Kacee

+1

FlyerTalker6245

Points Scrounger

Before you all get too worked up about the additional gratuity business, I suspect that such is a feature of the software programming for any restaurant checks. I don't think the management or server were necessarily involved, more that this was some sort of an automatic feature. Looks funny, but not a deliberate extra grab.

In this case, chasing you down was the tacky part. He should have presented the check before you left, or left it alone and lived with whatever cash tip you might have left or not. I understand that Hilton Garden Inn has a real problem in this regard with folks not leaving tips for breakfast. If I know that I'm going to be staying at this chain, or a similar one where the breakfast has a theoretical cash value for non-elite diners, I will leave a couple of bucks in cash. If they leave a zero receipt (with tip line), I write Zero on the tip and total lines, and don't sign it.

I would have not only refused to sign the check, but complained to the management, as well as possibly posting to Trip Advisor about this practice, which is not normal in the United States; most Americans, including New Yorkers, would find this incredibly tacky and rude.

furballs

I've seen a lot of this at various hilton properties, more so in NYC than anywhere else. Having said that, I will sometimes ask for a zero balance bill, so I can indeed leave a small tip. Easier for me to expense of if it's on the hotel bill, as opposed to.'sundry expenses'.

For better or worse, the people rely on tips for a living.

zachary

I may be the odd one, but in the US, I always tip on the free Diamond breakfast except at limited service properties like Hampton and HWS. If anyone is serving me (even just bringing drinks like at HGI), I leave a tip.

I've never experienced the mandatory tip thing, and I agree it's not acceptable.

englisha

I have no problem adding 20% to bills in the US and just think of it as an added expense, not a tip. It'd have to be terrible for me to leave less than 15 and this had never happened to me. However, I find automatically adding a tip or putting it on a bill where you have to manually remove/adjust it rather distasteful.

Points Scrounger

Is a 'service charge' common in Britain?

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

Generally not but in some restaurants there is now a sign at the bottom of the menu saying " 10% service charge for parties of X ( 6 in my experience) but in some london hotel restaurants I am begining to see the service charge appear.

Regards

TBS

Often1

You are by no means off. It is common custom to tip 15-20% of the approximate value of the meal. When it is not discounted and paid in cash, this is easy. When it is discounted, the staff should still be tipped on the full value, and when it is included in the room rate or otherwise a freebie, one estimates the meal's cost and tips on that.

There is no need to obsess on the value of an extra piece of toast, just leaving $2-3 for your breakfast should not be that hard.

puchong

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but for the past few years I have noticed restaurants in the UK (and particularly London) adding a 15-25% service charge to the bill; on most occasions, when I ask for it to be removed, it is done but the entire experience is unpleasant. I feel that the restaurants do this on purpose knowing fully well that most diners will not want to make a fuss, especially if they are in the company of others.

Portolan

The Priority Pass benefit mentioned is at full-service restaurants at airports where PP doesn't have an agreement with an airline club. For instance, this is the case at Denver where the PP Card gives you a $28/pp value to use at a specific restaurant. So, not a buffet, but regular table service where a gratuity would be appropriate.

Diplomatico

All of this drama over a request for a $3.29 gratuity.....in one of the most expensive cities in the world. Laughable at best.

InkUnderNails

The drama was over the requirement not the amount.

Globalist

FlyerTalker6245