    
teleburst
New member
Username: teleburst
Post Number: 1217
Registered: 06-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 | | Posted on Thursday, December 15, 2005 - 11:24 am: | |
"What gives? I pick up take-out from this place near my house several times a month. every time I pay and do not leave a tip, the cashier gives me this "look." "
Maybe it's because you don't seem to have a clue. Maybe it's because he or she thinks that maybe you're doing pickup is to avoid tipping and so are willing to sit at home and eat your food out of plastic containers. Maybe it's because he or she thinks that you haven't thought about the fact that someone has to prepare your food and take time away from tipping guests. Maybe it's because he or she realizes that you haven't considered that to go people don't expect to receive a full tip as in full service but DO reasonably expect something for the time in taking your order over the phone and getting it correct, preparing the order for you to take out, double-checking to make sure that your order is correct and ringing you out.
In my restaurant, our to-go people even go so far as to unpack the order in front of the guest and go over each item with them, so they have to pack, unpack AND repack the order. They ring up between $1000 and $2500 during an average night shift. During the day, one of the bartenders have to take time away from their own guests to assure that the order gets fulfilled. I have no idea what kind of place that you're talking about, or what level of service that they provide, but the fact that you don't even give a token tip for someone who has provided a nice service for you speaks volumes, as does the fact that you have to ask about "the look". Chances are, you are one of the few who doesn't "get it", which is why you get "the look". In my restaurant, you don't get 'the look', because our to-go people make a good living on the vast majority of people who tip something, and yes, there are a few people generous enough to actually tip the same as they would if they sat down, because they appreciate the personal (if different) service that they receive. For those who tip nothing, they just get mocked, especially if they order big or regularly. For the rest of the ones who order little piddly orders, well, they're just ignored. Of course, they aren't going to get any extra condiments, or even ANY preferential treatment, which those who are generous get everytime. If there are two people there to pick up at the same time, who do you think is going to get their food first if they're both ready? and believe me, during the rush, we have as many as 5 or 6 people waiting around to get their food.
So, continue to be a cheap-ass and suffer the look (it's free after all), or pony up a little love to the people who have made it possible to avoid a full tip and having to suffer sitting in the restaurant being waited on hand and foot. |