An Ohio-based woman just got glared at for not tipping on a to-go order, so now she’s asking servers, “Are you supposed to tip when you’re getting takeout?” 

“I need people who work in the restaurant industry to chime in here,” said TikTok user Loretta Lynne (@loretta_lynne) in a video that’s gotten over 40,000 views since she posted it. She explained that she’s normally a big-tipper when it comes to table-side service, but isn’t one to tip if she’s just grabbing her meal from the restaurant. 

“ I never make it a point to go back and tip the guy that’s cooking in the kitchen,” Lynne said. “I’ve never done that. When I go through a drive-thru and the person hands me the order, I don’t tip them either. They’re not giving me service. They’re handing me an order. When did it become customary for you to walk into a restaurant and pick up a pickup order and then expect a tip and give you that evil eye?”

Ohio Woman Asks: Should You Tip on To-Go Orders?

Many workers in the service industry disagreed with Lynne’s no-tipping philosophy, urging her in the comments to consider leaving room for a tip next time she picks up an order. 

“I am in the service industry, 31 years and going strong. The people that take the to-go orders do almost as much work as a server. They take the order, pack the food up, and ensure the order is correct. Throwing them a few bucks [definitely] means a lot, because they really do work hard most of the time. They are doing all the things except cooking the food and giving you the ‘experience’ a server provides,” said one commenter. 

Another chimed in, saying, “Coming from a bartender here that takes to-go orders. [If] you call into the restaurant, [I’ll] answer while I’m in the middle of taking care of a full bar and making every drink for a full restaurant. [I have to stop] what I’m doing, answer all your questions, take all your info, and send in your order. When it’s done, I leave my bar again and go to the kitchen to pack up your whole order. [It] takes away from my paying customers at the bar. Just tip your servers.”

Is Tipping Culture Out of Control?

Other commenters questioned what’s changed over the years to make tipping culture more rampant. 

“I’m more curious as to what has changed over the last 30 [years]. We’ve been ordering out for decades,” said one viewer. “People have always had to do these things. Why in the last 5-8 [years] has it become expected to tip on to-go orders? What specifically has changed in the business?”

Tipping culture has grown exponentially over the years, especially during Covid. Now it seems that most transactions have some sort of tipping option embedded into them. This is partially because of tip screens, which are easy to implement into most card transactions. Card paying customers will see a tip screen that prompts them to leave a percentage ranging from 15-25%. 

The Facts About ‘Tipflation’

Many people have noticed this difference in culture, even in the U.S., where tipping is incredibly normalized. This phenomenon is known as “tipflation“—as prices rise and inflate, so do tip expectations. Servers cannot necessarily take on more tables than they were able to 30 years ago, and while food and beverage prices have increased, that doesn’t necessarily mean their tips are ballooning. 

Seventy-two percent of U.S. adults state that more places expect tips than five years ago, according to the Pew Research center. But that research also shows that many Americans oppose ‘tiplflation’ and suggested tips. 

That’s one reason why many commenters seemed divided on tips. Servers generally need them, but customers feel pressured to tip more and more for meals that used to cost significantly less. That creates a tension between the service that customers feel “deserve” tips, and the effort still placed in their service regardless of if they see it. 

All Hip Hop has reached out to Lynne via email for comment. We’ll let you know if she responds. 

@loretta_lynne

♬ original sound – Loretta Lynne