With the Whirled Cup in our rearview, and real football still about a month away, the talk on the sosh media this week has been all about "do I need to tip at a carry-out place?"
I'll say this. If the person at the counter gives exceptional service (helps you out the door, tosses in some extra hot sauce packets, etc) sure, that's worth a little something.
But people are saying that they go to the counter at Pete Sirria's to grab the xtra-lge pepperoni they ordered online, and when they go to pay, the screen lights up with "Do you wish to tip?"
Tip whom? The computer that took the order?
Now some people are saying that it's nice to tip the counter person, and one would hope that they would divvy it up with the people who made the pizza. But you can't know if that will happen.
In a restaurant setting, where a server brings you the menu, answers questions, makes suggestions, brings water, appetizers, entrees, sides, coffee, dessert, and another fork after Uncle Nutzy drops his, that's where tipping is appropriate.
How about tipping the person in a clothing store who helps you find just the right tie? How about the cashier at Try'N'Save who rings up your order, shares the local gossip, and tells you the joke about the traveling preacher from Keokuk? The guy in the money booth at the gas pumps with a sign about you must be born before this date in 2005 to purchase tobacco?
The 911 operator who takes your call about the brush fire down the street? The firefighters who extinguish same? The teacher who taught little Abercrombie how to solve quadratic equations? Your life insurance salesman? Your favorite actor? the president of your community association? The guy who writes a blog you have read more or less daily since 2007?
Just ideas, you understand.
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