...but, getting back to the original topic, I think it is entirely warranted to tip less on a percentage basis for car service at Applebee's, since the car server can accommodate a greater dollar volume of business per hour and they are providing less service to each individual party (not having to make multiple trips to each table: greeting the party and distributing menus, taking drink orders, receiving appetizer order, delivering appetizer order, receiving main course order, delivering main course order, receiving drink refill order, delivering drink refill order, receiving dessert order, delivering dessert order, delivering check, picking up check).

Well we used Applebee's Carside again (we have become a fan of those steak combos), and this time I gave $5 on a $35 order ... I agree with the "not a full tip" but somewhere around 10% or a bit more (And I gave a bit more to atone for the last time, even though it was a new location?!?)

Buffets we usually drop a dollar or two (at Chinese buffets, OCB, etc.)

Very interesting reading all the responses on this thread!

How about a system where service is excellent across the board and no tipping is expected? That's what they do in Japan.

That would be wonderful. I don't see it happening here, even if we granted visas for japanese waitstaff. Any idea what they're paid?

I'd probably throw them a few bucks for car service. If I'm going inside to pickup, I never tip.

I also don't put money in tip jars at Starbucks, etc. Unnecessary, as these people are not paid tip wages.

how is carside serivce different than drive thru at mcd's? they bring it from the restaurant out to your car instead of give it to you from a window? that takes about 10-15s of walking and then 1 min max for payment. what are you tipping for??

I'd tip McDonalds drive through folks if they ever got the order right. I don't expect I'll ever have to follow through on that promise, however.

The first mistake was exiting the road at that establishment.

We tip on carside pickup; we also tip the dry cleaner when they bring the order out to the car, which they usually do. On the dry cleaning, it's usually two or three dollars. On the carside, depends on the size of the order.

Look at the definition and then you may find you TIP to much:
T=To
I=Improved
P=Personal
S=Service

If they are just doing their job, no tip is warranted.
If they are friendly or go that extra mile, please tip.

I learned:
To
Insure
Proper
Service

Was told it was developed a looong time ago when people didn't have much variety of establishments, so you tipped following a meal to ensure the waitstaff would treat you well on a subsequent visit.

Do you own a restaurant in the US?
Because your comments seem to suggest that customers in the US should EXPECT to tip every server just because the restaurant owner is too CHEAP to pay the servers the minimum wage, and expect customers to subsidize their employees' meager salaries.
Hence, the difference in the minimum wage between the UK and the US.

Years ago, I had a Chinese friend who told me that her brother had worked at a Chinese buffet in the Mid-West when he first came to the USA and spoke almost no English. They had been given uniforms with no pockets and had to turn all tips to the manager. They never saw them again.

This would be illegal in most states, but I now keep an eye open at restaurants and have seen numerous examples of no pocket uniforms. Indeed, there have been a lot of lawsuits over such things with the restaurant usually claiming that "giving" the tips to the manager (or owner) is perfectly okay.

Care to identify any of the offenders?

I worked a number of restaurant jobs when I in school. My kids have done the same. All of us agree that we would prefer tip income to minimum wage. Why? Because a good server, over time, earns far more through tip income.

If I owned a restaurant, I would rather hire and retain good servers. That keeps customers returning. How best to do this? Allow them to earn income based on individual performance. It's no different than many other businesses. The sales people in my company earn bonuses based on individual performance. Most of the rest of us earn bonuses based on company or unit performance. Individual contribution is harder to measure and this is deemed fairer. However, individual mediocrity is easier to hide when true contribution to profit is harder to measure. Not so with sales people and waitstaff. It's got nothing to do with CHEAP! It's simply a smart business practice.

If all the servers get raises from $2.13 to whatever the local minimum wage is, and tipping is discontinued, do you not think you will pay for it? The meal prices will be adjusted upwards. You may pay less than under the old method, but average service will be all you can hope for.

If you want the minimum cost of service included in your minimumly acceptable meal, I suggest you eat fast food.