This topic (tipping and tip jars) was brought up before in a lengthy Your Money forum thread a while back.  I usually tip appropriately when I'm in a full service restaurant, typically I will tip $1.25 for every $10 the check is.  If I spend more than $5 at a coffee house (not a chain like Starbucks but an independent), I would leave at least a $1 tip in the cup; more if I know the staff well.  I know that many who work as "baristas" or do behind the counter work at coffee houses (some also make sandwiches or cook hot food) are paid minimum wage or slightly higher, but they are mainly college students who could use the money.  However, I would not leave a tip in a tip jar at a chain coffeehouse or other places such as Subway or a movie theater concession stand.  I did hear that sometimes the store owners or managers pocket some of the tips and include them in the daily till.  Tip jars can be an annoyance, especially with today's economy.  While there are legitimate reasons for tip jars, depending on the establishment, at other places, such as chain eateries, they are inappropriate.  In fact, the only time I would put money in a tip jar is if I'm at a place that is familiar, that I'm a regular customer of, and that I know the tip goes to the help rather than the manager or owner.

I always tip at least 20% at a sit down restaurant, servers work very hard for thier money, dealing with the public is no fun,  to go orders are all packed up by a to go person getting all the sauces,dressing ,making sure everything is perfect with the phone ringing off the hook, cars waiting for thier food is harder then you think, running out in the rain, snow or cold sucks too. So I tip 15%, Toby tipping 1.25 on ten isn't even 15%, people must love to wait on you! not!

$1.25 for every $10 is only 12.5% and I wouldn't really consider it tipping "appropriately" considering the generally accepted minimum for acceptable service is 15%... (btw, I am not and have never worked in the food service industry)

I used to work at a cafe so I might have to be subjective, but some people have never been on the other side of the counter so I thought I'd give my two-cents. We always had a tip jar next to the cashier and we always hoped but not always expected tips; we understood it was our level of service and friendliness that mattered. Even though we made everything in front of the customer's eyes, that didn't immediately spark people's concious to tip. However, for customers that placed pick up orders for 30 or 50 or even 100+ of our pastries, we did expect tips since it does take a significant amount of effort to prepare such a vast quantity. To be honest, it all comes down to having people show some gratitude. Yes, they are paying for our products and what not, but some places like ours really do make an effort to get everything just right. Tips are appreciated but sometimes, all we really want is a "thanks" instead of people storming out without even considering our hard work.

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I can only relate my experience to working at one restaurant in particular, but when I worked at Chili's, the "takeout people" weren't waiters or waitresses, it was an hourly employee, so they were paid minimum wage unlike waiters/waitresses measly $2.13/hour.  So really, tipping should be left up to your conscience on that one.  just my two cents.

with coffee houses routinely charging $4 and more for a coffee (not even starbucks)  I don't feel like I should tip. Why?  I like to use the family or locally owned places and being a repeat customer is enough in my eyes.  I am a friendly customer ordering an item that takes less than a minute to prepare.  Don't work at such a place if you are expecting tips. DOn't open such a place if you aren't willing to pay your employees a rate not expecting they will get tips.

Furthermore I think that tip jars have been popping up in inappropriate places.  

This can carry on into many aspects of retail life - hairdressers, restaurants, coffee shops, even gas stations!  I always always tip my hairdresser well - after all, she could just as easily butcher my hair as she could make it stunning!  No need to rock the boat there!  But a coffee shop or gas station?  I'm not sure it necessary to tip someone for pouring me a cup of coffee.

However, at restaurants I tip, but if I get very poor service, I may or may not tip - it depends on the total situation.  For instance, I ate at a restaurant where it took over 45 minutes to get our food, and mine was totally burnt on the bottom.  By the time my food came the second time around we had to leave for an appointment.  I did NOT tip for that meal.  Maybe it wasn't the server's fault, but we did tell her off the start that we had to eat and run, and there were only three other tables.  I'm pretty easy-going for servers though - my mom was a server and I understand that no one is perfect every time.

Aya's got a great comment about large orders, etc.  I think tipping is primarily for people whose income is dependent on it (waitstaff, hairdressers), but is also an important way to recognize "above and beyond" service, including big orders, complicated requests (you want the engagement ring INSIDE the oyster?), or exceptional research or speed.  

As a bookseller at a large chain bookstore, I once spent almost two hours helping a woman find about 90 children's books, each unique, selected by age, gender and interest.  I didn't accept her tip, but her offer of a tip made it clear that she was grateful for the level of expertise and the sheer amount of time I spent making sure she got what she needed.  And, in the end, she contributed the money to a charitable book fund for low-income schools.  

Why do we have tipping anywhere? Why in restaurants and no where else?  When you buy a pair of shoes are you expected to add 15% if the clerk retrieved your size right the first time or 20% if they found an even nicer pair than the one you had requested?  Why is food service different? In a perfect world, all restaurant menus would increase their prices 15-20% and they would pay their servers a decent wage and there would be no tipping at all.

Tipping in restaurants is stupid and should be phased out, not expanded to include take out.

Thanks for the update on tipping.  Maybe I should tip $1.50 for every $10 now.  I used to tip $1 for every $10, but raised it to $1.25.  This is at places such as Denny's, Steak & Shake,  or Big Boy.  At fancier places, I would leave larger tips.