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-   -   tipping cheat (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/diningbuzz/775435-tipping-cheat.html)

flightbites Aug 20, 2008 11:01 pm


Originally Posted by best (Post 9015598)
This has been happeniing more and more. It is always '"an inoccent mistake."

Yes. They see if they can get away with it...

JayhawkCO Aug 20, 2008 11:16 pm


Originally Posted by ADLFO (Post 10235349)
Then why don't you ask management to do away with the auto gratuity? If you say nothing, they will take that as your tacit approval of the policy. While I have no way of knowing what your true feelings are, I would think that most servers like the insurance policy of a guaranteed 18% tip (which may cost them 2 - 7 % on average) over a non-guaranteed tip. Add me to the group that normally tips 20%+ but refuses to do so if an auto tip is included. If you really believe you would be better off without the auto tip, you should speak up. Perhaps not in your case, but the auto tip has to take away some of the motivation for some servers to provide good service.

Actually, I have addressed this with management. Unfortunately, when you have a mixed clientèle consisting of (what I called earlier in this thread as was chided for) both experienced diners and more "novice" diners, there will be times where you are punished by not adding the gratuity to a table. The auto gratuity makes your income more consistent, but if you consider yourself a good server, I think it holds us back more than it helps it. I'm a gambler by nature (hence being in an industry without a guaranteed wage), so I'm willing to take the swings, but some of my colleagues are not, so management keeps the policy in place.

Chris

Jaimito Cartero Aug 20, 2008 11:21 pm

Auto Grat
 
Don't you have to enter the number of guests at a table? So, if it kicks in at 8, can't you just specify 7 diners?

Boghopper Aug 20, 2008 11:30 pm


Originally Posted by JayhawkCO (Post 9015817)
I'm a server at a chain steakhouse. Let me chime in. With the computer system that we use, whenever the automatic gratuity is put on (18%, parties of 6 or more), it shows the gratuity on the itemized receipt. When you run a credit card, it will print up in the area where the tip line normally is something to the effect of "A gratuity has already been added for your convenience." Unfortunately, if, during the process of authorizing the credit card, you either exit out of the table, or reprint the receipt, the credit card slip will print out without the notification of the gratuity.

I know when I'm busy, I've noticed that I've exited out of the screen while it was authorizing and therefore it didn't print out the gratuity information. That said, if I notice this, I inform the guest about the gratuity and thereby use the tip line as an additional tip line. So, it CAN be the result of an honest mistake if the server wasn't paying attention.

That said, there's obviously some dishonest servers out there. And I'm sure some are doing it on purpose.

As a side note though, everyone please remember the auto-grat is not the ONLY tip that can be given. If you get the best service of your life, and see an auto-grat is on the ticket, don't just sign the ticket and assume 18% will thrill the server (I know, I know, we're happy with ANY tip, right? :D). Even if there's not an additional tip line, you can always add (and take away for that matter, in cases of particularly bad service).

Chris

If the 18% auto tip doesn't "thrill the server", perhaps the server needs an attitude adjustment. 18% is far more than "any tip". If the server wants to shoot for a higher tip he or she is welcome to waive the auto tip and see what I give out. If the auto tip is there. that's what the server is getting. If the server doesn't like it, he/she can take it up with management or find an establishment that doesn't have that policy.

JayhawkCO Aug 21, 2008 2:37 pm


Originally Posted by Jaimito Cartero (Post 10235748)
Don't you have to enter the number of guests at a table? So, if it kicks in at 8, can't you just specify 7 diners?

Nope, it just counts how many entrees are rang in. And again, management's policy is to add it with 6 or more adults. The computer doesn't automatically do it.


Originally Posted by Boghopper (Post 10235781)
If the 18% auto tip doesn't "thrill the server", perhaps the server needs an attitude adjustment. 18% is far more than "any tip".

No attitude adjustment needed thank you. Quite level-headed already. I'm not saying I dislike getting 18%. I'm just saying I typically get more based on my service. So why would I want to add something that will make me less money? If I don't "grat" them and they leave me 18%, I am in no way disappointed. In this case especially, it's a a zero-sum result.


Originally Posted by Boghopper (Post 10235781)
If the server wants to shoot for a higher tip he or she is welcome to waive the auto tip and see what I give out. If the auto tip is there. that's what the server is getting. If the server doesn't like it, he/she can take it up with management or find an establishment that doesn't have that policy.

I want to reiterate that no, I can't just not add the gratuity at my choosing. It's discrimination to pick and choose who gets it. If I see a bunch of Armani-suit wearing, black AmEx toting businessmen and don't add it, and then I see a bunch of elderly people and do add it, I'm being discriminatory.

As I posted a little higher up, I have brought it up with management, and they told me if every last server agreed, we'd take the policy off the menu. A couple servers disagreed so it stayed. To say that I should then find another establishment without the policy is a somewhat ridiculous leap in logic. I'm sure your job has policies with which you disagree, but you don't go hopping jobs every time one pops up. And, for that matter, I don't know of a single restaurant that doesn't have an auto-gratuity for some size of party.

Chris

GoingAway Aug 21, 2008 3:57 pm


Originally Posted by thegeneral (Post 10224993)
"I really hate this as they calculate the total including the tax-you should not have to tip on the tax."

Yeah, actually you do. Plenty of tight asses try to skimp on the tip this way, but you tip on the overall cost of the meal.

In the case where you felt jaded by them adding a gratuity, you should have mentioned this to them instead of talking about it with people on a website. In the end, it was shown on your bill. The onus is on you to review your bill.

WHOA!!! Did NOT read this entire thread but saw this entry quoted in someone's elses post and had to reply. TIPPING IS NOT REQUIRED - EVER!!

It is a socially accepted norm in certain cultures so it might be expected (and is, obviously), but is NOT required. If you walk out of a restaurant without tipping, they'll call you a tightwad, but not the police.

There is no " YOU HAVE TO " and anyone who believes that is giving into peer/societal pressures and nothing more. :td:

sheesh - I feel better :)

RockoHorse Aug 21, 2008 4:21 pm

I love how there is this negative attitude that you're cheap if you don't tip.

The people with that attitude don't seem to care that the restaurant owners are cheap because they don't pay proper wages.

What about the fact that you could pay a server 10 times as much to do the same job if you're in a more expensive restaurant or order an expensive bottle of wine? (Yes someone please tell me how carrying a $100 bottle of wine to the table is somehow more difficult than carrying $40 bottle of wine to the table - especially when both probably $10 at the LCBO)

If you go to buy a TV you don't tip them because they've helped you, if anything the serving staff would get a higher commission if they've sold a more expensive product.

This is all backwards.

nkedel Aug 21, 2008 6:15 pm

Apropos of very little, but speaking of auto-tipping:

Once in NYC about a decade ago I went to a restaurant with MrsNKEdel (albeit a couple of years before we got married) and despite being a party of only two, had an auto-tip on the bill of 15% pretax.

I complained about it, and despite nothing to that effect on the menu or posted, the waitress indicated that it was policy to include it after 10pm and that there was nothing she could do about it herself, but did I want to speak with the manager? I didn't bother - it was a chain place we'd dropped into for convenience, and I wasn't likely to ever be back there, and the service had been good up to that point.

Oddly enough, when my charge slip came it was the regular amount, without the auto-tip. So I left my usual closer-to-20-than-15% tip, and I assume I could have simply written zero or crossed off that line and copied over the total.

Still seems weird; has anyone else seen auto-tipping for smaller parties late in the evening? Or was the original receipt just a hamfisted case of "suggested tipping"?

bigguyinpasadena Oct 13, 2008 12:36 pm

Survey on auto tipping and tipping in general
 
Let your voice be heard ^
http://consumerist.com/5062367/is-it...t-a-restaurant

4444 Oct 13, 2008 12:43 pm


Originally Posted by bigguyinpasadena (Post 9009659)
If you were five persons you should not have to pay the auto service charge.
I really hate this as they calculate the total including the tax-you should not have to tip on the tax.
I would rather tip for the level of service recieved rather than having to supplement some poor servers meager income.

some poor servers meager income? lol. if you dont tip you are a scumbag. period. servers count on tips as part of their salary. belittle someone for their income? what are you 15? put your salary up and we'll compare. i could use the laugh. hint unless it is at least 7 figures dont bother.

oldpenny16 Oct 13, 2008 12:53 pm

I just spent time in Idaho and Wyoming. Food service in all the places we ate or tried to eat was often very poor.

Orders were very often filled wrong. I've never had this happen so often on one trip!

The one restaurant where I got a good meal with decent service was at the Wort Hotel in Jackson Wyoming. I tipped the waiter 15% and he was thrilled and said that it was very unusual to get anything over 10%.

Is this typical in Idaho and Wyoming?

slawecki Oct 13, 2008 12:59 pm


Originally Posted by oldpenny16 (Post 10513537)
I just spent time in Idaho and Wyoming. Food service in all the places we ate or tried to eat was often very poor.

Orders were very often filled wrong. I've never had this happen so often on one trip!

The one restaurant where I got a good meal with decent service was at the Wort Hotel in Jackson Wyoming. I tipped the waiter 15% and he was thrilled and said that it was very unusual to get anything over 10%.

Is this typical in Idaho and Wyoming?

now, we know why service is so crummy.crummy income=crummy service.

KSinNYC Oct 13, 2008 2:41 pm


Originally Posted by bigguyinpasadena (Post 9018412)
And why should someone who orders something expensive-but takes the same amount of work as a lesser priced item be robbed at gunpoint?

Your logic is the reason I always tip very very well at places like Denny's. I figure that the server is taking my order the same number of times, carrying the same number of plates, refilling my water the same number of times, and bringing the same number of checks as the server at a swanky restaurant.

KSinNYC Oct 13, 2008 2:48 pm


Originally Posted by bigguyinpasadena (Post 9022237)
Almost all of my tipping is out of my own pocket-I do not get reimbursed for tips even on buisness expenditures.
The Only exception is my New Years tip to service providers for the estate-those I expense.
But the others add up to over $500 a year,excluding dining on my own time.
So that is a bit out of my flesh actually.

Are you talking about restaurant tips or other tips, like bartenders, bellmen, and housekeeping?

Are you really saying that when you go out for dinner, your employer covers the cost of food and drink but not the tip? I have never heard of that! :confused:

GoingAway Oct 13, 2008 3:00 pm


Originally Posted by 4444 (Post 10513485)
some poor servers meager income? lol. if you dont tip you are a scumbag. period. servers count on tips as part of their salary. belittle someone for their income? what are you 15? put your salary up and we'll compare. i could use the laugh. hint unless it is at least 7 figures dont bother.

This response makes absolutely no sense other than you don't care that Big Guy likes to tip on service not because it's expected. I don't disagree with him at all to be honest, although peer pressure or whatever you want to call it, I often find myself tipping more than I really think the server/taxi driver, etc deserve just because it's easier in the end.


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