Would appreciate your opinion on tipping at small coffee shops

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Since I've retired, I usually eat lunch out in our local area. I don't bother with dinner and this question isn't in reference to finer dining.

I'm talking about cafes where you have to order at the counter, your coffee drinks are left at the counter, your food is carried out to your table, and then you have to bus your own cold drinks and clear off your own table when you leave.

Do you tip?

There are five of these in my local area and my meals typically consist of a sandwich, burrito, soup or a salad. It is always less than $15. I never gets coffee drinks out with a meal; that is always a separate stop.

All of these establishments use software that defaults to a TIP screen if you use your credit card. If you pay cash, there is an obvious tip jar crammed with money. Yet no one is a waiter or waitress.

I have been tipping because it seems to be expected. Personally I don't think that is a good enough reason. In a single week, I've tipped more than another meal out.

So I'm just wondering what the norm is. I've never eaten out this much before since I never had a car while working (used a vanpool) and there were no businesses close enough to walk from Lockheed.

That's it. Thanks.

 
This one is hard for us, too.

All tipping big and small, actually! It is a ton of money but part of the cost of eating out. We've taken to using coupons to defray. And sharing 1 meal. We eat out just as often but eat less at each session smileys/wink.gif Colleen

 
Can you access Consumer Reports through your library? Article on tipping in February 2019 issue.

Not sure it would be of help to you but one thing I did see is this.
"67%...Percentage of survey respondents who said they go to coffee shops such as Starbucks and do not typically tip. Of those who do, it's more often millennials and Gen Xers and people who live in the Pacific Northwest."

 
If someone is carrying food to me at a table, I usually drop a buck or two in the tip jar.

We also have places like the rolled ice cream shop where the staff makes the ice cream to order on a cold plate, starting with the ice cream base, then working it with spatulas until frozen in a sheet, then scraping in to rolls and adding toppings for the finished dessert.

For those I tip 20% when paying on the tablet at check out.

 
Wait until you have been retired for almost 10 years. You will be able to answer your question.

Yikes, move a muscle, get a tip. Smile, get a tip. Show up, get a tip.

I know. No help. But really, what happened since we had to work to earn a living?

 
Now THAT I have not seen. I think Lisa has it about right. If I get my coffee AT the counter

I am not going to tip--it's expensive enough as is!! LOL

 
I will usually drop my change and a dollar bill in the jar if someone delivers food to...

...me at the table.

Like Lisa said, if they have to "work", they get 20% or so.

Wait staff that we LIKE get way more than 20%.

Michael

 
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