Generally speaking more prep goes into restaurant carry out orders and many places will take bartenders or servers away from their other responsibilities to prep the order. McDonalds and other fast food places don't have that same dynamic.

You already seem to understand this or else you wouldn't be doing the mental gymnastics of trying to justify why you're not tipping at places you even acknowledge it's expected. Olive Garden has shitty food and I haven't been there in over a decade but I shouldn't have to explain the difference between it and McDonalds to you. You already know.

And again, considering how hard that industry has been hit this year, you go from cheapskate to just an asshole if you're stiffing those in the industry on tips in a year like this.

“We’ll just wait until a bad thing happens to worry about something.”

I honestly had no idea about hotel room protocol until about 10 years ago. Now I always make sure to leave some money.

That is a relatively new phenomenon. I travel extensively for work. Many years ago - when it was just becoming a thing - I would always leave a dollar for the maid and then expense it (our expense report specifically stated to include tips on the hotel entry). After a few months the guy who reviewed the expense reports asked our secretary why my hotel expense was always off by $1. When I explained I was told that wasn’t a legit entry. Still left the tip, just ate the cost. When you stay more than one night it’s definitely a good idea...a bit of goodwill never hurts.

That is a relatively new phenomenon. I travel extensively for work. Many years ago - when it was just becoming a thing - I would always leave a dollar for the maid and then expense it (our expense report specifically stated to include tips on the hotel entry). After a few months the guy who reviewed the expense reports asked our secretary why my hotel expense was always off by $1. When I explained I was told that wasn’t a legit entry. Still left the tip, just ate the cost. When you stay more than one night it’s definitely a good idea...a bit of goodwill never hurts.

Regarding lack of service at restaurants, I have no problem anymore going out of my way to get a waiter or bartender's attention. For as long as I remember, Mickey Finn's has had bartenders who just refuse to make eye contact. Drives me nuts. That led me to be much more aggressive as a patron.

That is something that really annoys me. That's the number one job of a bartender.

I honestly had no idea about hotel room protocol until about 10 years ago. Now I always make sure to leave some money.

I tip quite good at traditional shit. Dine-in and shit.

Has Herb weighed in yet?