Manners Matter: Tip Debate

Dear Mary Pat,

Could you please help my friend and me settle a debate? She thinks you don’t need to tip for takeout, but I was a waitress in high school and we always got tips for takeout. She thinks that servers don’t expect tips, but I know they do. Would you please weigh in on this?

Signed,

Tip for Take Out?

Ellison Bay, Wis.

Dear Tip for Take Out,

You should always tip on takeout orders, but not as much as you would if you were sitting down to a meal in a restaurant. It’s especially nice to tip when a restaurant isn’t really set up for take out. A waitress or bartender has to pack the order and get everything ready and package it in a way so that your meal travels back to your house in one piece and while still staying relatively hot. Ten percent or just a couple of bucks will usually cover it depending on how large or complicated the order is. Also, servers essentially lose out on not having you as a sit down customer but still work to give you good service, so that’s worth a tip.

Good luck,

Mary Pat