Sorry, just jumping in here and have stopped reading the thread at this point to respond to the comments about the waiter not being in control of the cooks screwing up an order. Nota bene: I am a long time restaurant veteran.

The waiter has EVERY CONTROL over what he brings to the table. If he leaves the kitchen to serve me food that is prepared wrong, it is entirely the waiter's fault and should be tipped accordingly. If I am informed about a kitchen mishap with my order and I'm made to wait, it's really about a 50/50 shot the truth has been told, but I'll know what the truth is - and will tip accordingly.

Back on track about not accepting credit cards -

There's a seafood restaurant in Branford, CT which has been on very reputable short lists of top seafood restaurants in the world for decades. They have never accepted credit cards. It's part of their charm. They let you know when you enter of the situation. I'm sure it's been an issue for them from time to time, but in no way should it reflect in the tip. That's your fault.

In the U.S., tipping is only voluntary to those of who think it's OK for someone to make $2.13 per hour. The U.S. wage system makes wait staff rely on tips for most of their income. In many other countries, that isn't the case, but the wait staff's salaries are built into the restaurant's prices. Like it or not, that's our system, and almost every adult who's been in this country for a little while knows and accepts it. I realize waiters could take other jobs, but personally, I like eating out, waiters are necessary to a viable restaurant, and a good waiter is a part of a good dining experience, so his services are worth well more than $2.13 an hour to me (considering fast-food workers, who make no difference in the amount of satisfaction I get from the dining experience in their establishments, probably make 3x-4x that).

And before you ask, no, I've never been a waiter. In fact, I've never worked in the food service industry in any capacity, something for which I am eternally grateful.

Without knowing any details about the type, location, etc. of the restaurant it's hard to really say how reasonable the OP's failure to ask about payment methods is. In NY, SF, LA I'd expect him/her to have known to ask - it would be common even for a place which costs $30/person (which, in those cities, could be merely an average restaurant) to not take cards. In a different context and location, it could have been very surprising and I would fault him/her less for not having asked/known/suspected.

As far as the restaurant's business practices - maybe, maybe not - I suspect many of my favorites (including some which take credit cards) are no better, but hey, the food is good.

Here in Quebec (and one other province I think), the server's income tax bill is directly tied to their sales by tracking their Social Insurance Number. Therefore if you don't tip, you are actually making them pay from *their own pocket* to serve you.

I think the OP's approach was boorish and amateur, I can think of a few places here where the OP would have been encouraged to at least leave a few dollars so the poor server didn't have to foot their bill, on top of being stiffed for what was said to be good service.

Okay the discussion is about a $30/person/bill meal not a $200/person/bill meal. Basically a Chili's type place. Of course the OP has not stated the actual restaurant or type restaurant.

The waiter has EVERY CONTROL over what he brings to the table?

It is the same in most parts of the US, which was mentioned in this thread.


Don't tip = Waiter has to pay to serve you!

One of the strangest in my opinion, given their prices, is the Carnegie Deli. There's a little place next door with an ATM for those who forget. Must make a killing on ATM fees.

Can't say I agree about stiffing the waiter, but I also can't say I agree with waitstaff expecting a tip like it was an entitlement and grumbling loud enough for the patron to hear when they did not get one.

And in a lot of restaurants, a waiter that tells the chef that the chef screwed up is itching to dodge the business end of a flying knife.

- $30 a person isn't high end.
- Noone wants to pay in advance for meals.
- The merchant should be paid.
- The waitstaff does not set payment terms. Can anyone imagine being told our specials are ###... and we accept cash and debit cards, but not xx?
- Ask before being seated, especially in restaurants with local chefs.

It's my responsibility when asking a merchant to provide services that I understand the charge, and be able pay to pay for those services. In the US, our currency is ~guaranteed~ acceptance, credit cards are not.

In other countries, cards are often not accepted.

Taking it out on the wait staff is silly.

I usually keep an emergency $50 (2X20, 1X10) tucked away in my wallet for such cases. This stash isn't used very often, but when it is it is immediately replaced.

Damn right. Just to emphasize it a little more, that's EVERY CONTROL!!!!!!!

:D

Seriously, whether it be Chili's, Tavern on the Green or your local diner, part of a server's job is to at least take a quick peek at the plate of food he/she is about to bring to you and be sure it's:

A) What you ordered (including any way you may have modified the menu)

and

B) Cooked properly

There's different tolerance levels for B, of course, but if I'm at Chili's and my chicken quesadilla is obviously burned, it's the server's duty to send it back before it ever leaves the kitchen. Then go to the table and attempt to make me believe it was the kitchen's fault.

Wise idea to keep emergency stash in the wallet. Get a brand new crisp $20, I fold it into an eighth and use the handle of scissors to make the fold very tight. Place in wallet under pictures or something.

I was in a local fast food restaurant the other day and needed to get food for 3 other people and wasn't given any cash. Before I started my $20 order I verified that this location accepted cards. I knew other locations in the chain did, but I didn't see any stickers on the door or register.

I worked at a restaurant back 10 years ago. We didn't take credit cards and posted clearly on the door "cash only."

I consult in food service to hospitals. Hospitals are notorious for being cash/payroll deduct only. Prices for employees are often marked down, but visitors (who also can't payroll deduct) have to pay the full price. EVERY hospital I go to that hasn't implemented POS registers to accept credit cards has a sign at the entrance stating cash only and the ATM is by (insert location here).

to the OP: did the check come off a thermal printer or was it hand written and just punched into an 80's stye register? If so, they need to talk to a POS vender and get the ROI on implementing a proper POS system...especially one that can tie into inventory and track food cost vs sales...then they would probably save money over the CC fees.

It's been my unscientific observation that many Asian restaurants do not take credit cards, and if they do, only take Master Card/Visa. I've been surprised even in big, modern food courts in big, modern Asian supermarkets by places that have the "cash only" sign taped to the cash register. Granted, these places almost always have an ATM available nearby...

I'm from Germany and haven't been to the USA in a while, but it seems to me that working as a waiter in an expensive US restaurant is a pretty well-paid job given the percentage of tips (and considering that very little formal education/training is needed). If I eat a three course meal, the waiter basically has to do the same amount of work, regardless of whether the food costs 30$ or 100$. Of course, I expect a better/more experienced service at the 100$ place.

Regarding the original question of the thread:
In that case (assuming the OP hadn't reserved a group table in advance) I think that it was the OP's responsibility to be able to pay the bill. It doesn't seem unreasonable to be able to pay 30$ in cash or cheque, especially if there has been a sign on one of the doors.

On the other hand, if one reserves a table for a larger group, one should be informed in advance about a cash-only policy: I once took a group of students to a restaurant as part of a company recruiting event. When I reserved a table for 10 people under the company name, I wasn't told that the restaurant accepts only cash, which is quite unusual in Germany (often restaurants take only one or two credit cards, but they usually take at least a bank (EC) debit card). This was clearly stated on the menu, but of course by that time it was a bit late. The bill was above 500 EUR. Luckily, the owner operated another restaurant a block down the road, which also didn't take credit cards, but accepted my bank debit card. I had to go there with the waitress and gave her a normal tip, since she was most likely not the one who took my reservation by phone. However, I will not go to this restaurant again with a group (even though the food was good).

Nice Work, Flyertalk...NOT!
 

Yeah, flyertalk! Thanks for the bogus headline and paragraph intro:

"Come On, Give Me Some Credit Here!
You have just dined at a restaurant and found out that the establishment does not accept credit cards. You have no cash. You do not know if the restaurant accepts checks as payment. What do you do? Find out what FlyerTalk member veggie_lover did. "

You made us think that there was some 'Magical" way of handling the issue!

Big deal! He walked 30 minutes and paid in cash.

Your headline should have been: "Customer not able to pay by credit and uses cash!" What a friggin time waster of a thread! Guess what? I'm unsubscribing to your newsletter! Now THAT should save me more than 30 minutes!

As far as veggie guy: If I'm unsure I always check. If they don't take credit cards, I turn around and head for another restaurant. (This is also a great way for the restaurant to avoid paying taxes - take cash only and underreport your earnings.) If they take MC and Visa but not Amex, I'll say something to the manager. I'll call Amex to advise them that I've recommended their Credit Card. If they take Amex but have a minimum charge (not allowed by Amex), I'll call to advise Amex of that too. Oh, yeah - if I DO wind up eating at a place like you did, I WOULD tell them that due to their practices, I'd never be back! (They don't have to know that you don't live in the area, etc...

BEST OF ALL THOUGH: I would indicate the NAME and Address of the restaurant here in this thread. If you help others to know WHERE NOT TO EAT, it helps us much more then to hear how you had to walk 30 minutes. (Maybe you'll keep an emergency $50 in your wallet for times like this in the future.)

And Flyertalk: "See Ya! I'm done with your bogus hype!"

I'm not a big fan of the $2.13 + tips policy that most restaurants use in the US - unless it is unionized, in which case I know of waiters who get a base pay closer to $8/hr plus tips.

Waiters also do much more than just serve food. At many places, they arrive an hour or two before the restaurant opens and they spend a couple hours cleaning tables, setting silverware, etc. at $2.13 / hr. I don't think this is right - they may be tipped employees - but they should be earning more than $2.13/hr when they do these duties.

At closing, the wait staff often spends one or two hours at some restaurants cleaning tables, re-filling the salt/pepper/ketchup, cleaning the floors, getting silverware ready for the next day, etc., at $2.13/hr. I'd much prefer a system where wait staff earns a bit more.

Last, but not least, it seems tip jars are appearing everywhere these days. Only a matter of time until we see tip jars on airplanes and at the check-in counters. Before you know it, the automated check-in kiosks will have tip jars :D

I'd be interested in knowing where this happened as well. I could see it in some big cities or at certain types of restaurants, but with some exceptions, I'd pretty much expect most places to take plastic.

Actually it is allowed if they do not accept any credit cards that do not allow a minimum like Visa and Mastercard. Same thing with Discover. Both agreements allow them to set a minimum charge, but no higher then any other cards they accept

If all they accept is Amex, the merchant agreement lets them set whatever minimum they want.