tipping etiquette questions

I know this is really stupid but I've had three awkward situations in the past few days involving tipping and I need to know what is proper, what I am supposed to do and what other people do - so any tips (pardon the pun) and/or suggestions would be appreciated.

Situation 1 - I stop at Starbucks for Mrs. Zagoshe to get some sort of overpriced coffee product with a fancy name. They make it and I pay for it and I'm leaving but notice that the person behind me dropped some change and maybe a buck or something in a cup labeled "tips" -- is this proper to tip these people for basically pouring a cup of coffee?

Situation 2 - I had a beer--league softball game. On way home, I stopped at a bar which serves really good wings and ordered 20 to go along with some fried cheesesticks. Total comes to just under $14 (like $13.87 or something). Dude brings me the change and puts it on the bar -- I notice it is six ones and the coins. I then grab it up and put it in my pocket and he looks at me with a sort of crossed eye -- as if I did something wrong. I stand and watch some of the game on TV, a chick from behind the bar in the kitchen brings out the wings ten minutes later and I leave.

Am I supposed to leave a tip in that situation? I mean, all the guy did was ring up my order and it isn't like I was waited on as the stuff was to go.

Finally, situation 3 -- I went to a newly opened Pizza Shop in the neighborhood to grab a few slices for lunch. It specializes in pizza by the slice and when you walk in there are a bunch of pizzas already made and you order one or two and the dude scoops them off the pan, throws them in the oven for a minute then puts them in a box and you go on your way. As I am standing, young dude behind the counter grabs a cup which was sitting on the counter and shakes it and you can here coins bouncing around in it. Of course, I look down and it says "tips appreciated" -- at this point I'm annoyed by the whole thing but I suppose I should ask -- what is the right thing to do here?

All three are very similar and I guess I just am interested in how others handle these situations, where people behind the counter are basically boxing up your shit and giving it to you to go. What exactly are they doing that I am supposed to tip them?

If I am wrong, I will make sure I drop some coinage on them the next time but again, I'm just wondering what is right and wrong and if you are supposed to tip in those situations, is it at 20 percent or something?

 

They are not running drinks or clearing tables, so 20 percent is out of the question. I would say a buck each but no more.

I would give it first to the wings person. The other two probably not. Shit, two of the three never walk from behind a counter, right?

The wing person should get something, though.

 

I can solve No. 1: Stay the hell out of Starbucks.

 

it's wrong that take-out joints have a cup for tips on the counter but it has become all-too common. any joint worth its salt won't do it. some even forbid their servers from accepting gratuities at all if offered.

i don't know when the practice of a "tips jar" began. if they are necessary, that should tell management know it's employees are underpaid. suck it up a pay your employees more for pouring a cup of coffee and putting mumchkins in a box.

cripes, next thing you know there will be a tips box at mcdonald's. wtf?

 

I've seen tip jars at the concession stands in ballparks.

 

I think the person getting wings was a bartender. Always tip your bartender.

 

It's a bood karmic policy to tip bartenders well.
I have friends who bartend, and I tip them whenever I see them, whether they're working or not.
Always tip bartenders well, and life will take care of you.

The rest of them can go pound sand.

 

I was once told a rule of thumb is if someone physically brings something to you, then it's proper to tip. In other words, if you walk up to a counter, drive up to a window, etc...they've done nothing special.
I've been told in that sense, if you call in a to go order, it's proper to tip for the boxing it up fee (why the hell you don't tip the guy at McDonald's who is boxing your Big Mac then is beyond me), but normally 5-10 percent is ok here.
I'm not keen on tipping Starbucks. The one here doesn't let the employees have the tip cup out, but they will take tips. I don't frequent Starbucks, but a guy I play pool with at a local pub worked there.
I think they kind of figure, if you are going to pay that much money for coffee then they figure a tip is no big deal. Whatever.
I'll tip car hops...usually a dollar, unless the order is huge or small.
And the college I cover has a tip jar at the concession stand. That's weird to me.

 

Whether they are working or not? You mean if you run into one of these people at the grocery store, you hand them a dollar?

I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean.

 

One thing on the Starbucks front ... some of these drinks they make are pretty involved. You've got to mix this and blend that, etc etc. I don't neccesarily the difference between them and a bartender in that case.

I used to tip the car hops at Sonic. Then they started accepting credit cards. Now, it is impossible. Sucks to be them.

 

I picked up chinese food this afternoon and there was a tip jar -- amazingly, it was near full -- sitting on the counter. Needless to say, I didn't add to the pot.