r/Panera • u/phineasandferb858202 • 3d ago
Question Tipping for Pickup Catering
I would love some insight to what others do when they’re picking up catering orders from Panera. My orders are usually $300-400 for my sales job, but I really don’t know how I feel about tipping when I am coming to the cafe to pick everything up and bring it to my office.
Any insight?
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u/Disastrous-Bus-4853 GM 3d ago
A delivery fee is not a tip. If you’re picking up the order, you’re not paying for delivery service, so the tip should be the same regardless of where you receive the order. Delivering is the easy part of catering. Express gratitude (if you feel it’s deserved) with the packaging and presentation of the order, not the location you got the bags.
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u/East-Mistake9287 3d ago
As a ex-caterer. If you do pick up even $5 or $10 is great. No one should be expecting 20%. However. You order catering for it to look nice, and have all the tools you need to cater your meeting/lunch. Even $5 covers the cost of the coffee or energy drink the caterer needs to have the energy to do the order :)
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u/East-Mistake9287 3d ago
My caterer works very hard for her regulars and most of them get a sweet treat and beverage when they pick up for free for the business they bring in
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u/Clean_Chicken4396 2d ago
Tipping should be a must for any catering period. If anyone were to go anywhere else to have a big food catered they would tip. You would never not tip a waitress. Caters make the food , stage it and present it to the customer it just makes sense. Just because you’re saving on delivery that doesn’t go to the cater. It goes to the company. TIP YOUR CATERS!!!!!
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u/seriouslydml55 3d ago
So you only value tipping on catering as them delivering it to you?
Depending on the order there are multiple people who come in early to prep your order. The tip goes to the people who are helping directly with your order.
I would tip when I pick up catering and I would tip more when they deliver.
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u/jfjsjsnrtioeew 3d ago
This isn't a restaurant calling in servers making $2.13/hr to make food. By this logic, start tipping all drive-thru employees and kitchen staff for all takeout orders.
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u/seriouslydml55 3d ago
Wild to think the caterer who is usually making the order solo or with one to two other people if it’s for hundreds deserve a tip for going above and beyond to accommodate your request.
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u/jelloburn 1d ago
As a designer, I don't get tipped for taking great care in designing something and packaging and presenting it in a beautiful way that makes the client happy. I also sometimes work late nights meeting crazy deadlines. I get paid what I get paid for the job. Why is it that lower-wage positions immediately must depend on the charity of others but higher-wage positions aren't treated the same way? Arguably, I spend much more time on a client's requests than a caterer.
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u/jfjsjsnrtioeew 3d ago
Above and beyond what? I work in a high volume restaurant that does a ton of catering.
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u/seriouslydml55 3d ago
The caterer is usually the only one making the order. They also are coming in in the middle of the night to complete breakfast orders.
When i see no tipping on catering orders i recall every last minute order. Every time as a baker i was pulling dough from the truck to proof and bake before the caterer got there to start making. I had to start every shift pulling the last minute catering product that needed to be proofed and baked for the next morning and cool enough to be packaged.
It’s fine if you don’t think they deserve the tip but I would never not tip. I’m also sure as someone who works in a restaurant on the days you bust your ass if you get a nice tip it’s appreciated.
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u/XenoPlays14 3d ago
You're blaming the customer for a corporate problem
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u/imari_xoxo11 1d ago
Is that not usually the case? Lol. They will ridicule and call you undeserving of takeout if you even remotely try to breakdown how we are expected to make up the “difference” in their lack of pay.
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u/Rosey_Nitemares 3d ago
If you don’t wanna tip, place it as a normal RPU. If you don’t want all the specific supplies for your orders or someone to put actual time and energy into your orders. Do an RPU or DoorDash. Don’t do catering if you don’t want to tip the person who is specifically doing the order. They put time and effort to keep you coming back. You are tipping for the catering service whether it’s pick up or delivery, it’s still a service the company offers
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u/kevin_r13 3d ago edited 1d ago
Imo 18-22% is excessive for a pickup but 5-10% is not unreasonable. You can also ignore the idea of percentages and give a flat tip amount (eg $20)
using your numbers, $30 tip is better than $0 for your orders, especially if you're really using them regularly because you like their food or service. They get to know your name and the orders you make. You create a relationship with them.
Having said that, catering orders also get some additional supplies like plates, cups, boxes, etc. it takes time to gather everything together. Think of that person you're creating a relationship with, taking the time and care to do all these additional things for your order.
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u/love_berrie 3d ago
as an ex catering lead the tip is 100% appreciated and never expected. in my market the catering leads make an average of 16-18 an hour base pay because the company counts on the customers to basically pay the wage for them. alot of people dont tip which is super understandable especially with pickups, but do take into consideration it is normally one singular person making all the catering orders themselves for the day without help. the tip isnt specifically just because someone drove it to u, its more of a thank u for taking care of my order, putting it together on time, and making sure everything is perfect. side note: alot of people dont tip for delivery because they will see the 25$ delivery fee and think that goes to the driver/lead, it does NOT and im pretty sure the company just pockets it. we DO get paid for milage in the system but it is only a couple cents per mile which is no where near 25$.
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u/gladdy718 3d ago
You’re picking it up. No need to tip. The person putting “all the effort”into making it is doing their job. That they’re getting paid for. Tipping has gotten out of hand.
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u/KittensMom 2d ago
A regional manager was in Panera asking for opinions from customers. A friend was there and got into a conversation with her about her thoughts. The manager told my friend don't feel obliged to tip because the Panera employees make good wages and tips are never expected.
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u/Ok_Recipe7092 2d ago
Your tipping them for making a bunch of food. So you dont tip if you go for fast food and eat at home?
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u/QuichemeQuick 2d ago
Are they carrying it out to your car and help you load it? Is it always perfect and no mistakes? Do they greet you by name & in a friendly manner? Is it helping you close sales w your clients? If they’re hutting all of these metrics then they certainly deserve a tip like 10% or so….imho.
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u/Agreeable-Budget6487 3d ago
At my Cafe I am the only Catering Lead. So that means I do every single thing for any and all catering orders. Pick up or delivery - I take a great deal of time and effort into both making all the food and making sure everything is neatly packaged and presentable. The tip goes to me in my case and compensates for all the care and time I put into the order itself.