Coffee

I can only speak for the baristas out there, but I worked my way through undergrad as a barista and here’s the deal: $1 tip per drink is minimum. I grew up in the NW (Seattle/Portland) and when I moved out to the NE (Boston/NYC), I kept noticing that people don’t tip AT ALL??? I’m no longer in the service industry, but if I see you do this, I’m going to spill my latte on you and smile. Again, if you can’t afford the tip, don’t order your item.

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Anonymous asked: This isn't really a question, but just something to consider.

Tipping really depends on where you live. In Canada, you typically only tip 10%. In Europe, there are some countries where they don't expect you to tip at all. Where you grow up, you expect this to be the norm. So when you go to New York (whether it's for a trip, or you suddenly got a job/school there), you tip what you consider to be normal, and sometimes, no one tells you that you tip too low.

If you’re visiting a new country, it should be your responsibility to research the culture you are going in to. That includes proper tipping amounts, if there is any at all.

Anonymous asked: Is it rude to make a delivery person climb up 4 flights of stairs to deliver your food to your apartment door? If not, how much extra tip (above a 15-20% base) would a delivery person expect for that inconvenience?

It’s part of the job for me. It is a relief when people go out of their way to come downstairs promptly though.

One thing, if it’s raining, at least buzz the delivery guy into the hallway, nobody likes standing in the rain for 5 minutes while you find your wallet and come downstairs.

Submitted by CHI

When a delivery driver brings your food, you have to remember a few things:

• Tip a MINIMUM of $5.00. There is no reason why somebody two blocks away who tips $5 to your 2 miles and $2 should tip better than you. 
• They are taking a risk to deliver your lazy ass food. They can get robbed, get into an accident on bike or while driving, get parking tickets, etc. Especially in foul weather. A $2.00 tip on a $50 order is incredibly insulting.
• This is a SERVICE, not a right. Some people act like they are entitled to it. What they are entitled to is their order arriving when promised, complete and hot/cold. Don’t look at me like I’m the asshole because if it wasn’t for me, you’d be hoofing it to get your pizza.
• If the order is wrong or really late, a majority of the time it is the kitchen’s fault. They get paid by the hour, drivers (like servers) make money on volume. There is every incentive to get food there quickly and complete because it only their wastes time and money.
• Drivers have seen a 30-40% increase in the last couple months for their biggest expense - fuel. In some cases, it’s losing almost one day of income a month just to pay for this increase. Respect that.
• If you are a regular customer, tip well. If a driver gets 2 or 3 deliveries for a single run, you can bet yours will be last if possible if you are notoriously cheap or first if you are known as a great tipper. We all know who you are.
• If you stiff a driver on on purpose, don’t ever order from there again. Short them on purpose, don’t order from anywhere. Seriously, it happens.

meggghan asked: If your driver or waiter gives you bad service, should the person still give a 15% tip?

If you truly receive piss poor service, then yes I can endorse a lower tip. However, I know how long deliveries take me, and how long they take in the kitchen. And most all delays come from the kitchen.

Anonymous asked: An honest question about barista tipping: if I'm just getting a cup of coffee and not a complicated espresso drink, am I expected to tip?

And a follow-up question: are tips at coffee shops split among everyone working? If I do order a more complicated drink, I want to make sure my money is going to the person who made it.

I’m posting this hoping to get answers out of the baristas out there. I personally leave a dollar for plain coffee drinks, seems to be the norm for ordering a beer at a bar as well.

Submitted

For people who don’t understand the service industry, this is for you. People are spoiled. They think delivery is a right, and not a privilege. If you can afford to pay someone to cook your food for you, then you can afford to tip someone for bringing it to your lazy ass. Period.  If you can afford to go out to brunch and spend $10 on a plate of eggs you can afford to tip. You chose not to because you are cheap. You make excuses for your cheapness and laziness, but this is ultimately what you are. If you can’t afford to tip a person then make your food yourself. Same goes for anybody who provides a service for you. IE taxis, hair dressers, etc. If you have enough money to pay someone to do something for you, TIP! Otherwise you are a piece of shit. Period. End of story. 

Anonymous asked: Another news flash, if I start to make my own food as you recommend, and everyone who doesn't feel they can give a good tip does this as well, you will be out of a job. Sometimes people complain but don't see how stupid they are really being. If you're advising me to cook my own food at home, then you're basically asking me to help you be out of a job. Why are you such a moron?

The majority of people tip well and decent. I would just be saved the hassle of delivering your cheap lazy bum food.

You’re a joke

Submitted by Jack Steven

You embarass yourself. Tipping is a courtesy. The reason the majoirty of you wait stadd dont receive decent tips probably lies in your shitty service. Show me a titty or work for your money. Otherwise, fuck yourself.

Your into shaming people? Practice what you preach. Where do YOU work? What’s YOUR NAME? how much do YOU spend of shit.

If you’ve read any of the articles featuring my blog, you can answer all those questions on your own, even on this very blog. I’m not going to answer them because of your own stupidity and naivety.

end of the zone scumbag

Submitted by CJ

Manhattan Ave. greenpoint took you 8 minutes exactly to come downstairs after two phonecalls (14 stairs in a standard american stairwell) because you don’t have a functional buzzer like everyone else in brooklyn.

corner of meserole ave. end of delivery zone - about 23 blocks from my restaurant for 4 slices of pie during prime dinnertime.  two bucks for well over a mile.  thanks for the two bucks to bust my ass because you didn’t specify your cross-street as meserole ave from street bro. not on deck. i dropped your food a few times. whoops.

Anonymous asked: Personally, I think that this is really stupid. People don't make a lot of money as it is because of the economy and you think that it's CHEAP of us not to tip more than $1.00? We realize that $1.00 is low but really, with the addition of the rest of the things that you are buying it adds up. And you're complaining that you don't make a lot, well news flash buddy, neither do the rest of us. I work a part time job where i get $80 every two weeks. Do you think that I have enough money to leave a generous tip to my delivery person? No, I don't. Most people give what they feel is right. You get PAID to deliver our food, there is no reason as to why i should pay you extra. If you don't like the way you get paid, then find a new job. This post is making me not want to tip delivery people ever again.

You know what would really save you money in this economy? Making your own food at home.

Why you should tip your pizza delivery driver

I am a delivery driver for one of the corporate pizza chains.  Pizza drivers from these stores generally are paid using split pay, which means they get minimum wage in the store and $4 per hour when clocked out on runs, thus are paid sub minimum wage.

Many times I have not been tipped because people believe that the $2-$3 delivery charge goes to the driver.  With the major pizza companies, the delivery charge does NOT go to the driver.  Drivers are given something like $0.30 per mile they drive, but this does not come from the delivery charge.

I read a post about drivers getting the delivery charge or part of the delivery charge, but this is not always the case, especially with corporate pizza stores.  Drivers from these companies depend on these tips to make minimum wage.

What Happened?

I submitted what i felt was a nice piece in support of the site and it didnt get approved?

I am starting to get a lot of these questions.

Realize I am only one person, with a day job, and a single day off all week.

I currently have almost as many questions I do followers. Which is approaching 600.

Tips are part of the meal

When my wife and I go out or get delivery. We automatically assume that a 20% tip will be left. If we cant afford the food and tip then we stay home and fix something ourselves.