Community Chat

[Yahooey]

A few years ago, Panera used to have boxes to collect money to fight hunger, I would dump my change there. Then the box became 'tip boxes'. I didn't like that so I don't participate. I haven't been to a Panera lately, so I haven't encounter those yet.

Many places now have those automated pads, where you sign your name after swiping your cc and your choice of tipping $1 $2 $3 dollars. I have seen those things at a upscale coffee shop (not startbucks). Since you already swiped your card and you don't have to dig into your purse for change, are they sweet by offereing you to tip whole dollars? 

[HappyDaze]

Also wanted to add, our Panera did away with the pagers so now someone DOES come and deliver your food. 

[Lostandscared]

At our Panera we order and get an electronic thing that tell them where you are seated. We have an eating area inside and outside. They bring your food to your table.

[KingstonsMom]

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@Snoopp wrote:

Don't you order and pickup your own food at Panera?  Why would you need to tip?

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Yes, and at the Deli I use too, that's what's so weird, I guess they want you to tip the staff for putting your order/sandwich together.

I don't tip there, but like the OP, I wonder if that affects the quality of my order?

[SahmIam]

If they ask, the answer is always no. If there's a jar, the answer is always no.

If you think about it, you can see why I vote that way.

[CareBears]

The last time we ate at IHop, there was a 25% charge added to the bill, we asked what the charge was for, they said it was a mandatory gratuity charge, had we known that we would not have eaten there.  The waitress took our order, we never saw her again, someone else delivered the food, no one came to check if our food was OK or if there was anything else we needed, never asked if we wanted a refill, nothing, toward the end of the meal yet another person quietly slid the check onto the table, never thanked us and was on their way, we NEVER have gone back to IHop again!

I know that this was a Panera thread but thought I would warn others what IHop is doing also, at least in our area!

[ChynnaBlue]

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@Snoopp wrote:

Don't you order and pickup your own food at Panera?  Why would you need to tip?

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You do at the ones near me. They give you a buzzer when you order and you go get your food when the buzzer goes off. I don't tip unless the person who took my order went above and beyond, which is rare because I don't normally have too many questions or need recommendations.

[3suwm5]

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@Snoopp wrote:

Don't you order and pickup your own food at Panera?  Why would you need to tip?

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@Snoopp  At our new Panera, you order in the front with an employee or at a kiosk.  They bring the food to your table; they have sensors at each table and they give you a object that looks like the waitlist object.  It doesn't light up, but tells them where you are sitting, they bring the food and check to see that you have everything you ordered, including any pastries from the front.

[CelticCrafter]

It's been a while since I've been to a Panera but the one I go to is like a cafeteria.  Place your order, go onto the next line to pick it up, find a place to sit and clean up after yourself when you're done.  

[dfyre]

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CareBears wrote:

The last time we ate at IHop, there was a 25% charge added to the bill, we asked what the charge was for, they said it was a mandatory gratuity charge, had we known that we would not have eaten there.  The waitress took our order, we never saw her again, someone else delivered the food, no one came to check if our food was OK or if there was anything else we needed, never asked if we wanted a refill, nothing, toward the end of the meal yet another person quietly slid the check onto the table, never thanked us and was on their way, we NEVER have gone back to IHop again!

I know that this was a Panera thread but thought I would warn others what IHop is doing also, at least in our area!

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That's just crazy - I might tip 25% at Ruth's Chris, but IHop? I would have asked for the manager and disputed the tip, particularly since it was not "pre-noticed" - but I'm heavily into consumer fraud situations. And I certainly, like you, would never go back. Our granddaughter works part-time at Panera's during school vacations so I'll ask when she comes home for spring break how hers is run.