GoPhils

I think that's still a little different as at least in that case the customers are still paying for it. In the case of OP, hypothetically the hotel should be paying that (that being the initial gratuity that was included) out of their own pocket - I know one could argue you're paying for it with your room rate, but I would argue that you're not if a Plat gets complimentary breakfast but a non-elite paying the same rate does not.

JackE

1. Provided voucher at order.

2. Finished eating, asked for the check, server said it was covered. I asked for the check because I thought part of the order might not have been covered. The voucher clearly stated tip included.

3. I explained I knew the tip was included but asked for the check for the purpose of leaving an additional tip.

4. The server hesitated a moment, then said OK. He returned with a check for $25 and said it would be removed. I entered a $5 tip, and left a total of $5. (In hindsight, should have X'd out the $25 and written Platinum, though primary responsibility was with server/restaurant.)

5. At checkout, total was $30. Explained the situation to the FDA, who said only the restaurant could change it. (Not my experience with the competition.) She called the restaurant and then confirmed with me that I wanted to tip the $5. She said it would be taken care of.

6. When my folio arrived by e-mail days later, the $30 was there along with another, separate charge for $5.

joshua362

OMG, with so many hands touching an out-of-the-ordinary process for them, its a miracle you weren't triple charged for arguing with them. Of course no good deed goes unpunished. Leave cash or just leave, it was included!

CJKatl

Maybe I misunderstood you. If the gratuity is included in the free but not line-item charged to the guest, compensation is between the hotel and the employee. Maybe they are taking care of it by paying the employee more, paying the employee a fixed tip per customer or just not paying the employee anything. If a customer is told he/she is paying a tip (paying not it being taken care of) then the money needs to go to the server and not be stolen by the restaurant. Sorry for the misunderstanding on what "included" means.

GoPhils

Got it and agree. And I think that uncertainty is why OP and others try to leave additional tips when it's already "included." But of course the hotels don't always make it easy.

OP, care to share what property? I'm surprised they'd say "only the restaurant could change it." Unlike things like valet parking, I always assumed most of the restaurants (except for maybe locations that have restaurants such as Ruth's Chris attached) at Marriotts were just a part of the hotel.

Points Scrounger

In those cases, you need to clearly write ZERO in the gross charges line (adding "waived" can't hurt) and then the tip and the tip again as TOTAL.

JackE

As to your first point, I was certain the server would be tipped off the voucher; I just felt like double tipping. (However, not triple-tipping as it ended up.)

And to your second point, this was the Oakland Downtown Marriott at the main restaurant on the second floor. I don't know one way or another if it is Marriott-owned.

Frankly, the whole thing was a little surprising to me. Compared to, say, Starwood and Hyatt, Marriott seems the most organized, if not regimented.

fracmeister

Are there any of those left?

pinniped

I'm not afraid of carrying cash...sometimes it's there, sometimes not. <looks> I have $12 in my wallet right now. I honestly don't know why it's there, and it's probably been there for a month or more. If I found myself at a Marriott buffet tomorrow, I might actually leave the $2 if somebody brought me a drink.

My point is that I'm not going out of my way to get cash for this purpose.

My use of cash has dropped 90% since the kids got old enough to no longer need a babysitter. Then the routine was go to CVS, buy a candy bar, get $40 back, give to babysitter.

I imagine babysitters now probably have Square or something similar... Or maybe they'll all just jump straight to crypto...

joshua362

I stayed there alone over a weekend as PP and ate breakfast in that restaurant, recall it was a huge and decent buffet with many choices. There was a $5 upcharge to the hot side of things and somehow I was able to use the PLT arrival $10 coupon towards both days and everything was processed ok. I may have left a dollar or 2 cash for the gentleman who brought my juice once, but that was it.

Ironically, I was staying Fri night on points but Sat with cash (got a $200 PLT Override) since they were sold out. Sat morning, the CY across the street became available on points so I asked if I could checkout and did and left. Took one look at the CY and headed back on the odd chance I could get back into the FS somehow. They told me that I had never checked out and gave me new keys to my same room which was made up. A few hours later as I was getting ready for the Furthur show at Berkeley, a couple came barging through the door, we all looked at each other then they left to sort it out.

So maybe, operationally, they are a bit deficient in processing things...

CJKatl

That CY may have the worst lobby area of any CY. Period. I actually stayed there during the Occupy Wall Street protest in the park across the street.

joshua362

Too funny, that is exactly how far I got before heading back.

SkiAdcock

Anyway, the bottom line for me is that this was a potential one off (or property specific) & I'll continue to add the tip to the bill, as I've never had the same problem as the OP despite putting a tip on the breakfast bill for years.

Cheers.

Mama

This is the way I see this. Somebody is too lazy to carry cash.

SkiAdcock

Your post followed mine. I did not say anyone was too lazy to carry cash.

I said I've put the tip on my breakfast bill at multiple hotels for multiple years & never encountered the OP's triple posting, hence my thought it was a one-off. That's still my belief.

I rarely carry cash or not much cash. I've never thought of myself as 'lazy' for not carrying cash. The norm is for me to have $1-20 (if that) in my wallet. I guess carrying cash has just never been a big thing for me - shrug.


Cheers.