STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

valenciana · Dooney & Bourke

"upscale" fast food and tipping

bex · Chanel

i eat a cosi, panera bread, etc. and have never left a tip. and i usually pay by credit card (i eat at these places a lot when i am traveling for work) and there is always a tip line and i just cross through it and re-write the total at the bottom and sign... of course, at cosi and PB you take care of your own dishes... i don't know? i wouldn't think you would tip...

Andrea Julia · Coach

quote:
Originally posted by: bex
"i eat a cosi, panera bread, etc. and have never left a tip. and i usually pay by credit card (i eat at these places a lot when i am traveling for work) and there is always a tip line and i just cross through it and re-write the total at the bottom and sign... of course, at cosi and PB you take care of your own dishes... i don't know? i wouldn't think you would tip... "

I agree. I never heard of the other two places, but I do go to Panera a lot. I've never tipped or felt that tipping was customary. It is so crowded there that once we leave our table, somebody else takes it within a minute. I don't think they would even come to collect a tip and when people leave one on their credit card, there is a chance that the cashier won't even know how to handle it in the computer since it's so rare.

I'm a little confused about this Wolfgang Express place because the guy brings you your food, unlike Panera. Here's what I think:

If there is a tip jar on the counter, a tip is expected. I don't ALWAYS agree that you have to leave a tip if there's a jar (far from it), but in this case I think you should because someone actually brings your food to your table AND you are able to leave a tip on the card. So, those 3 factors added together would = tip expected.

If there isn't a tip jar on the counter, then don't leave a tip. That would mean the only way to tip would be on a credit card, which makes absolutely no sense, since you also can't leave on on the table, and therefore, means that they don't expect tips. Maybe they just have their credit card machine set up like that because they are considered a restaurant. There is a pizza place by my house like that, but I think that line would only be used when they made deliveries because no one waits on you.

-- Edited by Andrea Julia at 12:22, 2005-03-29

sfclinevandy · Coach

First of all, I am obsessed with the pumpkin ravioli express at Wolfgang Puck Express. It will honestly change your life.

That being said, I usually leave a tip there because I am a pig and usually order dessert. I never order at the counter and usually the "server" offers it so I just give him my credit card and he brings me my fatty plate of chocolate torte. If they don't go out of their way to bring me anything, I usually don't leave a tip. My dad always does though.

At our Panera there aren't servers, you order at the counter, they call your number and you go up and get your food. There's a tip jar, I think so it's really your call.

The only tip jar that I have issues with is at Smoothie King. I've been to quite a few but only the one near my has 2 jars- one for the person making the smoothie AND one for the person ringing me up. That's just weird.

crystal · Kate Spade

well, my two cents is that small tipping is customery for to-go orders at normal restaurants (i.e. 5-10%) so maybe u could tip but just on the lower end since they are not doing nearly as much as a regular restaurant would do so no need for 15-20%. but i just wanted to add that i take issue w/ "tip jars" at places like starbucks, jamba juice, etc. where they expect a tip for performing a job that they are already being paid for. it's not like servers who make min. wage or lower & depend on tips for their income. the person collecting cash & the person filling a cup really don't do much to deserve a tip & having a "tip jar" in plain view of the person taking ur money just seems wrong, like ur being shamed into giving a tip! i think in rare cases someone might go above & beyond at one of these types of places, but usually they are cranky & unpleasant anyways so why should they be rewarded?

poptart · Coach

quote:

Originally posted by: sfclinevandy
"First of all, I am obsessed with the pumpkin ravioli express at Wolfgang Puck Express.

I am LIVING for the butternut squash soup. It just opened here and I've eaten there twice in the past four days (oh, and this is not near my office for lunch - I'm talking going there for DINNER twice).

blubirde · Chanel

Okay... I never considered this issue before. I just didn't tip if I got food to-go or ordered from a place like Panera. Ouch. I just had lunch at a coffee shop and didn't tip because you order your food at the counter and pick it up, bus your own table (although the girl came and did ours for us), etc. OMG!!!! How did I never know this? I feel like an ass. I'm such a good tipper at restaurants, too... There should really be directions or signs up for this type thing!!!

Or better yet, why don't they just mark up their food and say "no tips"? How much easier would that be?

beachgirl · Kenneth Cole

I always tip when I order food for pick-up, although not as much as I would if I ate there. But it requires work, the person has to put the order in, wrap up the food, etc., so I feel they deserve a tip.

For the other places you girls are talking about I would probably do the same thing and leave around a 10% tip depending on how nice they are.

Of course I used to be a waitress so I can sympathize with them!

valenciana · Dooney & Bourke

okay, i must try the pumpkin ravioli and the butternut squash soup. i am seriously considering convincing my fiance to drive down there tonight.

as far as places like Panera, i don't tip there, i don't even think i've seen a tip jar or anything of the sort. but at Wolfgang Puck, syou order at the counter and then get one of those pager thingys, but then a guy comes by and says "i'm your waiter" and gives you utensils and brings your food, and will get you other stuff if you ask (drink refills, which are self-serve, or dessert as sfclinevandy pointed out), and busses your table...thus the confusion. i'm lucky if the surly cashiers at Panera even give me my food, they certainly don't provide tableside service, therefore, no tip. but i think i'm going to adopt the tipping if the service is beyond what's expected or if they actually do something for me other than bring my food out. i just don't want to be walking out of restaurants stiffing people who make $2.35 an hour.

thanks gals...but now my mouth is watering!

Andrea Julia · Coach

quote:
Originally posted by: sfclinevandy
"First of all, I am obsessed with the pumpkin ravioli express at Wolfgang Puck Express. It will honestly change your life. "

Pumpkin ravioli! That sounds divine. I just looked them up on Yahoo yellow pages and there is one in my area, but it is a pain to go to that city (It's in Hoboken for you Jersey girls).

lynnie · Chanel

I've worked at one of those kind of restaurants that you're talking about- except it was a local italian cafe where i made coffee, took out food orders, and scooped gelato. Tips are definitely not expected- but they are very much appreciated- but don't leave a big amount because it most likely will be split among everyone. I would wince when someone would hand me $10 and thank me, and I had to put it in the tip jar, especially if i did a lot of work for them. But I figure everyone else puts it in the jar when they don't want to, so it all evens out. So I don't really think tip jars are rude at all- you def. don't need to leave a tip but it's a nice gesture. If you think about it- yea, Starbucks employees aren't making minimum wage. But they're not making very much money- the corporation is the one that sees all the dough from the pricey drinks. I think a small tip ($1 is fine) every once in a while is nice. I usually made an extra $25 a week from tips (while working about 45 hour weeks), which I added to my $7 hourly wage (making it about $7.50/hr). Again, not expected, but if you have a great experience and everyone is nice to you, def. appreciated.