Quote:
Originally Posted by jedalton
To Insure Prompt Service (TIPS) and that's exactly what I tip fort
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That's an urban legend. English-language acronyms being used as words were not popular prior to WWII, and the word "tips" as in "gratuity" was used at least as early as the 17th century. In addition, during the time it originated, they would have called it TEPS - to Ensure prompt service, not to Insure prompt service. No one is paying a premium for service insurance.
Also, it you were ensuring prompt service, wouldn't you give it to the server before the service, and not after it?
On topic: I never plan on tipping for takeout or curbside service. Sometimes I do tip for curbside, and once in awhile I toss the silver in the tip bucket when I do takeout. My reasons can be arbitrary: maybe I have the tray in one hand and the coins in the other, and just can't open my purse to put the coins away, so I toss them in the tip jar. Maybe the change was just some pennies, and I really don't want them. So they go in the tip jar. Maybe the guy who put my taco together did such a spanking awesome job of it AND gave me constant eye contact and a bright smile, and I was inspired to toss a buck in the tip jar.
Generally though, the only people who I feel "obligated" to tip are table-service servers, and delivery drivers.