Can a restaurant increase your CC bill after you have signed for it at a lower cost?

[The Stigenator]

I went to Alice's over the weekend and paid 42 including tip. However I checked now and it says 45.38. The bill was for 36

I dont know if I tipped lower than 15% or something else went wrong. I guess if i did tip below 15% they just raised it to 15..

next time i wil be more careful at tipping.. that's teh only thing that could have caused it. Either that or they didnt add the desert into the final bill or something like that and caught it later on.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

no. that is illegal.

 

[loup garou]

Ugh. There is a post about this every week.

 

[nycxandy]

Dude, you signed the bill for a certain amount and I'm sure you got a receipt. So go dispute!

 

[The Stigenator]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
no. that is illegal.

if so that's teh 2nd time i caught this happening. One was a long time back at olive garden.. it was last year valentine's day.

 

[DaWhim]

do you have a receipt for that? file a chargeback

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: DaWhim
do you have a receipt for that? file a chargeback

and notify restaurant management

 

[95SS]

Authorization or charge? If it's an authorization, it's normal for the amount to be higher. Wait for the charge to post. If it's a charge, dispute it, provided you have your copy of the charge slip.

 

[BEL6772]

They should not do that, unless there is notification. Example: most places post that a 15% gratuity will be added for parties over 8 people (or similar terms). If you were paying for a large party and under-tipped, they would legally be able to adjust the amount pursuant to their posted policy. If they have no posted policy, they cannot legally charge over what you authorized.

 

You took your girlfriend to the Olive Garden on Valentine's Day? WTF, you classless fool.

 

[mugs]

wait a few days...

 

[StageLeft]

No, and they almost certainly didn't; wait for the bill to go through.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: 95SS
Authorization or charge? If it's an authorization, it's normal for the amount to be higher. Wait for the charge to post. If it's a charge, dispute it, provided you have your copy of the charge slip.

Since when do restaurants place authorizations on cards?

 

[seanws]

ive had this happen to me a few times too, but it usually ends up in my favor. ie the charge ends up being less than the receipt shows

 

[DaWhim]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: 95SS
Authorization or charge? If it's an authorization, it's normal for the amount to be higher. Wait for the charge to post. If it's a charge, dispute it, provided you have your copy of the charge slip.

Since when do restaurants place authorizations on cards?

when you sign for the charge?

 

[MrScott81]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: 95SS
Authorization or charge? If it's an authorization, it's normal for the amount to be higher. Wait for the charge to post. If it's a charge, dispute it, provided you have your copy of the charge slip.

Since when do restaurants place authorizations on cards?

since they started accepting credit cards??

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: DaWhim

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: 95SS
Authorization or charge? If it's an authorization, it's normal for the amount to be higher. Wait for the charge to post. If it's a charge, dispute it, provided you have your copy of the charge slip.

Since when do restaurants place authorizations on cards?

when you sign for the charge?

Isn't that a charge?
I thought an authorization was when I buy XYZ from New Egg. They Authorize the card then charge it when they ship.

 

[olds]

<tap> Hello? Is this thing on?</tap>

 

[95SS]

When the card is swiped, an authorization is placed on the funds in the account. Restaurants routinely add a set percentage, to cover the tip. When the charge goes through, the correct amount is then deducted from the account. Charges aren't instant, sometimes they take 24 hours or more to process.

 

[Dulanic]

Ya wait a few days atleast, see if the amount get changed. If not contact the manager of the restraunt, some waiters change it thinking noone will notice, most restraunts will fire people over this.

 

[BlackAdam]

That happens all the time to me with authorizations. I'll go to check my Bank of America account, and the charge is for a few bucks and change more than the bill. I'll wait a day... it'll disappear. I'll wait another day, the charge will show up as the price I was billed.

 

[BigSmooth]

95SS is correct; it's standard practice in the restaurant industry to pre-authorize for 15 or 20% over the base charge to cover the tip. Hotels and gas stations also tend to do pre-authorizations.

If it's not fixed in about four days, contact the restaurant; if they are not responsive, do a chargeback.