March 18--Q: If you order your food at a register and take it to the table yourself, should you tip on the receipt, at the table or at all?
"If I have to stand around and wait for my food before I can take a seat, or jump back up when my name is called and collect it from the counter, I don't often tip -- in fact, rarely is there a tip jar at places like that, and I'm certainly not going to leave a tip at the table if I've not been served. I'm doing most of the work myself, usually including taking my empty plate and glass and dumping them into a bin, busing my own garbage too. The only worker involved (if you are lucky) is someone who then wipes the table down before the next diner grabs the spot.
There's another, informal style of restaurant where tipping is the norm -- where you order at the counter, pay (and feed the tip jar), get a number, take a seat and the food is brought to you at your table by service personnel, so you don't have to stand around but can have more of a dining experience. Generally it's a local restaurant that is trying to keep costs down, thus keeping prices reasonable for its diners by streamlining the waitstaff down to a delivery person and perhaps a busser. These people are trying to help you keep within your budget but still dine in their restaurant and deserve a tip!"
-- Terry Paulding, owner of Paulding Company, a California culinary company
"I've actually wondered about this myself. I usually default to tipping on the receipt. I think it will be shared equally. (But when you tip) on the table, whoever clears the table is getting it. There is no real service involved except the clearing of the table. No one is actually waiting on you, where a real gratuity is justified."
-- Scott Swaris, owner of Hallandale Beach, Fla., restaurant Juniper on the Water
Social Graces is a series asking two experts for advice on awkward situations.
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