As implied by other residents of the UK, we enjoy more consumer protection. However I have heard that many American companies place far more importance on avoiding bad press and are willing to do what it takes to make the customer happy so they’ll continue to do business. So don’t. Don’t do business I mean, the first step is to find another takeout place if possible.

Anyway, here’s what I do – choose the pay on delivery option and check your order. A lack of drinks should be easy to spot since they are kept separate from the food and not wrapped in layers. If drinks are missing, and they don’t realize it, point this out. The last delivery guy apologised and set about making a separate trip to bring me my drinks. I only bother if there’s a few though, I’m not going to make a fuss over one can of fizzy.

The pay on delivery option also gives them more incentive to double check your order and actually show up on time.

And... bumping the pizza thread... :)

I have had a very difficult time in my life finding balance. I either have the freedom to do whatever I want, but not the money or plenty of money, but not the time. (Currently mired in the latter.)

While delivering pizzas I didn't have to be up at 7am, was done in time to hang out and drink with friends, and just got to drive around all night. Doesn't get much better than that. There was never anything to worry about beyond the pizza in the bag. 0 responsibility, 0 thought. Which meant I could think about whatever I wanted. I think that's just my personality - the world of my mind can be a big place and rote work lets that place be fully explored.

Driving has always been a joy for me. Freedom. I have driven over half a million miles in the last 20 years. Most of it alone and without decent music. It's just my thing. :)

Plus, in the words of Neal Stephenson: "The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory."

It varies from country to country, but here, it is considered common practice to tip your server. 10% of the total bill or less for poor service, 15% is considered normal service, and 20% is for outstanding service. It is such the norm that in the United States, a great deal of food servers only make $2.13 per hour as tips are considered to make up the rest to go beyond the minimum wage law. Also, the tip should also be on the total of the bill, not the subtotal before the tax. Don't forget that food servers end up having to pay income tax on the tips that they make; this is considered earned income per the IRS.

You say a tip is only earned by exemplary service. I take it you must have very high standards and expectations when judging the server since you say you rarely tip, and/or only a flat rate based on the people at your table. You would probably be a strong advocate for the abolishment of tips here--and I would agree with you on this, but not for the same reason. Regardless, you would see a sharp rise in the cost of many of the services offered, and less incentive for hard working employees that depend on tips from customers like you.

While I don't think the great majority of food servers are, as you refer to them, meatbags, I would kindly ask not treating your servers like meatbags. I assure you, most are looking to satisfy their customers, and tips do give them incentives. Don't forget, you can always support the restaurants that don't have servers like McDonalds... just remember to clear your table. You do clear your table, don't you? Or, did you think that's part of the cashier's job?

So now I pay for my meal AND charity for the bumbling buffoon who took my order wrong, brought the wrong food to my table, took a 20 minute smoke break without checking on their customers, etc? Please. People want to be paid. They don't want to earn their keep. In my industry, I bring 4 to 6 times my salary to my company in revenue. That's called being an asset. MANY servers do a great job. I will leave something if the person isn't completely incompetent. But more often than not, they are borderline incompetent. If they can't do the job, or are unwilling to work for their pay, they should probably seek a different job. I hear the government is giving handouts to every Harry Hard-luck who comes asking.

No, I treat the customer service personnel well. I make polite conversation and smile, talking to them like an acquaintance. At least until they start screwing up. At places like McDonald's (yuck. That stuff will KILL you. :P) I do clear away my table. I also clear away debris (wrappers, straws, french fries) etc instead of leavng them for the next person because the counter people often don't do their lobby sweepdowns very often; though that's due to McDonald's being grossly understaffed at any given point so they can save a few dollars. Rarely in a fast food restaurant do I have complaints. I occasionally get the wrong food, and they fix it without begging me for 15% of my bill in return.

I'm from the US, born in South Carolina, spent 8 years in the US Navy and now I reside in Virginia. My parents and the military instilled some ideas in me that appeal for me very much. Work hard and reap the rewards. If your hands are busy doing your job, you won't have time to hold it out.

Certain country take offense at being tip

For me, rather than facing the awarkness of how much to tip, hassle of keeping small change to tip, I would rather restaurants rise their price for an acceptable service. If it is too costly, I eat elsewhere. It would be better overall to the server too because rather than the inpredictable income of tipping, they have a stable income from the restaurant owner

I agree. Here it has been used by restaurants as a way to subsidize their employees' wages. Of course, the restaurants do not want to raise prices to look expensive, so instead, it is more of a hidden fee for the customer, and thanks to the lobbying efforts of the National Restaurant Association and the restaurant industry, tipped minimum wage is only $2.13/hr in about half the states.

But mostly I agree with you because of the unpredictability of the customers who may or may not tip. I don't think they fully realize how much servers are dependent upon them for their livelihoods.

That's the truth in any business. If you can't do a good job of it, perhaps you should find employment that is more to your skill set. I think tipped wages are nothing short of robbery ("Hey, there's the possibility of getting money from a source that isn't me! I shouldn't have to pay him as much!!!"), but no one is forcing a person to work in a tipped wage job.

Interesting, I didn't expect that. The problem with money is that it breeds greed and you want more and more. So people that become rich by working as high-ups or create businesses usually end up continue to work even if things around them are in better standard than they used to.

It's rather fun, many sit in this place full with backlogs but I bet people have much, much less time to play them than they used to and isn't that the real bummer? Time and not the amount of stuff to do. Someone should start a business that sells free time...somehow.

Thank you for the insight. I've never really understood why there are certain people that just don't tip, and although I don't agree with your conclusion, I can certainly comprehend that it feels like the employer is shirking his duty to fully compensate employees by having the customers attend to it...(even though economically every single price for every single good and service already has the price of labor added in, so you are actually paying the employees for everything anyway--with or without subsidies.)

Nevertheless, the fact remains that proper etiquette in the United States is to tip employees in certain service industries.

Of course, it is always your choice to tip or not to tip. Let me just say that if you happen to patronize any restaurant on a common basis, they know you, and they know you don't tip. Don't be surprised at the level of service or attention you receive. In fact, the irony is that all you perceive is getting crappy service from "meatbags" which further validates your reasons for not tipping, but in reality the servers perceive you as never tipping well which justifies them not wasting their efforts. I don't condone their actions, but the perceptions in both parties are the impetus for your complaint.

eh you have to pay for it before you get it? in canada they got some machine they bring to the door to process credit cards when they deliver. if they dont bring all my shit i aint paying for what i dont get

You are entitled to something. My advice would be to contact Corporate of papa johns and have them look into the issue and get back to you within a week or a few days.

Actively seek a refund and if they do not give into your demands go to the news make their nose bloody.

or you can do a chargeback.