Member-only story
Tipping During a Pandemic
Tipping is a complicated and controversial subject, up for debate politically, socially and of course personally (no one likes to go out with a bad tipper!) Many people still believe that 15–18% is a good tip (it isn’t). The industry standard is 20% or more nowadays. Yes, more. I worked in the restaurant industry for eleven years and my tip average was between 21–28%.
And now, tipping is just one more thing that COVID-19 has heavily impacted. More people are getting take-out than ever and tipping on take-out has always been difficult to navigate. Many people used to tip $0–5, not considering percentage at all. Nowadays, it’s still common for people to tip less on a take-out order than if they were sitting at a table. Though I can understand why someone would think they should tip less in that situation, here are some things to consider before you do so in 2020.
Opting for take-out because it’s safer than dining out doesn’t mean you should tip less. People are still at risk so that you can get your food safely.
- It’s a whole new world, everyone needs to adjust to what’s appropriate now. Standards have changed.
- You want restaurants to stay in business. Restaurants need income to do that. You order take-out, don’t tip and still…
