do you tip?

[DirrrtyJess]

So I work at sonic and I know people think all we do is bring you out your food, but its much more than that.
You have to realize I dont just take out your order, I take out hundreds of peoples orders.

I atleast want .50/ order.
But we have those d bags who order over 30.00 worth of food... And dont tip...

How much do you guys usually tip, via sonic or resturants?

[MimeRifle]

Very interesting question. I usually tip 15-20% depending on the quality of service. I do sometimes struggle with whether tipping is appropriate in some venues. In such venues, if I see a tip jar, then I know what to do. I've never been to a Sonic... are you saying nobody tips there?

Buffets are another good question... you serve yourself, but they do have wait staff that brings beverages sometimes, and hosts, and folks to bus tables...

I have nothing to add to this conversation other than - it is a good question!

[DirrrtyJess]

I can make 35.00 in a 9 hour shift. I even get.scum bags who will say keep the change and it will be a penny and they will start laughing.
I usually drop the penny and say, thank you have a fannnntasic day (in sarcasm) and walk off.
Im not a bum, im not a servant, and I wont let them trample all over me.

[kallima]

Most wait staff only make 2.25/hr.

But yes, I do tip even at Sonic, usually at least a dollar, more if it's raining. But an attitude like that makes me want to reconsider. Some wait staff don't get tipped at nice dine-in restaurants so expect the same at Sonic where one doesn't even get nice ambiance.

[Battlelock]

We always tip 20%-30% of our bill. Sonetimes more. If we eat at Applebee's, it usually costs us around 25$-30$. We'll usually give our waiter/waitress 40$ & tell them keep the changes.
@ Sonic we usually give our food runner 3$-5$ depending on the change.

[Ebalere]

I tip 25% if I find myself being looked after. If the server brings menus, then the food ,and that's all I see of them, I tip closer to 10%. If they're rude, or screw up my order really bad, I tip anywhere from 5cents to 2 bucks.

[adidaman]

11% if the waiter is a jerk.
15-19% if the waiter is normal
20-22% if I like the waiter

And 30% in your case since I know you from forums

[Bronxman2012]

OK, I know this is going to rub some people the wrong way, but if you are a waiter or waitress, then, yes, you should get a tipped, provided that you do an above-average job. As an example, in Starbucks, there is a "tip jar." For what? You're not serving me, so why should I tip you? The response is that Starbucks' wages are low. And I feel for them. I really do. However, the financial burden should not fall on my shoulders.

So, if you work at Sonic, your job is to bring out the food, not to wait on me. As an example, after you bring out my food, what if I would like a refill on my iced tea? Are you going to get it for me? You're not. So, you should not be tipped.

Also, you write, "I usually drop the penny and say, thank you have a fannnntasic day (in sarcasm) and walk off.
Im not a bum, im not a servant, and I wont let them trample all over me."

This is not a good attitude to have. As an employee of Sonics, you are a reflection of them. Should customers be rude? No. Do they have a right to be rude? Yes. However, that, in turn, does NOT give you a right to be sarcastic. As a manager, if I saw one of my team members being rude to a customer, they would be fired. Remember, without customers, there is no Sonics (and no job for you). It doesn't matter whether you work at Sonics or a place where you are making six figures. When you interact with customers, you should ALWAYS treat them with respect (whether they deserve it).

So, for waiters and waitresses, here is my mindset. The average tip to leave a waiter or waitress who performs above average service is 15%. If the service is excellent, then, you should leave 20%. And if the service is outstanding, by all means, leave a 25% tip.

However, the converse is true. If the service is average or below average, the tip should be reflected accordingly. So, I have a sliding scale. As an example, if I order a drink with free refills (for example, unsweetened ice tea), and I have to ask for a refill (the waiter or waitress should see that my glass is near empty), I deduct 1% from the tip for each time I have to ask for my refill. Or, let's say that I ask for a steak well-done and it comes out medium, then, I deduct another 1%.

So, whenever I go out to eat, I have a Tip Enhancements and Tip Deductions checklist on my iPad. I then select the check boxes, where appropriate, and the app spits out the proper percentage for the tip.

So, no, I don't think food preparers and servers who are not waitresses or waiters should be tipped. And the tip percentage (0% to 25%) should reflect the service.

Just my two cents,
Bronxman

[maiohwmai]

Let's say the walk from inside of the Sonic to the furthest possible vehicle takes...45 seconds.

So that's $.50/45 seconds...which is about $.67/second...times 60 seconds per minute...60 minutes to an hour...that's what, $40 an hour?

Snap, son. Is Sonic hiring?

[Ebalere]

Let's say the walk from inside of the Sonic to the furthest possible vehicle takes...45 seconds.

So that's $.50/45 seconds...which is about $.67/second...times 60 seconds per minute...60 minutes to an hour...that's what, $40 an hour?

Snap, son. Is Sonic hiring?

You're missing some math there.. I'm confused, but the joke is funny nonetheless since I know what you're saying lol

[Bronxman2012]

Actually, let's say that there are, on average, 2.5 people in a car (though how they get a 0.5 person is beyond me).

50 cents per order would equal $1.25 per carload.

Let's be conservative and state that it takes a full minute to walk to the car. That is $1.25 per minute.

That would translate into $75 per hour.

Now, let's keep going.

If a person works at Sonics for 40 hours per week, they would then be making $3,000 per week.

Multiple this by 52 weeks, and a person's annual salary at Sonics would be $156,000.

You know what?

I just realized that the people at Sonics make way too much money. So, no tip for you.

[Battlelock]

Actually, let's say that there are, on average, 2.5 people in a car (though how they get a 0.5 person is beyond me).

50 cents per order would equal $1.25 per carload.

Let's be conservative and state that it takes a full minute to walk to the car. That is $1.25 per minute.

That would translate into $75 per hour.

Now, let's keep going.

If a person works at Sonics for 40 hours per week, they would then be making $3,000 per week.

Multiple this by 52 weeks, and a person's annual salary at Sonics would be $156,000.

You know what?

I just realized that the people at Sonics make way too much money. So, no tip for you.

Are you frigging serious? Sonic people don't deliver food every minute of every hour of a 40 hour per work week and you forgot to factor in the walk, the checking of orders list, getting another order, breaks, lunches. Your math is very ignorant.

If you don't want to tip them then get off your butt and get it yourself or go thru the drive thru. People like this shouldn't be allowed in public lol.

I'd tip you Jess :-)

[Bronxman2012]

Battlelock writes:

"Are you frigging serious? Sonic people don't deliver food every minute of every hour of a 40 hour per work week."

Then, they should not complain about not being tipped. I know if I could receive 156K for delivering food to cars, I would do so in a heartbeat.

"If you don't want to tip them then get off your a$$ and get it yourself or go thru the drive thru. People like this shouldn't be allowed in public lol."

You never go through the drive through. See Joe Pesci's explanation in Lethal Weapon 2 as to why you should not do this. It is classic.

But, it is this attitude of expectation which is causing things to decline in America. We have lost the attitude of gratitude. Instead of complaining about what you don't have (outrageous tip money), you should be grateful for what you do have (a job).

As a Sonic employee, it is your job to bring me my food. I AM paying you. Part of my fee is for your bringing me of my food. As another example, when I pull into the gas station, the gas attendant's job is to fill my tank up with gas. Now, if they change the air in my tires, then, yes, they get a tip. But to tip someone for doing what they are supposed to do defeats the purpose of a tip.

And so, I still say ...

NO TIP FOR YOU!!!

[Bronxman2012]

I would like to add the following:



Notice what is written on Sonic's own web site:

"Like an eight-wheeled human food chariot."

As a chariot is mentioned, I would like to modify my time estimate from 1 minute per carload to 30 seconds per carload, as chariots move pretty quickly (see Ben Hur). So, that would double the person's salary to over 300K per year.

That is a lot of money for delivering food.

"A carhop delivers your food to your driver's side window with a side of smiles."

You know what? I never received a side of smiles with my delivery from a Sonic employee. And so, the next time I go to Sonics, and I get a delivery from a car hoppy, and I do not get my side of smiles, I am going to complain to the manager. That is, after I inform the car hoppy person to turn that frown upside down.

So, according to the Sonic by-laws, as a customer, you have the following expectations:

1. To get your food quickly. As the comparison is to an eight-wheeled chariot, I am estimating this as within 45 seconds of placing your order. Anything more means the employee is violating his or her employment agreement.

2. To get a side of smiles. Any smileless interaction with you from a Sonics employee is yet another violation of the employee's agreement with Sonics.

Again, these two items should not result in a tip because they are the responsibilities of the employee, not going the extra mile.

[kallima]

Are you frigging serious? Sonic people don't deliver food every minute of every hour of a 40 hour per work week and you forgot to factor in the walk, the checking of orders list, getting another order, breaks, lunches. Your math is very ignorant.
If you don't want to tip them then get off your a$$ and get it yourself or go thru the drive thru. People like this shouldn't be allowed in public lol.

I'd tip you Jess :-)

I think he was using a term called hyperbole. And I'm sorry but Jess' attitude does come off as quite entitled. You DO realize that they MAKE minimum wage? Tips technically should only be given to those that make the regular "service industry" salary which is like 2.25! Tips were to supplement that low wage. Ever hear "a penny saved is a penny earned?" Letting that penny drop adds up over time, and I'm sorry but anyone who has that little respect for money, no matter how miniscule, won't be getting a dime from me.

[maiohwmai]

You're missing some math there.. I'm confused, but the joke is funny nonetheless since I know what you're saying lol

Bah, you got me. I mistyped seconds for minute. End product is the same, though.

50 cents per 45 seconds is roughly 67 cents a minute. Times 60 minutes in an hour is about 40 bucks per hour.

[Snakespeare]

Yes, I do. In a sitdown restaurant it's a base of 15% and it is 20% most of the time. If you tick off my wife, maybe 10%. I don't like wife aggro and I have to listen to it in the car afterwards so, even though I'm paying, don't tick her off.

Car hops get a dollar. Starbucks jar gets a dollar every now and then. Order-at-Counter/Brought-to-Table type places get 10%.

p.s. Cops don't have to tip. Just be there and stay for a while. When I did counter work, we never charged cops for refills. We wanted them to stick around. So, the poster above me might not be having a typical customer experience.

[Junside]

The tips I receive at my restaurant are on average, $3-5, sometimes I get a total of 20+ for one table. Once guy gave me 50 bucks once, from change for a 100 bill. (Yes it was intentional.)

I'm not stating this to be racist, but the only people who never tip me are Asian Indian. Some do. But nearly all haven't.

I usually tip around 3 dollars for a regular lunch, and 5-8 for a big dinner. In the end, there's like 20 dollars of tip on the table when me and my entourage leave. This is in VA.

[maiohwmai]

Yes, I do. In a sitdown restaurant it's a base of 15% and it is 20% most of the time. If you tick off my wife, maybe 10%. I don't like wife aggro and I have to listen to it in the car afterwards so, even though I'm paying, don't tick her off.

Car hops get a dollar. Starbucks jar gets a dollar every now and then. Order-at-Counter/Brought-to-Table type places get 10%.

p.s. Cops don't have to tip. Just be there and stay for a while. When I did counter work, we never charged cops for refills. We wanted them to stick around. So, the poster above me might not be having a typical customer experience.

Actually, I'm so paranoid about food spitting just because of the badge that I bring a cooler with me to work or I buy sealed drinks or snacks or whatever at convenience stores.

And I do tip carhops, though not exhorbitantly. Honestly, I feel that expecting a tip is as silly as not tipping, if that makes sense.

[StompArtist]

Always tip those who handle your food and drinks. Always. You never know what the "kid" across the counter may do to your meal/drinks next time you come around.