TipSplit

How Much to Tip on Takeout

Takeout is not table service. You drove, you plated at home, nobody refilled your water. In the US a tip is optional: nothing, a dollar or two in the jar, or about 10% when the ticket was large, heavily packed, or special-ordered. Card terminals that default to 20% on pickup are borrowing restaurant math. This page starts at 10% so you can see the dollars and then drop it to zero if that is your call.

Suggested range: optional — $1–$2 or about 10% on a large or carefully packed order. 0% is also normal.

$

A couple of dollars is the usual jar tip. Switch to percent for a large catering pickup.

$

A dollar amount, not a percent of the room rate or the tab.

Equal split only.

Tip
$2.00
Total
$2.00
Per person
$2.00

$0.00 + $2.00 tip = $2.00 · $2.00 each — TipSplit

Tipping customs and tax rates vary by place and by type of service. TipSplit is a calculator — not financial, tax, or etiquette advice.

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FAQ

Do you tip on takeout?
You can. You do not have to. The older US habit was no tip or spare change in a jar. The newer habit, after terminals started asking, is 10% or a couple of dollars when someone assembled a complicated order. 20% on a bag you carried to the car is a tip, not a tradition. Customs vary by city and by how aggressive the screen is.
Why do takeout screens suggest 20%?
Because the same payment app is used for dine-in and pickup, and the default buttons were not rewritten. That is software, not etiquette. Tap custom or no tip. If the staff packed six entrees with sauces on the side and labeled every allergen, 10% is a human response to that work.
Is takeout different from curbside and delivery?
Yes. Delivery has a driver — use that page. Curbside is closer to takeout plus someone walking to your stall; a few dollars is common. Counter pickup is the lightest version. Do not copy a restaurant 20% across all three just because the brand is the same.
What if I order takeout from a full-service restaurant?
The kitchen still cooked it and someone still packed it. A small tip is a nod to that. It is not a substitute for the table service you did not use. Large catering pickups (office trays, holiday pans) are the case where 10% looks more like a real tip than a jar donation.
Should I tip on takeout if I already paid a service fee?
Read the fee. “Service fee” on an app is usually the company’s cut. “Gratuity” is a tip. If both appear, you may already have tipped. If only a service fee appears, it is probably not the packer’s money. We cannot see that merchant’s ledger from this page.
Cash jar vs adding it on the card?
A jar is still the most common takeout move. Card tips are fine and should follow that shop’s policy. If you are buying one cookie, dropping two dollars cash is simpler than 20% of $3.50 on a screen. The calculator will do either math.