To Tip or Not to Tip, that is the question.

Okay, is it just me or do you feel weird at a drive in or take out type place where you use your debit card and you get the receipt you have to sign with a space for a tip? I always wonder what I should do? If it is a drive through, or you call in pizza and are picking it up, or even a quick drop in at the China Hut for take out, do you tip? It kind of puts you in a weird place -- to tip or not to tip? If you don't leave a tip the people will hate you and remember you did not tip and next time spit in your food (just kidding, got carried away). I then start to think, "What did they do to deserve a tip? Well, they did prepare my food, throw it in a bag, got at least half of the order correct, gave me no service, I had to spend 5 minutes trying to determine what they were actually saying and another five minutes trying to correct the order they messed up and they still forgot the ketchup".

Let me say now, I am huge fan of tipping for good service, I am not a tightwad.

Even though McDonald's is not one of the places I am referring to for they cleanly swipe your card and you are gone, but this whole topic made me remember something. I tried to order a small french fries at McDonalds the other day -- midmorning for Q after he had his shots -- and it went like this, I kid you not:

Me: "Yes, I need to order a small order of french fries"
McDonald's genius: "No you don't".
Me: "I'm sorry?"
McDonald's genius: "Not now you don't"
Me: "Uh, Okay"
McDonald's genius: "We only serve breakfast now"

I just bit my lip and got "a hashbrown".

Seriously though, what do you do? I generally do not add a tip to my receipt in these instances and feel bad sometimes. However, when you think about it, you would not tip if you paid in cash -- so why would you tip when using your debit card? I kind of think it is rude for an establishment to do this to people. Some of the main offenders are Lizard's Thicket, #1China and China Hut and most pizza places, off of the top of my head. So, what do you think?