Restaurant does not accept credit card
May 22, 2008, 12:32 pm
#78
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May 22, 2008, 1:31 pm
#80
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Regardless it's classless to not tip your server if your food was not prepared to your liking or the place didn't take a credit card.
Now if you had complained to the server and he did nothing to correct the situation then maybe you should lessen his tip. Regardless the IRS looks for them to claim tips on their total sales if you tipped them or not. So the OP really screwed the server.
May 22, 2008, 1:35 pm
#81
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Damn right. Just to emphasize it a little more, that's EVERY CONTROL!!!!!!!
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.
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.
May 22, 2008, 1:40 pm
#82
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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.
Places that charge $100/plate etc. generally do not have a quick turn of the table. Meaning people sit there longer and the dining experience is longer. Also at these types of establishments there are more people to tip out that help with your service experience. So yes people at these places do make more $ - however it's not an increase that's equal to the difference of the cost of the restaurant.
May 22, 2008, 1:42 pm
#83
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What if your server isn't the one that brought out your food. Especially at places like Chili's where managers and other servers run out food a lot. A lot of good restaurants are this way as well. Would your rather the food sit under the lamp until the server gets a second to make it to the back to run your food to you?
May 22, 2008, 1:44 pm
#84
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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
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.
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
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.
May 22, 2008, 1:45 pm
#85
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Still not fair to take it out on your server something wasn't brought out correct that they didn't bring out themselves.
May 22, 2008, 2:41 pm
#86
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I think in the last 15 years, I got caught once at a restaurant where I expected to pay with a CC and they only took cash. A small Italian joint for lunch on Spring street in SOHO. When the bill was presented, I excused myself, apologized to my customers and walked a block or two to the first ATM I could find. On return I paid the bill and tipped the waiter ~15-20%. I didn't make a fuss or stiff anyone, I did however never return and asked at the next few places that I dined with if they indeed did take CC's.
May 22, 2008, 3:17 pm
#87
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Originally Posted by jfulcher
Still not fair to take it out on your server something wasn't brought out correct that they didn't bring out themselves
It should not be an issue that they come immediately. If someone else brought the food, that means they're in the immediate vicinity taking another order or getting drinks, or something to the effect that they'll be by soon to check. If they don't, then they don't care about me, so I don't care about them.
May 23, 2008, 5:25 pm
#88
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The number of places in NYC that do not take CCs or which only take AmEx is actually pretty significant, and they range from "hole in the wall" to "pretty nice" (plus Luger's). In EVERY one of them (save Luger's) I've seen a note on the menu - usually at the bottom of each page - indicating the payment policy because they know it isn't what most people are expecting.
As for the mandatory tip thing, there's now one restaurant that I used to go to pretty regularly that has added a mandatory tip for ALL parties. I almost got to the point that we were going to be negotiating that aspect of the bill during my last meal there, but a strong showing from the waitress towards the end of the meal saved me that trouble. And at least they note that there is an included tip on the CC slip, leaving space for an additional tip as well.
As for the mandatory tip thing, there's now one restaurant that I used to go to pretty regularly that has added a mandatory tip for ALL parties. I almost got to the point that we were going to be negotiating that aspect of the bill during my last meal there, but a strong showing from the waitress towards the end of the meal saved me that trouble. And at least they note that there is an included tip on the CC slip, leaving space for an additional tip as well.
May 23, 2008, 6:15 pm
#89
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Every server must declare every dollar they earn by tip Have reasonable documenation to prove their income. I used to advise clients to keep a daytimer or calendar with the amount of tips they earn per shift so they can declare it on their taxes.
When servers do not do their due dillegence, they have an auditor do an average mean per meal.
May 24, 2008, 5:05 am
#90
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Why can't US restaurants start the trend of including a 10% service charge? It works well enough in other parts of the world. So backwards we are here. We tip based on basic service that we're in theory already paying for - part of the cost is supposed to cover service! Like tip jars - why should I tip someone who scooped me an ice cream cone when that's what they're already paid to do? Did I get an extra large scoop or a second scoop free?
Aren't tips supposed to be for excellent service generally above and beyond? It's not like the waiter is a hotel concierge who got me tickets to a sold-out show. Pay the staff a livable wage, tack on a 10% service fee and leave me alone. I don't like feeling obligated to tip a person who simply performed the minimum requirements and I will add another 5% to 10% if the service was truly exceptional.
Aren't tips supposed to be for excellent service generally above and beyond? It's not like the waiter is a hotel concierge who got me tickets to a sold-out show. Pay the staff a livable wage, tack on a 10% service fee and leave me alone. I don't like feeling obligated to tip a person who simply performed the minimum requirements and I will add another 5% to 10% if the service was truly exceptional.