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Tip jars hold question that needs answer

By SHARON TUBBS
Published June 22, 2007

I stepped into Stephanno's Pizzeria for the first time last week and, as the jovial man behind the cash register rung up my order, I saw the glass tip jar from the corner of my eye.

There it was in all its familiarity, with loose change at the bottom, a dollar bill squirreled inside.

Perhaps you've never stopped by Stephanno's in Seminole Heights, but still, you know the tip jar. It sits conspicuously above countertops at some Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts and other coffee shops across the nation. It claims its turf at ice cream parlors, delis and independent pizza joints.

I have a college degree and consider myself to be as knowledgeable as the Average Joe. But I'm open to the possibility that I need more education when it comes to restaurant etiquette. So I acknowledge my ignorance, humble myself and finally ask the question that has gnawed at me for some time:

Why in the world should I leave a tip for buying takeout food?

In my mind, tips are for waiters in restaurants who strive to make my dining experience pleasant. They stop by my table and ask if the food is okay. They fill my water glass and offer their opinion of whether the macadamia nut-crusted mahimahi is worth my time. They warn me that the hot wings are really, really spicy. They make less than minimum wage, and their pay is calculated with a percentage of tips in mind. So, of course, we tip them, at least 15 percent.

And I would argue that in these days of restaurant orders to-go, the waiter who packages my food with all of its essential sauces, condiments and utensils, then brings it to my car and takes my debit card for payment also deserves a little extra.

But if I have to get out of my car, walk to the restaurant door, open it, stand in line at the cash register, and wait for someone to ring up the order ...

Well, that's where my lack of understanding comes in. I would think that, at that point, it's an even exchange - you give me my order, I pay for it.

This is why I routinely ignore tip jars. This is why when I order carryout at places where I must go inside to pick it up, I put a little zero on the debit card receipt where it says "tip" and go about my merry way.

I know, I know. I'm pitiful. Help me!

I called a manager at Stephanno's for enlightenment. He asked me to call back the next morning, but didn't answer his cell when I did.

Not surprisingly, a Florida spokeswoman for Starbucks was unable to give me an official response to the question before deadline earlier this week.

But the owner at La Casa Dolce Cafe on S Howard Avenue wasn't bashful.

"The people behind the counter work for minimum wage, and they are performing a service just like a restaurant, " Sandy Lederman said.

Customers who come in for the store's gelato, coffee and paninis leave about a dollar, if anything at all, Lederman said. At the end of the day, workers split the money.

People should want to leave tips, Lederman said. It's not even a question in his mind. "But I come from New York, " he added. "We tip everybody in New York."

In New York, the driver who delivers a gourmet food basket to your house gets a tip. In Tampa, Lederman said, the guy walks away empty-handed.

So if his workers should get tips for preparing our sandwiches and yummy cones, should we also start leaving tips at McDonald's and Burger King where workers also diligently pack our fries and shakes?

"Well, " he said, "if they want to put a jar out, they can."

As I write this, a side of me feels unbelievably cheap. I mean what's a buck or two? As one of my friends pointed out, he tosses some change from his pocket into the jar - what's the big deal?

Then there's another side of me that's still conflicted. I'm a nice person. Why should I be made to feel like a cheapskate or that I'm breaking some moral code when there is no definitive answer to tip or not to tip?

I've researched this on Internet sites including www.chowhound.com.

As recently as February, entries abounded about tipping for takeout. One person said it promotes "good karma" that might earn you special attention on the next visit.

Another entry noted that it's not "standard tipping practice" in the United States. Someone else questioned whether these tips actually get to the appropriate people who bag the food.

The Tipping Etiquette Guide at www.findalink.net says this:

"If you get good service, in other words, the waiter gets and packages the food, then at your choice you can tip $1 to $2 or up to 10 percent. Nothing is really necessary."

If nothing else, I do see the point of tipping at takeout places where I go frequently and have a nice relationship with the workers. That kind of makes sense to me.

So, next time I go to Stephanno's, which I plan to do quite a bit - the special is quite delectable - I'll make sure I have a little something extra, for that tip jar.

What are your thoughts on tipping for takeout food? Weigh in on the debate by e-mailing your comments to citytimes@sptimes.com by sending them to the Letters to the Editor c/o Sharon Tubbs, St. Petersburg Times, 1000 N Ashley Drive, Suite 700, Tampa, FL 33602; or by fax to Sharon Tubbs at 226-3381.

[Last modified June 21, 2007, 07:40:24]