Question:
Do you leave a tip when you pick-up something at a carry out restaurant? I often visit California Pizza Kitchen, Dominos Pizza, Dairy Queen, etc and I always pay with a credit card; however, they always leave a space under the "total amount due" for a TIP.
What is the proper etiquette on tiping when you pick up a carry out order? It's not the same as dining in...or is it?
Plus how much do you tip the pizza delivery boy? LOL
~Gregerz

Answer:
I don't think one needs to tip at a carry-out place. I don't normally give tips for a cook or a cashier when they do their jobs. I do tend to tip the egg-woman at Waffle House separately, but that's because she's so damn entertaining.
I tip the Pizza Delivery man 20% or so. They don't get reimbursed for gas or mileage and usually use their own cars. Pizza Hut down the street from me pays them $5.50/hr.

Answer:
Good point, but Dominos Pizza charges a $2.00 delivery fee on top of the original order amount. Do you still tip the driver if the pizza place already added on a delivery surcharge?

Answer:
I tip 10% for carry out or buffet, and 20% for dine-in (assuming anything remotely resembling decent service)... I just figure it into the cost of going out... Wait staff works hard for a living. I've waited tables before and stiffers suck... (insert Resevoir Dogs reference here - especially that deadbeat cheapskate Mr. Pink)...

The pizza guy usually gets a few bucks, always cash (Godfather's charges a separate delivery charge to your bill)...

Putting zero tip on the credit card receipt, and tipping in cash, is usually appreciated (unreportable income), but I think they still get dinged for 15% of the bill whether you tip or not...

If I may make a musical reference, the song, "Waitress" by Live (of "Lightning Crashes" and "Selling the Drama" fame) sums it up for me... Can't we all spare some change?

Lyrics below:

"Come on baby leave some change behind
she was a bitch but good enough
to leave some change, everybody's good
enough for some change...

we all get the flu, we all get aids
we've got to stick together
after all, everybody's good enough
for some change, some fucking change!!! "

P

Answer:
Similar establishments (like Panera Bread) make it a business practice not to include that "TIP" line on the receipt. So the tipping etiquette is not clear IMO. Even when I dined-in at Panera Bread, they had a sign that said "please no tipping." I shouldn't feel bad for not tipping when I place a carry out order? I don't tip the guyat McDonalds at the drive-thru. LOL

Answer:
I remember when I lived in Vegas, I took my GF (present DW) to see the Rockettes at the Flamingo. It was the very last hotel to allow "tokes" (tips) to obtain a better seat. I palmed him $25 and we got the best seats in the house. I overheard the woman behind me talking about wrapping a $5 around a bundle of ones to tip for a seat. The Maitre de's were not stupid, and could spot a scammer from a mile away.... Needless to say, DW and I got excellent seats, while $5 wrapper lady got shit... That is as it should be... If you can't afford to tip, stay home...

P

Answer:
I tipped the pizza delivery guy 20% tonight. It was $2. If I can afford to buy pizza, I can afford to tip the deliverer of my magnificent meal. Carry out, I usually don't tip, unless it's not a pizza place/ Applebee's, Chili's, TGIFridays, the likes. I used to work at Applebee's, and the carside girl actually put work into orders, and she got decent wages at a 10% tipping average. She mostly got $1 tips, but there was an occasional person that felt 15%-20% was neccessary... It always evens out to a decent average, so I was never pissed at the guys who stiffed me, and neither was she.
- Rich

Answer:
Whenever I order pizza, I usually feel kind of sad for the delivery boy having to go all the way through town in bad weather or whatever, so I just let him keep the change, usually like $2-3. It depends on the way they act though, but most of them are pretty friendly and outgoing.

Answer:
I don't really do carryout, if put in that position, I would just round up to the next dollar.
Delivery guy gets $3 or $4 depending on speed (assuming single order). If it's a big party and a large order, probably more.
At restaurants and bars, 15% is where it starts. I'm usually in the 20-30% range. If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to go out.
And just because it's an open bar doesn't mean you shouldn't still tip!
(I'm not in the restaurant/bar business, but I have plenty of friends who are and who have been.)

Answer:
I agree on giving a 15-20% tip when you dine-in, but only if the service is good. People who "over-tip" are often very insecure. Ask any psychologist.
I was focusing on whether or not people leave a tip when they pick-up a carry-out order, or when the pizza place ALREADY charges a delivery FEE. Isn't that double dipping?
"If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to go out" really only applies to "dine-in" at a mid-to-upscale restaurant (not at California Pizza Kitchen).
Again, no one tips the guy at the Mcdonalds drive-thru or at Panera bread (which is the same level as California Pizza Kitchen). And most everyone I know "works hard for the money" in their respective job or WORKED very hard to GET there.
~Greg