Do you tip on fast food?

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No, I've never seen that or considered it, but I guess I'm not surprised considering how just about everyone is asking for tips these days. Does the MSC reimburse the tip?
Never.

This sounds like the case of an MSC that used existing guidelines of one shop and did not edit them well when adopting them to a second type of shop.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2022 12:16AM by Rousseau.
In my opinion, tipping has really gotten out of control. It used to be 20% is generous… now it’s an expectation… and seems like more and more are pushing for 25%
@LindaM wrote:

In my opinion, tipping has really gotten out of control. It used to be 20% is generous… now it’s an expectation… and seems like more and more are pushing for 25%

T. I. P. = "To insure promptness," not "To irrationally provide."
To be honest, I wouldn't even know *how* to tip on a drive-thru? Order total, hand your card, get receipt and food - done.
A friend of mine worked the take-out (drive-up) window at Olive Garden. Since she was qualified as hourly, not as a waitress, her tips went unreported (not required to be reported as % of sales, like a waitress/waiter must); she quit an excellent job in an office. She said she made in excess of $40 an hour every hour of her shift.

I wouldn't categorize Olive Garden as "fast food", maybe "fast casual"; I don't know who the customers thought they were tipping. but it was a great job for my friend.

I tip at Sonic; it is not reimbursed. I normally tip $1; that's no where near 20%.

I don't tip at Arby's or Taco John's or McDonalds or any other drive-thru fast food.

Lately at Subway, I have noted tip jars near the register.
5 Guys not only has a big tip jar but the credit card terminal also requires you to choose a tip amount when paying with card. "None" is an option.
I have tipped fast food and fast casual restaurants occasionally. But the people that work at the fast food places get get a paycheck, they don't work for $2.13 an hour + tips that servers make. And a lot of those "tips" at fast food places never make it to the employees.
Also, as a lifelong waitress it's irritating to me that ff employees make an hourly wage higher than the 1 or 2 dollars I made but expect to be tipped for just handing me a bag? That's not exactly "service." They're not even coming to my table to deliver anything. I have to go get it when they call my number. And don't even get me started on the RUDENESS of McDonalds and Burger King workers!
OTOH, I spent my entire nicely bonused Sonic pay by dividing it in three and tipping the three carhops who were living the ultimate nightmare one day. The place was packed, understaffed and it was about 451 degrees outside. Food was taking forever, customers were ordering then leaving, one poor kid got literally cursed out by the old man in the car next to me ("I'm on my f-ing lunch. I can't wait all f-ing day!" ). I wanted to cry for those young kids, truly. And through it all, they smiled as often as possible and never outwardly showed hostility. They deserved a bonus for sure.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2022 03:35AM by sestrahelena.
I tip a dollar at Sonic if I have cash on me. I don't tip at drive-thrus ever. For counter service where they customize my order as I select ingredients (think Freebirds, Chipotle, Salata), I tip, especially because I get to recognize the employees after a while -- but these are not mystery shopping jobs.

I don't tip at Five Guys because they're making routine food, not customizing a burrito or a salad with 10 different ingredients as I go down a line.

I both like and dislike the "add a tip" feature that most places now have on their credit card machines. One the one hand, it's convenient. On the other hand, I don't like being put in the position of having to select "no tip" in a situation where I don't think it's warranted. I want tipping to be "opt in" instead of "opt out."
I don't, but Five Guys does allow you to add a tip at the register when you're paying. It was added several months ago. The shop does not reimburse for tips.

Amusingly, I was at Rite Aid last week and the customer ahead of me actually gave the cashier a bill (didn't notice how much) at the end of his transaction and told her to keep it. I'd never seen that before, so I asked if they were allowed to keep it. She said that they were not, so she was going to give it to her manager.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2022 07:28PM by MisterBill.
I tip at DQ. Long lines hot days. Unappreciative customers. I pay with a card and then hand cash. A little goes a long way.
@MisterBill wrote:

Amusingly, I was at Rite Aid last week and the customer ahead of me actually gave the cashier a bill (didn't notice how much) at the end of his transaction and told her to keep it. I'd never seen that before, so I asked if they were allowed to keep it. She said that they were not, so she was going to give it to her manager.

When I am going to tip when not on mystery shops, I always tip in cash. I normally put the purchase on a cash back credit card. The server can always gripe about what a cheapskate I was.

The server gets the money immediately instead of waiting to see it in their paycheck. They might not see the tip in their paycheck for a week or more. They can then declare as much or as little as they want. Also, in many places tips are split, sometimes to include servers, bartenders and management who had no contact with me.
The tipping thing has gotten ridiculous. People are expecting tips for cashiering! I even heard about a retail store where the employee whipped out a handheld device and asked the customer if they wanted to leave a tip, just for providing basic assistance on the sales floor, which they are already being paid to do.
@mjt9598 wrote:

The tipping thing has gotten ridiculous. People are expecting tips for cashiering! I even heard about a retail store where the employee whipped out a handheld device and asked the customer if they wanted to leave a tip, just for providing basic assistance on the sales floor, which they are already being paid to do.

I placed an order online for a retail business. Nothing custom, nothing unusual and was prompted to tip upon check out. Are you kidding me? No, it's not a small business. Agree it's getting out of hand. This from somebody who used to wait tables and relied on tips for a living!
@foodluvr wrote:

I placed an order online for a retail business. Nothing custom, nothing unusual and was prompted to tip upon check out. Are you kidding me? No, it's not a small business. Agree it's getting out of hand. This from somebody who used to wait tables and relied on tips for a living!

Wait, you were asked to tip for an online order that you placed yourself without any human interaction? That's outrageous!
I do, especially if I have some small bills on my or the credit machine offers the option. I'm not gonna miss an extra buck or three. A lot of ya'll would make Scrooge proud.
@wrosie wrote:

@foodluvr wrote:

I placed an order online for a retail business. Nothing custom, nothing unusual and was prompted to tip upon check out. Are you kidding me? No, it's not a small business. Agree it's getting out of hand. This from somebody who used to wait tables and relied on tips for a living!

Wait, you were asked to tip for an online order that you placed yourself without any human interaction? That's outrageous!

Yes, and that's why I was so upset! It was literally an e-commerce transaction purchased from their website.
@ceasesmith wrote:

A friend of mine worked the take-out (drive-up) window at Olive Garden. Since she was qualified as hourly, not as a waitress her tips went unreported (not required to be reported as % of sales, like a waitress/waiter must)[...]

All TIP income must be reported by the earner. Employers do not have to track and report TIP income earned by all employees, but the employee does.


The IRS has been known to pay fees to those who inform on tax cheats. Some states too.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2022 01:56PM by Rousseau.
Did my time serving tables in the 90s.

Tipping has ALWAYS been a reward based system. Standard expected is 15%, and you go from there. In my case I always round up to the nearest dollar, so I know on my credit card or bank account a transaction's fully gone through. Majority of time, it's usually 20% I tip in public...at a sit down casual location, at minimum.

I make it a point NOT to ever return to ANY establishment using an iPad as a checkout tool that is expecting BY DEFAULT for me to tip 20% BEFORE my order is even sent to the grill. When I've been standing up, in line, and not even offered water? Give me a break!
They should have been tipping you. After all, you did all the work!

@wrosie wrote:

@foodluvr wrote:

I placed an order online for a retail business. Nothing custom, nothing unusual and was prompted to tip upon check out. Are you kidding me? No, it's not a small business. Agree it's getting out of hand. This from somebody who used to wait tables and relied on tips for a living!

Wait, you were asked to tip for an online order that you placed yourself without any human interaction? That's outrageous!

When you learn, teach, when you get, give. Maya Angelou
Not at a place like Arby's, 5Guys, In-N-Out, etc. But if it a fast-casual place like Aqui's (Mexican food) where you order at the counter, they have seating, and someone brings the meal to the table, yes.

I do get irritated when someone tells me how much I should tip. Regardless of the standards I solely base it on the experience. When I moved one time, the Lead handed me the bill. He wrote in the amount for a 30% tip and added it to the total. Really ? Normally i would have tipped less than 30% but much more than I did. Dictating how much tip they wanted got each worker a $10 cash tip. I've wondered if he ever attempted that strategy again.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2022 09:10PM by Zek.
Do I tip on fast food? Absolutely if it is delivered to me in 100+ or -10 degrees while I sit on my fat a## leaning back listening to my music! And even if it is 80 degrees, with a nice breeze, and I am sitting in front of the door, yes. And even if they make $40+ an hour on their feet dealing with angry-for-no reason customers, yes. But then I also tip airline flight attendants with chocolates! Of course I have an ulterior motive there smiling smiley I tip 1) when I feel the person deserves it 2) I like to "encourage" preferential treatment and 3) because sometimes I like to see a smile on someone's face. I have also been known to pay for a person's meal in line behind me. Example - I drove up to a fast food line and was having trouble getting around to get to the back of the line (behind a big truck), Well the guy in the truck just let me in front of him. So I thanked him by paying for the meals for the two people in the truck. He caught up to me before leaving the parking lot and thanked me profusely. They barely had enough money to get their meals and hand skimped on them. So they were able to add some things! What a good day!

When you learn, teach, when you get, give. Maya Angelou
I went to Subway the other day and ordered 2 subs. The cashier rang my order and gave me a total of $17 and change. I paid with a card and tapped it on the pay terminal. The cashier thanked me and put the receipt in the bag of food. By the time I got home I got the notice from my credit card showing my transaction total as $21 and change. I was confused so I looked for the receipt in the bad and saw that he added a $3.30 tip to the order. I was not asked for a tip, nor given the option on the pay terminal. When I tapped my card to pay there was no total. It only said to insert or tap to pay. I was trusting the cashier since he said $17 something.

Extorting tips that way is unacceptable in my opinion.
If I eat at a sit-down restaurant where a server brings my food and drinks to me, and checks back to see if I need anything, I tip. If I have to go get my food, then the only person who should get a tip is me.
When 5 guys added the tip screen to the the payment device, I looked at it and I said out loud, "you're asking for tips now." So I added the minimum amount that showed on the screen, I think it was the 15% amount. And suddenly everybody in the whole place started scurrying around and bringing everything to me at my table. The 2nd time I tried it, it didn't work the same way, so haven't done it again.
Employees didn’t advocate for the tip-adding screens.

Ownership did. It’s a cheap and dirty way to bring in some cash for their staff - without losing a penny of their profits.
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