Tipping at quality seafood?

[popvulture]

I just went to quality seafood today for the first time and bought a whole red snapper. When I got my credit card receipt to sign, there was a tip field on there. I know it's a restaurant too, so obviously you're going to tip your server, but I was wondering - are you supposed to tip the fish counter workers as well? I didn't leave anything, and the guy gave me a little bit of a funny look.

You don't have the option of tipping the fish counter at, say, Central Market, but I don't know what the right thing to do is at a place like CS. I basically don't wanna look like a tool next time I go in there, so if there's any sort of fish monger etiquette I'm missing, I'd love to know. Thanks...

[ieathereforeiam]

i've never tipped at the retail counter there. i think they just use the same machines/forms as the restaurant.

[popvulture]

Cool, that's what I figured. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't being a douche.

[ieathereforeiam]

you very well may be, but not for this.

HA!

[danny_w]

I haven't been in quite a while. The restaurant part now has servers? I have only been there when you ordered at the back counter and picked up your own food.

[rudeboy]

You order at the counter, get a number, and then they bring you the food. The bussers do a fairly good job at following up with water and napkins. It isn't real table service, but a bit service more than, say, Taco Deli.

[Homero]

Central Market official policy is that partners (employees) can not accept tips. So there would never be a tip form on a credit card receipt there. That said, if you think someone did a particularly fine job or were very helpful, by all means feel free to speak to the manager and say a few nice words about the person that helped you.

[drdelicious]

I usually tip if I order a bunch of whole fish and have them clean and de scale them. I also tip if I order sacks of crawfiish or shrimp and they take it to my car.

Basically, the way I see it, it's two fold. 1) They remember you next time you show up. 2) If I have enough time to go to the bar and drink a beer or two (or three, depending on what's on the TV) while they are cleaning my fish, then I tip them. That's just my rule of thumb.

Whole Foods puts the tip line on their receipt too, and I never understood that. They just serve the food at the counter. I assume the people COOKing the food make at least min wage.