Tipping @ Sonic??

That's what I was thinking.  However when we got back to the hotel and my boys told my wife how things went, I got a lecture about being cheap...

On the other hand, my wife never misses an opportunity to lecture....

I always do a buck or a buck plus the change if I park and someone brings the food to me at Sonic. 

As for her forgetting part of the order on the first trip, she's probably lucky you gave her something at all. Most of the cars that shift would have stiffed her I'd bet. 

I actually tipped her when she brought the initial order out to the car...

It was when she brought the bottle of water out she practically dropped it in the window and pretty clearly showed her annoyance by the way she said "have a good night" while skating away..

No biggie on the attitude, I just wanted to see what % others would do at a restaurant format like Sonic..

I tip whatever is left over to round up to the next dollar so if it's $3.45 just keep the $4.

If I pay with a debit card I just give them a dollar.  I usually keep some money in my ash tray of my vehicle.

That is pretty customary.  No you do not tip them like a real restaurant since they aren't checking on you over an over again like a normal restaurant. 

It's a fast food place, not a restaurant.  The reason for tipping in restaurants is that the waitstaff don't make as much of an hourly wage and make it up in tips.

Not so for Sonic.  Therefore, no reason to tip.  All they are doing is bringing the food to you, like any other fast food place.  Do you tip at McDonalds?  If not, what is the difference?

On a side note:  Do you tip when you pick up food to-go from a restaurant?

YES. Those folks are making server wages.

No. I have not dirtied a table, or used their space. In the time I am eating my meal, someone else could be eating at a table, and leaving a tip. If they are delivering the food to my house, I will tip.

OTOH, I tip a minimum of 20%, and if the food is good, I prefer to eat at the restaurant, since I will be eating the food when it is most freshly served.

just as an FYI - at some restaurants, if a server does handle your takeout order (and they don't always - sometimes it is the bar or the hostess) it WILL count as sales against the server's night, and they will have to tip out the bar, bussers, hosts according to it, as well as report it for paying taxes (a certain percentage of sales is assumed as their income and filed and taxed appropriately by more legitimate restaurants than the one i worked at in college).  when i waitressed i NEVER picked up the phone because it definitely screws over your numbers at the end of the night to have take out orders.

it can actually COST a server money to order takeout and not tip them.  (none of this applies if the min. wage hostess or shift manager or whatever takes care of the order, of course!)

Yep that's why I always tip as normal. You are still getting restaurant quality food and service, and the server still has to "tip out" on that sale, regardless if you sit at a table or not. 

I did not know that...very interesting.  This might change my policy of not tipping when picking up food.  Since I'm not getting any "service" except a bag being handed to me, I have never tipped.  I may now though, knowing that the bill counts against the person handing me the bag.

I still won't tip at Sonic though.  That's just silliness!

your server also likely does the packaging of the meal, and any sides/dressings/etc.  just like in the restaurant they usually make the salads, soups, bread/toast, desserts.  it takes them just as much time to serve a takeout (maybe more if tracking down the different containers is a pain) as an eat-in, although there is no table/refill to monitor after the food is "served."  i don't think anyone would expect a 20% tip on that, but a few bucks go a long way.