when you buy gift cards from a resterant should you tip?

i used to be a waitress and i like this question... if you're buying a gift card from a waitress, then you should definitely tip. for example if you went there to eat and you added a gift card to your bill. however, if you just walk in to buy a gift card from the host, then you don't have to tip, but if you're in a giving mood, that would be fine. if you walk in and order a gift card and the only person who can help you happens to be a waitress, you should tip because she's taking time out to help you when she could be on the floor. hope this helps... also, one thing you might wanna think about when considering to tip: most waitresses made WAY under minimum wage. In Texas, waitresses make $2.13 an hour... just enough to cover taxes after they report their tips. they literally LIVE on their tips. so if you feel that you're using her as a waitress and she's serving you something, you should tip... i don't agree with 15%. i think people should tip according to their service. a $50 gift card, nothin' wrong with tipping 50 cents or a dollar; she's not doin' much work... a $15 dollar meal where you and your buddy sit there for 3 hours getting free refills on your coffee and she has to run back and forth, give her a bigger tip. she deserves it for the amount of work.

No. You are buying gift cards for the recipient to use. If they use the card at the restaurant, the recipients decide how much they want to tip for the service. I don't know if they can take the tip out of the gift card balance though or if it's out of pocket expenses.

I see no need. I worked as a bartender/waitress for three years, and I don't think the gift card sales are reported as taxable income to the IRS. (Wait staff must declare a certain percentage of tip income, regardless of if they make it - good ones do, of course.) At any rate, if you are just walking in and buying gift cards, or if you buy a gift card at the end of your meal, I would not tip on the gift card portion.

No, not for buying a gift card. I wouldn't, no matter who sold it to me at the restaurant. They just ring you up, is it really more of a service than buying a gift card at a store? No. Now, if you are spending a gift card at a restaurant, yes, tip. I think tipping expectations are getting out of hand. Pretty soon, we will have to tip at the fast food drive thru.

No. You would tip at the time the service is rendered, which would be at the time the gift cards are used.

Tipping for buying a gift card is unnecessary.

If you're just in there buying gift cards, I see no reason to tip. If you're redeeming gift cards, by all means tip in cash.

It's "restaurant" & tipping is not done for gift cards.

No way.

Too many people expect to get a tip - for whatever service nowadays! Because of that reason I don't tip - full stop.

no...that is up to the person who actually eats there.