Consumerist.com recently had a post concerning the new automatic gratuity added to to-go orders at Johnny Rockets, and some of you have asked for my opinions on the matter.
I have a couple of different opinions on this matter if you want to know the truth. To me, having an automatic gratuity should be done only on parties of 8 or more, in a sit down restaurant, to ensure that the server is compensated for the inevitable load of work they’ll be doing on the one party as opposed to having a number of other tables.
I say that, but then I think about the servers who have to take the to-go orders, box them up, bag them up, fill condiments to send home, and give any little extras the to-go customer demands, all the while they’re supposed to be looking after their own tables. It’s hard to determine whether your server is taking time out of their tables to get your food set up or if they are on the shift specifically to take and set up call in orders.
If a server is on the shift only for call in orders, they are most likely being paid a good hourly rate knowing that most people won’t tip on that order. Even with the fabled “Curbside service” at places like Applebees, and O’charleys, and other chains, the server isn’t compensated for their time. The restaurant knows this, and takes steps to ensure they’re paid for their work. Other restaurants, like Cracker Barrel and Johnny Rockets, expect their floor servers to take up the burden of overwhelming to-go orders while also trying to juggle their own tables. When this happens, especially on the weekends when the highest volume of to-go orders are called in, the server will often get themselves “in the weeds” to coin an industry phrase. They get extremely behind, are not able to focus primarily on their own tables, and as such, their tip can and does suffer.
In the case of Johnny Rockets, I agree with the gratuity, to an extent. I’m not sure it should be a full 15%. 10% gratuity added to a call in order is something that I wouldn’t complain about. Other people? Well, I can’t speak for other people. I know that some people don’t like the gratuity at all, and most of them wouldn’t care if the server taking the order had to take time out from their own tables to do it or not.
You all know where I stand on people who complain about automatic gratuity, I think they need to shove it. That’s only for sit down restaurants though. The people who complain about those auto-grat’s are the ones who won’t tip regardless of the level of service. Complaining about an auto-grat on a take out order is okay, depending on the amount of the gratuity.
The woman who wrote into the Consumerist in the first place was right to complain about the gratuity, unless it was posted visibly on either their take out menu, or somewhere in the restaurant. If it was posted, then she needs to not whine, she knew what she was getting into.
Ribeye
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February 25th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
yeah, I think that 10% is sufficient for curb side “service”. Also since it’s obvious that it hasn’t *actually* “always been that way”, I don’t blame her for being angry, as it wasn’t posted anywhere.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
That’s a tough one. Johnny Rockets, huh? I’d say no if it’s a floor server. If it’s a designated to-go person, good ole Johnny should pay them an above minimum wage and let the tips fall where they may. I know if I got hit with a 15% auto-grat for a burger and fries in a bag with no notice, I would probably walk away. What’s next, tipping the hostess for a table?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I’m normally just a reader and not a commenter but I just have to comment on this one. I’m a to-go girl at Applebee’s. Let me break down a usual week night shift for you. I get to work a little before 5 and make sure I have lid’s, bags, and other things I’ll need for the night. My shift starts at 5 and from 5 til 9 I’m expoing food for other servers, running food, getting drinks, helping other servers with their tables, helping the ghetto redneck ass hat customers, answering the phone, sorting out the personal phone calls from the manager phone calls and the actual order phone calls, taking the orders, putting the orders in, expoing my own orders along with other peoples food (our expo guy is an idiot), getting my orders ready, adding all the little extra’s and utensils and such, all while watching for “a little blue suv thingy” that’s actually green truck.
I make $6/hr and work to-go 2 week nights and 1 weekend night. On a week night my sales are normally $250′ish and I normally make around $20 if I’m lucky. On a weekend my sales average about $800 and I might make $50. I’m lucky enough to close 3 nights a week so my income is balanced out but if I just had to live and pay for school on what I make on to-go, I don’t think I could do it. There have been times when a Pharm. Rep. will order $300 worth of to-go food and tip me $10. On Valentines Day to-go sales were $1600 and the poor to-go girl walked away with $80.
I’m not saying to-go people should be tipped 20% all the time I’m just saying I wish that people would think about the other stuff we have to do.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I’m always conflicted about tipping on takeout. I generally do, on the principle that a few bucks isn’t going to kill me, and may help a server. But I do feel that sit down restaurants that advertise take out ought to pay someone a cook or hostess wage to do the take outs - honestly, while I recognize that it is work to put together my order, that’s just part and parcel of getting take out. That isn’t extra service, or the same effort as running for refills or clearing plates.
February 26th, 2008 at 5:01 am
I agree with Gail. The business should pay the to go person a higher wage. I don’t mind giving a small tip, particularly if they have to walk out to my car in the rain or bad weather, but I don’t feel obligated to tip the way I would if I dined in.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Logan - to be honest, while I feel for you, what you are doing isn’t that much different than what I did when I worked fast food, and I didn’t make 6 bucks an hour, or tips. I had to stock, help prep, bag up orders, clean up the dining room, clean the bathroom, stand outside for 2 hours and count change (no second window, and I was the only one who could count back change in my head other than a manager). Oh, and if it was first thing in the morning on a Sunday, do all of that while waiting for the drive through to ding (yay 5 am opener.)
February 26th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
I wasn’t saying the job was hard just that I feel bad for people who have to make a living doing just that. Applebee’s isn’t any better than fast food lately.
February 26th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
You know, one of the girls I work with has a daughter who works at Sonic (which is a fast food drive up place, no inside seating), and she says she makes about $80-90 a day in tips plus at least minimum wage. I would probably think of tipping at a Chili’s or Applebee’s or something, but I don’t know if I would even think of tipping the Sonic people! So maybe fast food would be a better option than somewhere like that.
February 27th, 2008 at 3:57 am
Off topic, Ribeye, but next time you serve Ghettoade you may smile knowing this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23355862/
February 27th, 2008 at 5:13 am
wouldn’t get away with it here…….just wouldn’t happen…..they would burn the place down…….I’m not joking either…….bit crazy like that……..
February 27th, 2008 at 8:59 am
I’ve been going to Sonic for years (place to hang out in high school and still just for nostalgia) and way back in the day, and even now, some of the girls and guys would skate to your car. We always tipped, and I still do. I mean, they’ve got to run/skate in, grab your stuff, put everything on a little tray, get it to you without spilling it on the ground or your or your car, and then make change. Hell, that’s worth a couple of bucks in my book, especially if they’re on skates. That’s cool. (Waitress, I’m soo not calling you out or ragging on you or anything. Just explaining why I tip them.)
February 27th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
I worked as a server for twenty years. I never spit in anyone’s food, overcharged on a rude cash paying customer’s bar tab so I could keep the difference, or any of the other things I’ve seen coworkers do. This is the only time I took revenge on a customer, and it was beautiful. A large car dealership used to call in the middle of lunch rush with a huge to go order about once a week. Knowing that their tipping habits were hit and miss, we would ask the person calling with the order if we should add 15% for “the girl”. They would always say yes (with a sound of mild shock in their voice). This was in a redneck steak house that specialized in “greek burger baskets” and the like at lunch. We had huge stations, and whoever was nearest the phone had to pick up and take the to go order. One day a manager from the dealership came in and refused to pay the added gratuity even though it had been approved on the phone. The poor women who took the order had been put in the deep weeds by putting the order together, and had to give away tables. We were payed $2.01 an hour at the time. Earlier that day, my husband and I had been at the same dealer looking to replace my Honda CRX with 200,000 miles plus on it (I still miss that car). Their computers were down when they went to get our credit reports, and we had to leave to get to work on time before they came through. I’ve got to say, we weren’t treated all that well, perhaps because of my waitress uniform and my husband’s welding outfit. When they found out my credit score was 790, my husband’s was 810, we had no other car loans or credit card debt, and we were a head on our small mortgage, they called me three times at work (the bastards should have recognized the number) and left messages that the papers were ready to sign. It was a great joy to call the dealership and tell them I wouldn’t be buying from them because they weren’t decent enough to pay a tip. I did give the salesmen a “verbal tip” saying it wasn’t his fault but the failure of the organization to act decently. A small cheezy story story, I know, but it was a huge moral victory for a 23 year old waitress at the time.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
To be honest, getting takeout is no different than ordering at Mc Donald’s and it’ll be a cold day in hell before I tip there.
February 28th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Jo Bee, that was beautiful! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAP*
March 1st, 2008 at 4:20 am
Jo Bee, I have never done anything against anyone while waiting or bartending either. I find that some people feel the need to abuse the wait staff for their own satisfaction. Maybe it’s because they can. At any rate, I just don’t get it. Thank you for letting me live vicariously through your story. I am happy that you stood up for your staff.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:30 am
I would have no prob paying 10% to a designated to go person and if it was reg wait staff 15% PROVIDED they took the time to make sure what I ordered is what I got and everything needed was included like napkins, utensils, and sauces.
And when it comes to it upon reflection-to go orders esp call in orders - people are rude on phones, arent focused on the call ie driving or attempting to work on their office computer, etc.
The cost of to go orders for the restaurant are higher -styrofoam to go while not expensive like the black bottom top clear to go which run up to 50 cent per unit. Average to go order of 2 items will have multiple containers all of which cost money -and how many out of that box of 1000s fall on the floor from their shelf and end up in the trash.
SO personally if the business wants to charge an extra 10-15% for to gos IM fine with it. And I am even more for it if the poor slob who has to get it all put together gets to keep that 10-15%.
and sarah try eating at a nice place next time you get take out and chili’s doesnt count.
and Jo Bee you should have asked to speak to the owner of that car lot and explained to him WHY you werent buying his car both for the cheapness and the way you were treated based on appearance. And also mentioned how you were telling your guests about it everytime the subject of car buying came up.
March 5th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
If there is gratuity given it should be added in to the price of the item and not to the total bill.
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:49 am
I think tipping is getting out of hand. You tip your hair dresser, the paper boy, waitresses/waiters, taxi drivers, etc. What’s next tipping the cashier at Wal-Mart for ringing your groceries or tipping doctors for writting you prescriptions? If someone makes an hourly wage that is at or above minium wage they shouldn’t be tipped. I’m guessing the Applebees drive up girl is still in school or fairly young. When I was in school I worked a part-time min. wage job. I worked at Target, I ran the snack shop, answered phones, took customer returns and ran a cash register, never getting tipped, dealing with all kinds of people with poor manners, always smiling about it and only making 5.15 per hour. It’s part of the job. If you don’t agree to the terms, take another job.
May 24th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I work ToGo at a restaraunt, and we make server wages. I don’t get tipped, ever. I seriously? Make like 5 or six a night. I’m LUCKY to ever make more– I think I’ve made over $20 on two occasiona and that was because we had a couple of huge family style orders who tipped me well.
I was told it’s illegal to pay us more because we’re servers and servers are mandated by the state to make a certain wage– all tipped employees have to make that much by law.
I think it’s bullshit to have to bust our ass and make nothing. Some nights I’ll get 10 or 15 orders at once by myself which is more ‘tables’ than a server has. Because let’s face it, I have to fill drinks, expo food, box up food, make sure it’s right, put it in a bag, get bread and silverware and condiments and all that for 15 tables without the benefit of an expo or a food runner like the servers on the floor have. And I’ll make like two bucks on a 70 or 80 dollar togo order. It sucks. I bust my ass, you get to stiff on the tip, you cheap fuck.
May 24th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
If someone’s dumb enough to do all that work for practically nothing, that’s their own bad. Most servers I know work 30- 40 hrs a week (including overtime) for paychecks well under $200. We work JUST for tips. You want an alternative to tipping your paycheck away? By all means, cut your own hair, pick up your own paper, drive yourself around, and please, please, please, EAT AT HOME!