The tipping point: Rise of 'fast casual' restaurants leave many in a quandary

The rising popularity of "fast casual" restaurants, such as Noodles & Co., Rumbi Island Grill and Pei Wei, has blurred the traditional lines of tipping etiquette.

In a full-service restaurant, when you sit at a table and someone takes your order, brings your meal, fills your drink glass and clears your dishes, it's obvious that a tip is in order, at least if you live in the United States.

And it's also apparent that a tip isn't necessary at fast food restaurants, when you order and pay at a counter, bring your own meal to the table and then bus your own table.

But, at Noodles & Co., you order at the counter, then wait at your table.

"Within minutes of ordering, a fresh, made-to-order dish will be delivered to the table on real china with real silverware," boasts the company's news releases.

"You also don't have to clear your table or leave a tip. We just aim to please."

At the new Blue Lemon restaurant in downtown Salt Lake's City Creek Development, customers order and pay at the counter. Classy items, such as Citrus Seared Salmon or Fresh Black Bean Ravioli are brought to the table on gleaming white dinnerware.

Yet, "Tips are greatly appreciated, but we don't expect them," said Chris Petric, manager of the Blue Lemon's first location in Alpine.

"Our design concept is express casual, so it's not a full-service restaurant."

Why are tips expected in some restaurants but not others?

The answer is in Utah's "tip credit."

In Utah, restaurants can pay servers $2.13 per hour, with the expectation that their tips will give them at least a minimum wage. But "fast-casual" or "express casual" restaurants pay the staff minimum wage or better, so tips aren't the majority of their salary.

It's not always easy for a customer to tell if a tip expected.

For instance, at Sweet Tomatoes salad bar buffets, "dining room attendants" are paid at least minimum wage, according to Tracy Marks of the chain's Gardenfresh Corp.

The attendants remove used plates, and "some go beyond expectations and refill drinks and so on," said Marks.

"If you receive good service, you're welcome to tip, and that's an extra for them. If you don't tip, that's OK because they are making a minimum wage."

Meanwhile, at Chuck-A-Rama's buffet, the wait staff rely on tips for the majority of their pay.