Should You Tip On Takeout (And, If So, How Much)?

Although tipping has become standard practice here in the United States, the same can't be said worldwide. In Europe, tipping isn't expected because servers in Europe typically earn a living wage, but doing so can show appreciation. Stateside, the current tipping culture was essentially set into motion by a New Deal-era rule that employers can pay less than the minimum wage if tips make up the difference. Today, new questions are emerging beyond how much to tip at a restaurant: Should consumers tip on takeout orders?

Unfortunately, there's no set answer or formula, unlike at a sit-down restaurant in the United States, where the norm is around 15-20%. The practice has spread, including to fast-food joints and other nontraditional food establishments. Screens prompting customers to leave a gratuity have even started showing up at self-checkouts. But as tipping culture becomes ingrained further, experts disagree on whether it's necessary for takeout.

Some etiquette experts suggest that tipping for to-go orders shows appreciation, rather than an obligation. "Don't feel guilty, but do be intentional," Beyond Etiquette founder Bonnie Tsai told Axios. The tip in a quick-service or takeout setting is "optional and often smaller," she said. Others disagree. H.G. Parsa, a professor of lodging management at the University of Denver, told USA Today in 2021 that tips should still be standard, even on to-go meals. "Tipping on takeout orders is the right thing to do," he said. "Even takeout involves some amount of service."

Without any consensus on whether (or how much) to leave when you're getting food to go, consider it closer to the European model of tipping: Use your tip to show gratitude, not as a required part of the bill. For instance, exceptionally good service might warrant a tip comparable to that of a dine-in experience. Or, if you have an unusually large or complicated order, leave 5-10%.

Also consider the work involved in making your to-go order. In some restaurants, takeout orders are still assembled by a server — in other words, their wage is calculated based on the assumption that all of their customers will tip them, so if some customers don't, the server makes significantly less money. (The details of each arrangement, of course, varies by restaurant.)

Take into account, too, the restaurant itself. COVID-19 wreaked havoc on small businesses of all kinds, and independent eateries are generally more vulnerable to economic ups and downs. Small mom-and-pop restaurants may be less able to pay staff higher and more consistent wages than chain establishments, so tipping can help fill a gap. But if the restaurant is takeout-only, consider skipping the tip: Wages in a takeout-only restaurant are typically less reliant on tips since dining room staff isn't pulling double duty to take care of tables and get to-go orders ready.