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Brian Tahima's avatar

Lydia, you really hit on something here. Tipping culture has become so complicated, and takeout is one of the trickiest situations. I totally get wanting to be courteous and supportive of restaurant staff, but at the same time, it feels odd tipping for just picking up a bag at the counter. Like you said, we don’t tip at fast-food drive-thrus, so where’s the line?

I do agree that curbside pickup deserves a tip, especially when employees go out of their way in bad weather. But those awkward moments at the register, when the screen flips around asking for a tip before you even grab your food? That just feels forced. In the end, I love your approach use kindness as a guide and do what feels right in each situation. That’s the best way to handle it.

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Elizabeth H. Cottrell's avatar

As I age, I have slipped into the mindset of “They need it more than I do” mentality, and while that might be true, it certainly bypasses the intent of tipping: to reward good service. I think your advice to do what we think is best in each situation is sound.

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