILCO]

I just ignore the tip jars.

Yep. Me too. Fast food jobs aren't careers unless you're in management.
I always tip at local eateries with servers and waitresses.

[jonp]

I just worked my 6th 70+hr week in a row and no-one tipped me.

I will tip in a semi-casual (red robin, etc) place if the server is nice and friendly but if they are not then no tip. In fast food, unless the server brings it to my table and is good about it no way.

Besides, Washington as well as the other left coast states have instituted $15/hr min have they not? Not tipping someone what took me 10yrs of hard work to get.

[jonp]

Yes, a gratuity is awarded when my server is doing all the work and the others are sitting around. Dennys is a good example. When the bell hop stands at the door with his hand out after rolling my small aircraft carry-on bag, I shake his hand. I don't leave a fiver on the pillow for the cleaning crew either. Earn your pay and if you are an over achiever, you do get rewarded. All the places I went overseas, wait staff were very responsive, good jobs are hard to get - well, France is different. Tick off the tourists and they don't come back. Wait staff there doesn't have a big turnover - most in their 30-40ish age.

denny's is anti-gun to the extreme. I don't go in the place

[dragon813gt]

Besides, Washington as well as the other left coast states have instituted $15/hr min have they not? Not tipping someone what took me 10yrs of hard work to get.

This is relative. I was making $15 an hour when I was 18yo. I agree that someone working a menial fast food job shouldn’t be making $15 an hour. But $15 an hour is a starting wage in most trades these days. Around here you can start out higher due to a severe lack of people wanting to actually work.

[fatelk]

Yes, the cost of living sure varies a lot. I started out green with my current employer nearly twenty years ago for more than that. When you factor in inflation, it was a lot more than that. That's not to belittle anyone earning less; a big part of that is the high cost of living. I talked to my sister in Indiana one day and we were comparing cost of living in our respective areas. Her mortgage payment, including taxes, were just slightly more than my property taxes alone! I can't imagine starting out at $15/hr now, around here. With the lower cost of living in Indiana it's probably decent money.

Sure, I can't imagine trying to make ends meet in Seattle on $15/hr, but those entry level, minimum wage jobs are not intended to be make-ends-meet kind of jobs. I'd like my kids to be able to get that kind of job when they're old enough, just to get a little experience and make a few dollars as they're finishing school. If they're still working there much longer than that, I'll be very disappointed and wonder where I went wrong as a father.

There are a lot of good people in this country working very hard for $15 (or less). Once you mandate that McDonalds pay $15/hr, there's going to be plenty of skilled, mature people that say to themselves "Why am I working so hard here when I can make as much flipping burgers?" McDonalds will hire one skilled adult to replace two teenagers, or when they automate, they'll hire one to replace five. Then where are the jobs for the teenagers, inexperienced, and unskilled workers? They have to know that this will end up costing jobs for the very people they say they want to help.

[Thin Man]

My first education in tipping came when my mother took me to a Chinese restaurant that fit my image of a speak-easy. The entry door was in a short hallway with no advertising or store name beside it. Apparently all the locals knew where to find the joint. Inside the door everything appeared dim, very low lights. We walked up to the checkout counter where I saw a bowl with a sign beside it that stated "To Insure Promptness". My mother explained that if the customer needed to eat and get back to work quickly, faster service comes with a bigger advance tip. For a slower, more relaxed pace, no tip in advance, decide about any tip after the meal is over. Those images still linger with me 65 years after the education.

SWMBO always checks our bill when it arrives as more eateries are automatically adding the price of a tip into the check. I get angry when that happens and will not leave any additional tip at the table because of it. I frequently tip more than the standard rate because I will support those people willing (needing) to work rather than those who will not. I prefer to hand the tip directly to the server rather than leave it at the table. Many restaurants pool and divide their tips among good and bad servers. I prefer to let the server know they worked well.

Tipping at a fast food restaurant? I never have and cannot see any reason to start now. Beyond that, others' comments about advance tipping to get faster seating, a better table (better view, etc), or other assistance will stay with me. Guess I'll never be too old to learn and this sounds like a fine plan, applied as needed.

[Walkingwolf]

Then where are the jobs for the teenagers, inexperienced, and unskilled workers?

The teens of today are not interested in working part time jobs for spending money, they expect that from their parents. Besides in Seattle if they work when will they have time to protest/block traffic.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

The only fast food place that has ever impressed me with their service is Chick-fil-a. I’ve not noticed a tip jar, or a spot on the receipt to leave a tip. Occasionally I’ll notice a local or state charity, but not a place to tip the workers/servers themselves.

As far as tipping servers I try to always tip 15-20% when the situation warrants it. I also always try to tip with cash even when paying for the meal with a card. I’m not sure if it is standard but I know a number of the local places take the 2-3% credit card fee out of the waiters/waitress tip. Now that just does not seem right.

I understand all the reasons not to raise minimum wage, and to instead pursue a career not a job. I can also see a lot of the arguments for it.

I think the real problem is our currency. Back in the 1960s minimum was around a $1.15 per hour. Adjusted for inflation that would be about $9.75. Keep in mind back in the 60s $1 was equal to 1 oz of silver. I think the current spot value on silver is about $15-16 per oz. Our currency is broken and does not buy what it used to. Don’t blame the people asking for “living wage” blame the system that created this currency mess.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dragon813gt]

The teens of today are not interested in working part time jobs for spending money, they expect that from their parents.

Want to paint tens of millions w/ an even broader brush? As the father of a current teenager I can tell you that both my stepdaughter and her friends want and have jobs. My stepdaughter tried to get a job starting at fifteen. No one would hire her. The jobs I had as a teenager are now filled by adults. She’s had a hard time finding jobs. Not due to lack of trying. Due to lack of companies not hiring teenagers.

And who’s really to blame if a child expects handouts from their parents? The child or the parents that hand them the money? If they’re raised to expect handouts then the parents are to blame. If they’re lazy and want handouts then the child is to blame. The older generations have said the same thing about the younger generations forever. Apparently my generation never wanted to work and we were worthless. Funny considering we make up a large portion of the workforce and are funding the Ponzi scheme known as Social Security that the older generations are currently collecting.

[sparkyv]

I so dislike eating at most fast food places any more as most of the employees just don't care a flip about providing a quality product. One exception that comes to mind (there are likely more) is Chick-fil-A. Those folks are usually very customer oriented and the encounter is usually a pleasant exchange of goods/services for money. Most others have a filthy looking/smelling restaurant staffed with less than presentable employees (they just need a live body) who don't care about providing me with a high quality product, don't care about me or my money, and just waiting for the their shift to be over. Anymore, I just try to eat at home or bring leftovers. Tip for just bringing food to the table? No Way. Tip for going out of their way to provide me a high quality product? Likely.

[flint45]

No tips for fast food no way.

[jonp]

This is relative. I was making $15 an hour when I was 18yo. I agree that someone working a menial fast food job shouldn’t be making $15 an hour. But $15 an hour is a starting wage in most trades these days. Around here you can start out higher due to a severe lack of people wanting to actually work.

No, it is not relative. I was speaking towards unskilled entry level jobs not a skilled trade. The $15 is also an artificial level set by government not market forces and the results of this misguided policy are clear. Less available jobs and increased automation. The progressive just can not seem to get it through their heads that people and businesses will not sit back and happily succumb to their schemes.