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Tipping and counter service

geist1223

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Two of our favorite restaurants have closed. They could not make it on carry away/delivery. My neighbor was the Executive Chef at one. He said they were losing $5,000 per month.
 

Sea Six

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Some states, including where I live, require the retailer to capture your signature when you show up, to prove it was you who used the card. This eliminates some chances for fraud. Of course, you can't always do that, like on-line orders, but they have to do it when they can "just because". As for the tip, I was surprised that in the Bahamas they add a 16% gratuity to EVERYTHING, not just table service, but take out, and things like a pre-packaged salad picked up at a retail store counter. I would normally not tip packaged items, it would be like tipping the grocery store for the food you bought.
 

Luanne

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Two of our favorite restaurants have closed. They could not make it on carry away/delivery. My neighbor was the Executive Chef at one. He said they were losing $5,000 per month.
It's really sad how many businesses are going under.

There is a small coffee shop that we frequent infrequently. Husband and wife owned. They opened for take out, but that is as far as they have gone. I was talking to the wife when she brought out a take out order for us. I always ask how they're doing. She said they are doing okay with the take out. She doesn't want to open to dine in as she's concerned about the health of her employees and family. She has a son with heart issues, and she said she's not sure how she herself would handle COVID, if she got it. She said they are closed on the weekends because they get a lot of foot traffic where they are located and they've heard reports from other merchants in the area about how crazy the area gets, and many people aren't wearing masks.
 

WinniWoman

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I tip 20% everywhere.
 

presley

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I am curious if those who have responded in this thread thus far have noticed any significant price increases at their local favorite dining establishments.....
I have. I have also noticed that at the grocery store.

A few restaurants added fees to the bill when California increased minimum wage and made sick pay mandatory. The restaurants said they had to add a charge to the bill to compensate the employee pay/benefits. I wonder if those same places are adding the COVID fee now, too. I quit going to those places when they added the fee last time.
I tip 20% everywhere.
Do you have some places where you pay online before you get there and there is no obvious way to tip? I've ordered Chipolte a couple times recently. I used to tip in the tip jar, but now I pay online and just pick up my food in a bag and there is no tip jar and no tipping option when I place the order.
 

klpca

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I have. I have also noticed that at the grocery store.

A few restaurants added fees to the bill when California increased minimum wage and made sick pay mandatory. The restaurants said they had to add a charge to the bill to compensate the employee pay/benefits. I wonder if those same places are adding the COVID fee now, too. I quit going to those places when they added the fee last time.
Do you have some places where you pay online before you get there and there is no obvious way to tip? I've ordered Chipolte a couple times recently. I used to tip in the tip jar, but now I pay online and just pick up my food in a bag and there is no tip jar and no tipping option when I place the order.
The main restaurant that I frequent that added the minimum wage surcharge is The Brigantine group and since there is one next to my office and my boss and I are there frequently, I can say without hesitation that there is no covid surcharge. Their prices are absolutely ridiculous though, but so are their portions, so we pretty much split everything. Also the new menus don't even mention the minimum wage surcharge anymore fwiw.
 

1Kflyerguy

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I agree with Art. We are tipping at least as much, and sometimes more, than we would sitting in the restaurant. Generally, 20-25%. We appreciate that some of our favorite restaurants are staying open and we want to help them and their employees as much as possible.

Same for us. We are doing our best to support the places we enjoy. I was surprised to see a new restaurant open up last week in our neighborhood. I saw online a number of people complaining about the prices... But I can't imagine how hard it will be to open a new place with no access to the dinning room.
 

WinniWoman

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I have. I have also noticed that at the grocery store.

A few restaurants added fees to the bill when California increased minimum wage and made sick pay mandatory. The restaurants said they had to add a charge to the bill to compensate the employee pay/benefits. I wonder if those same places are adding the COVID fee now, too. I quit going to those places when they added the fee last time.
Do you have some places where you pay online before you get there and there is no obvious way to tip? I've ordered Chipolte a couple times recently. I used to tip in the tip jar, but now I pay online and just pick up my food in a bag and there is no tip jar and no tipping option when I place the order.

In that case I hand it to the person when I pick up take out, unless there is a tip jar then I put it in there.
 

amycurl

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Some of our local Mexican places were offering *amazing* family meals (fajita/taco bars that served 4-6 people for $20;) most are still offering those, but having to either raise the price (still a great deal) or make a large queso for an extra fee. But they've been transparent that it is about the rise in food costs.

And I've noticed that a dollar doesn't stretch quite as far as it used to in the grocery store, even in places like Aldi's and Costco....
 

rapmarks

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i recently read an article on take out, and the person interviewed stated that about 40% tip for take out and the average tip is 10%. I have been tipping around 20% during the pandemic, and I think that is pretty common.
we went to a pizza place this week and got a deep dish. Previously,the serv would dish out the first slice,and box up any take home at the end. She told us she is not allowed to do that any longer. It was like getting takeout
 
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