wgrc1971

So are we supposed to tip for the Carside service at Applebee's (and similar?) I didn't and wondered later if I should, I do like to tip well to those in the food service industry, that I know work hard!

(I do usually give $1 at Sonic when I travel to a city with those, so now wonder if this is similar. Conversely though, here in BUF, I am not in the habit of tipping when picking up a pizza, though yes I do when they deliver)

thebug622

I have never heard of tipping for fast food,are you tipping the person who hands you your bag of food?If someone comes to my car to deliver the food and later returns to pic up my tray I do tip 15% or so

theblakefish

If someone comes out to your car, than I would say yes, but not 15%. If you go inside to pick the food and someone just takes your cash and brings your food out to a counter....than I would say no.

BamaVol

From my sons, who both worked in the kitchen at Ruby Tuesdays:

The carhop server receives the same pay as a server with tables (less than $3 an hour). He/She therefore is expected to earn tip income. Duties include taking the order, making sure that the order is correctly filled and delivering the order. Most patrons tip, but often not 15-20%

My opinion:

The service has value, but not equivalent to serving a table. I generally tip 10% and may adjust that amount in future visits if prior service wasn't up to snuff (assuming the same server).

N965VJ

Just pretend to speak with a European accent and nothing will be expected of you.

tmann0619

It's kind of like going to one of those quick serve restaurants where you order at a counter, a server brings you the food, and then you're expected to discard your trash. I typically leave a couple bucks....probably ends up being around 10%+.

mjcewl1284

Hmmm I feel awful now. I only left a dollar for a $10+ order a few weeks ago when I was using the carside service at Applebees

fastflyer

FWIW, here are the NYC rules:

(1) No tipping for takeaway. (You go to the restaurant and get your food)

(2) Tip a couple of dollars for delivery. A little more if he stops at a deli to pick up beer if requested. (The delivery guy comes to your building and delivers your order to your door)

diapickle

haven't been to applebee's in ages. Where do you order for this carside service? Is it just like a regular drivethru? If it is I definitely wouldn't tip.

tonerman

I usually just leave a dollar or two. At my applebees there is an actual drive up door so they only have to take about 5 steps or so,and most of the time they dont realize your there so you have to go in anyway.

rwmiller

I usually tip about 10-15% for delivery to the car. I am torn about carryout in a nice restaurant - if there is a counter for pick up I usually just leave no tip but, if the bartender has to get the meal, assemble it and provide it to me I try and tip a few dollars.

Bob

Sweet Willie

THAT is a good tip !

TRRed

I seem to remember a similar discussion in a thread about restaurant tipping in general, if you want to search out more opinions. (Not Applebees but maybe Outback or Carrabbas which have similar situations), for curbside service, I estimate a tip of about 10%+ and round the total up to the next dollar.

And for those who have not seen them yet, tip jars are becoming more and more prevalent at many fast food locations, even for those workers not being paid as tip workers (some companies specifically prohibit them, possibly because of payroll tax reporting issues). My impression is that this trend has been spreading from the west coast eastward. I saw them en masse over 6 years ago in California.

bankingconsultant

In my case, it depends on who answers the phone and takes the order. There's an Applebee's across the street from the hotel I've been staying at M-F for the past six months. I normally order from there once a week, sometimes twice, and they normally only have one person who runs the carside service. I normally tip 10% up to the next whole dollar, but there's one server who continues to try to add tax to my take-out order....so after reminding her for about the fourth time, I've decided that she must not listen very well. She no longer gets a tip.

And no, I'm not waiting until I get there to remind her about the tax -- when she confirms the amount before I hang up, I've reminded her that take-out (in Ohio at least) isn't subject to tax, and she says "oh yeah, I'll take it off." Funny that it's never once come off the tab she brings out to the car.

Amicus

I lived in England for some time, so I am a lot more cynical about tipping in general, but IMHO, a tip should be a bonus for great service, something extra that is earned
Therefore, the widespread practice of tipping that is expected by everyone all across the country for every little thing done is quite disconcerting. Where does it end?
So, I would never tip Applebee's carside for the five steps the person takes to bring the bag of food out to my car. Similarly, I would never tip at a fast food counter, despite the ever-increasing presence of tip jars at some of these places in our local shopping mall. For example, there is a food court inside the mall, and nearly every one of the walk-up fast food places now sports a tip jar!!