Dadaluma83

I just had argubly one of my best counter service dining experiences in a long time. Anyone ever heard of the sandwich chain Jimmy John's? One has been open where I live for about 2 months now so it is new but I haven't tried it, but since Discover has 5% on restaurants this quarter I feel this is a good enough time as any to try them out.

I heard that they deliver and because of that going into this place I expected to see a tip jar on the counter and have a line for a tip on the credit card recept. I don't tip for counter service, but I would for delivery and I heard from someone that a restaurant POS terminal only has an option for the tip line it is either on or off and since people tend to tip for delivery I expected I would have to cross out the tip line. Besides with these tip jars and tip lines appearing at counter service places now I was prepared to see it. No biggie.

I walk in and I am actually greeted with a firm "Hello how are you today?" and a smile from the person behind the register. Now normally with counter service the person working can't ever seem to grunt a pleasant greeting so to hear actual words and a genuine smile was a welcome sight. I place my order and am told they will call it out when ready. I am then presented with the credit card recept and to my amazement there was a line for gratuity, but it was already displaying $0.00 so I didn't have to cross it out and put in the total or anything, just sign the recept. There was no option to leave a tip on the recept, the tip was already zeroed out and there also wasn't a tip jar on the counter. It was a breath of fresh air at a counter service place. Just after signing the recept they called out my order. That was fast.

So for the first time since I can remember I was actually impressed with my counter service experience and no tips at all were expected. Good food and friendly and helpful employees. It was a welcome sight.

A local counter service burger joint that I used to go to regularly I have stopped going because of the shenanigans they pull with the tip line on the credit card recept. There is nothing special about this particular burger place you just place your order at the counter then pay for it, then they make your food and call out your number, then you pick up your food then dispose your trash when finished. Of course they have a tip jar and the recept has an option for tips. I refuse to ever go back for one major reason. You pay for your food upfront when you order, then the food is made. So basically if you pay with a credit card you end up crossing out the tip line right in front of the employee who is then going to turn around and prepare your food. We all hear of the stories of what food service workers supposedly do to the food of people who don't tip and I refuse to be put in that position so I just don't go back to that burger place. Besides, a tip upfront is a bribe, and at this place you would essentially be bribing the person NOT to tamper with your food. Not like this place isn't expensive enough as it is with the large burger, fries, and a soda costing 12 bucks, plus the pressure to tip that I described above.

With food service my rules basically is you only get a tip if you bring the food directly to me, either the table I am sitting at or my house, if you just call out my name or number you don't get anything and that is how it should be.

So I was very pleasantly surprised to see Jimmy John's not pressure their customers into tipping. Maybe it could be because it is a national chain and there doesn't seem to be tipping at those places. No tipping at a McDonalds or Subway for example, while you could see it at a local independantly owned burger joint like described above. Has anyone else encountered a place like that where you were pleasantly surprised to see no tip jars on the counter or tip lines on the recept?

I really hope it stays that way though, the service and food is great and because of that I fear some people who have the strong urge to give people money for doing a job they are paid to do I really hope they don't suggest to management that they leave the tip line on the recept open. If you are a satisfied customer your repeat business plus recommending the place to other people should be enough. If there is no tipping expected don't rock the boat and try to start it. If you really feel the need to hand out money because of workers who do a job well that they are already paid to do channel that generosity towards your local soup kitchen instead.

Haha sorry for the long rant about tipping, but since there are already hundreds of posts about this topic in this forum what is one more?

rakers

I think you're being paranoid about the whole food tampering business. Most people do not leave tips on the credit card receipt for counter service. I don't think they'd have the time or inclination to tamper with that much food.

McDonald's _should_ have a tip jar. It's hard to get by on minimum wage.

bitburgr

This is just a guess, but I think the person making your food would run out of spit with all the people that don't tip at those kinds of places.

cordelli

Wow, shocked you actually pay for your food before they handle it to you, you know how those fast food employees are, they will take your four dollars and thirty five cents and just run out the back door to buy drugs and beer.

Dadaluma83

You guys are probably right I am just being paranoid, but still I can't be the only person who is uncomfortable seeing a tip line on a credit card recept at a "call out your number when your order is ready" type of place. Tip jars are one thing, they are more like a "don't want your change" jar and can be easily ignored, but it is just tacky to have a tip line, then you always feel like a cheap jerk when you cross it out.

milepig

I actually left a tip at a "call out your number" sort of place just this noon. The guy at the counter was great, the menu was a little complicated "do I want the big plate or the small plate" "which of the six varieties of chicken is which", "would I be better off with a combo plate", etc. He brough the food out to me rather than calling my number and at the end packed up a doggie bag. Great service, great food, worthy of a tip. But I usually don't at these places.

ryanthekiwi

I entirely agree at the awkwardness of being asked for a tip at counter service restaurants. Even if they won't spit in your food, it does always make me wonder if I have been shortchanged on fries or toppings. If there were two places with similar food and prices I would go to the one without a tip line on their machine.

mjcewl1284

I also do not believe in tipping at counter service restaurants but one place I think that should is Panera Bread. I'm not drinking the koolaid. In my opinion, they make pretty decent food, better than normal fast food.

shizzy

I'm never tipping in places like the burger shack you mentioned or any counter service place, unless somehow there is some amazing service above and beyond what's expected. Which in places like that, doesn't really happen.

kipper

Rather than a cash tip, especially at places without a tip jar or line on the receipt, why not send a written (even emailed or via the website) comment to the store about the great service?

KM123

I'm pretty sure the JJ's in my area has the tip area blank. They are always friendly and when they deliver I of course tip but when I order in I'm not going to leave gratuity for the 15 seconds (they are fast) it takes to make my sandwich.

jsmeeker

I have very limited travel experience outside of the USA. So, my answer would have to be "Nowhere"