I need all of you to help me out with something. I help you guys day in and day out, and now I’m asking for your help about a very important issue.

To tip or not to tip?

When you get takeout food, do you tip or not tip? When you grab takeout food, what really does the register person actually do? Think about what they’re doing. The kitchen cooks the food. The kitchen usually puts the food into whatever container in which it will go out to you.

So what is that register person usually doing? Taking down the order, putting it in a brown paper bag and handing it to you. They also have to work the front desk and ring up the order, but isn’t that their job?

Isn’t that what they get paid to do? Nevertheless, it seems that every single place you pick up (or take out) from has a tip jar and a place designated on the credit card receipt to put a tip. Not only that, but most times they will stare at you while you fill out the credit card receipt so that you feel like you are being guilted into leaving a tip.

I don’t leave a tip when I get takeout. It’s called takeout for a reason. If you are the person giving me my takeout, you are not serving me. You’re not getting me water and drinks. I’m not asking you to anything but pack my food into a bag. That’s it.

So the question I have for all of you is this: Do you tip on takeout?

I don’t, not because I am cheap but because I feel that putting together the takeout orders is what they are being paid for by the restaurant. I’m already paying the money for the food. I don’t really need to hand somebody $5.00 for putting that food in a bag.

How about at places other than restaurants, like at a Starbucks? Do you tip at Starbucks?

I don’t. They chose to work at Starbucks. I don’t feel like I have to tip for someone pouring me a cup of coffee.

We have been over-tipping as a society. There are tip cups in coffee shops, donut stores, delis and ice cream parlors. People always want a tip. If we tipped every single person out there, we’d be broke at the end of the day.

So here’s a tip for you. If you want to work for tips, get a job as a bartender or a waiter. I was a bartender for seven years, so I know what it’s like to hustle and work for tips. If you want a cushy job working behind a counter, and don’t want to hustle for tips, then don’t expect them.

So tell me what you guys think. To tip or not to tip . . . that is the question.