In that situation I still tip, just less, since my "load" on the restaurant staff is much less, no one had to take me to a table, take my order, bring my order, and clean my table. The tip is for the kitchen and for boxing/bagging up my order in that case, essentially.

I hate that even that is required, though. I would gladly pay an extra 15-20% for the food itself if I didn't have to leave a tip & the staff was paid the "normal" minimum wage, or more.

Yea, I always figured tipping was paying for table service, but who knows. Ambiguity around what it's for and how much is "normal" is just one of the many, many reasons tipping is so idiotic.

1. There is a weird regionalism in the outer boroughs of New York City where the grocery stores don't hire someone to bag groceries. Either the cashier does it (which I think is totally normal) or there's someone who isn't paid by the store who bags groceries and collects tips in a little cup in the bagging area. I think it's so weird and it's the one place I've never tipped. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen someone actually drop money into the jar in 10 years and the jars only ever seem to have pennies and other change in them.

2. At gas stations outside of New Jersey and Oregon, I had always thought you were supposed to tip when someone pumps your gas for you.

A friend is a cook who says that even at decent restaurants, cooks don't get paid much and they get just a minimal share of tips. So when I get takeout, I tip 10-20% and say "Thank-you, here's something for the kitchen." Sometimes I get thanks in return, sometimes just a sour look from a server who expected something more for putting my order in a bag. I have no idea what they'll do with the cash, but hopefully some of it gets to the back of the house.

This was my understanding as well. If they just ring up the total and pass you food, there's no expectation of a tip.

I do tip from time to time at places where I'm a regular customer. If I get takeout somewhere near work of home ~4 times a month I'll drop a dollar in once every couple of trips.

I usually leave a couple of bucks, but definitely not 15%. That's for bussing the tables and being polite to my party.

It's not normal to tip for takeout, but if you want to, 10% is the standard tip as opposed to 15% for table service. But again, a takeout tip is not expected, especially for a simple order.