To tip, or not to tip?

TenderMercies · ‎06-03-2017

About two months ago, a new restaurant opened right next door to my workplace. My first visit was to have lunch with a friend who I haven’t talked to in a while. This is the type of place where you walk up to the counter, order your food, then the cashier gives you a number that you place on your table as well as cups which you fill up with your drink of choice at a soda fountain. I insisted on paying, and during the payment process with my credit card, the credit card reader asked me if I would like to leave a tip. I was caught off card, didn’t want to be cheap, and didn’t want my friend to think I was cheap, so I left a 20% tip. I didn’t know if we were going to be waited on like a normal restaurant after being seated, or what was ahead.

We filled up our own drinks at the fountain, and our food was dropped off on two trays by a “runner.” We were never waited on again. After the meal, we took our trays to an area with a garbage and basically bussed our stuff like you would at a fast food place. The food is amazing.

I have been back to the restaurant 3 times since that visit, but only to do takeout. Each time that the question of whether or not I want to add a tip comes up as I’m paying, I choose NO, and each time I choose NO, the person who is taking my order lowers their head as if they are ashamed of me.

Remember, the food is amazing, and they’re right next door. Should I go on Yelp and complain? Should I feel bad that maybe this restaurant is not paying their employees enough, and maybe I should be tipping? Should I just deal with the fact that they are shaming me, and get over it? Should I, as a higher up in my company and their neighbor, talk to the owner, pull a Larry David and say to him, “What’s up with the tipping?” What would you do?

Nancy Drew · ‎03-11-2010

Wrong is still wrong just because you benefited from it.

Bri36 · ‎02-20-2017

I wouldn't feel compelled to tip in that situation.

We go to a restaurant where you order at the counter and they bring your food to you. We tip the boys because they bring bread and silverware to the table. They clear your dishes away and bring take home containers. We hand them a few bucks in cash.

Panera has that option when you order to add a tip onto the order. I don't tip there.

september · ‎03-09-2010

I leave a 20 percent tip at full service restaurants, and 10 percent when I order at the counter and they deliver it to the table. Half the service..half the tip.

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

i wont tip on the card, but i would throw in a few dollars into the tip jar. at that type of establishment i would not tip 20%.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

blackhole99 · ‎08-22-2013

My husband insists on tipping 20%, but we never tip at Panera, the food is way overrated and there is no service.

VanSleepy · ‎10-05-2010

I wouldn't go on Yelp and I wouldn't talk to the owner. If they have a tip jar at the counter, put something in there if you feel you should tip. I wouldn't feel I needed to tip anything, though.

Katcat1 · ‎07-21-2011

@TenderMercies, That would not shame me. No tip. That is totally ridiculous. No one ever tipped me when I was in retail. Starbucks has a can at the drive thru window. Plus, where is the tip going and to who at that restauant you say the food is so good. So what. No one is waiting on you except for dropping off the food. I am so sick of these places wanting hand outs. It's your job to bring the food. It's your job to make coffee. You got me started. No more tipping from me. So I ranted but I stick by complaint.

kindness is strength

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

Good grief, this post is either very sad or very funny. I'm going with funny....lol So, you were shamed by the cashiers eyes...lol It's a fast food restaurant but there are still people cooking food and loading the trays and taking the trays to the tables and wiping down tables and any manner of other things. They are giving you a CHOICE as to whether you want to tip or not. Your CHOICE would be NO, so what's the problem? YELP certainly can't rectify this for you...lol That's not what YELP does. But in this case, there isn't even an issue. Tipping is never mandatory, it's always voluntary. So the food is delicious and you enjoy going there but draw the line at a few bucks for a tip. Interesting.

TenderMercies · ‎06-03-2017

@chrystaltree wrote:
Good grief, this post is either very sad or very funny. I'm going with funny....lol So, you were shamed by the cashiers eyes...lol It's a fast food restaurant but there are still people cooking food and loading the trays and taking the trays to the tables and wiping down tables and any manner of other things. They are giving you a CHOICE as to whether you want to tip or not. Your CHOICE would be NO, so what's the problem? YELP certainly can't rectify this for you...lol That's not what YELP does. But in this case, there isn't even an issue. Tipping is never mandatory, it's always voluntary. So the food is delicious and you enjoy going there but draw the line at a few bucks for a tip. Interesting.

@chrystaltreeJust to reiterate, I left a 20% tip when I ate there, but I felt shamed when I didn’t leave a tip when I was doing takeout. The problem is that I don’t think that I should get dirty looks for not tipping when I’m ordering food at a takeout window. I don’t do Starbucks, because I don’t drink caffeine. I don’t have a Panera near me either, so this is the first time I’ve been asked to tip in this scenario. Nothing interesting about it. I’m just new to this situation and working my way through it.