Gratuity include !... GRATUITY INCLUDED ! WTF ?!?!? * The original tip thread*

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: dtyn
Umm...a lot of places have gratuity included...you're definately overreacting.

Totally disagree. The only exception is when it is clear on the menu that a gratuity will be added. If not, then it is not right.

If you would have left a 15% gratuity anyway, then it is a moot point. Otherwise, I would have insisted they remove it from the bill.

 

[richardycc]

Originally posted by: cr4zymofo

Originally posted by: richardycc
did you use a buy one get one free coupon?

haha... ha....

Like I've stated, this is not the first time I go to a restaurant. I've been to more prestigious restaurants than this dump, dressed the same and never had any problems. I never, ever put on a suit just to go eat, and I didn't think that this was one of those stupid restaurant. Don't know if it's being an Italian restaurant has anything to do with it. I usually tip very well, even with bad service, I kinda understand how hard the job is, but to assume that I don't, that's what ticked me off.

the reason I asked was because rests that accept those entertainment booklet buy one get one free coupons will add the tips to the check automatically. They will use the pre-coupon total to calculate the tips too. which is fine with me, since I usually tip very well too. But it sucks that they assumed that you are a cheap bastard by using one of those coupons.

 

[Nitemare]

Ask to speak to the manager. If it is not standard policy then tell him you will be contacting the ACLU.

 

[dquan97]

Originally posted by: dtyn
Umm...a lot of places have gratuity included...you're definately overreacting.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: Nitemare
Ask to speak to the manager. If it is not standard policy then tell him you will be contacting the ACLU.

Common - don't go low enough to mention those bastards.

 

[abracadabra1]

I very much doubt you were singled out. However, if you are unsatisfied with the service at a restaurant you ask to speak to the manager (especially if gratuity is included). Gratuity is normally included at pricey restaurants where good service is standard; thus, the automatic inclusion of 15-25% gratuity.

 

[MaxDepth]

Originally posted by: dquan97

Originally posted by: dtyn
Umm...a lot of places have gratuity included...you're definately overreacting.

Uh, no they don't.
And no, he isn't.


If a place like that includes gratuity for less than 6, then they should advertise that at the front of the restaurant. If a tip is automatically included on any meal, then service will not be as good as if it wasn't.


EDIT: I agree that were not singled out. I would ask that you go back to that place when it opens for dinner and ask to speak to the manager about the automatic gratuity. Ask him if it is mentioned anywhere so that a customer would know beforehand.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: rbloedow

Originally posted by: Nitemare
Ask to speak to the manager. If it is not standard policy then tell him you will be contacting the ACLU.

Common - don't go low enough to mention those bastards.

They have a purpose....occasionally

 

[bigdog1218]

Originally posted by: amnesiac
^^^ You're not paying attention.

This is in Santa Monica, CA. Party of 2. It's a subpar Italian joint. Their food isn't even that great.
cr4zymofo, your server was probably just a stupid dildo. Do yourself a favor and don't eat there. If you're gonna get italian from Santa Monica, go to the place up the street (Used to be Trastevere, dunno what it is now).

Not as bad as the time I went to Teaser's across the way. The server showed up twice during the whole meal -- once to take our order, once to give us the check. Drinks, bread, dinner all served by the poor overworked busboy. My attempts to signal the waiter were flat-out IGNORED.

So I left him a 2 cent tip. He RUNS UP to us when we're halfway down the block, yelling at me and calling us cowards for doing that. I tell him to fvck off. The place closed a month later. I hope the bastard is still unemployed.

I worked in a restaurant as a busboy and waiter that worked that way. The waiter only took orders, got drinks, not water, and brought the check, everything else was done by runners and the busboys. But not everyone eating there bitched and moaned about it and left 2 cent tips and then was badass enough to tell them to fvck off.

Edit: Oh and I hope you do realize that the 2 cent tip affects the amount of money those poor overworked busboys get, so you screwed them over too. Good job.

 

[Wuffsunie]

I agree, they stuck it to ya. Unless otherwise advertised somewhere in the resturant, gratuity should not have been included for that small a group. I agree with everyone else; next time it happens, ask it be taken off as it's you who decides tips, not the resturant. Hell, you don't even know how much of it actually makes it back to the server and how much is skimmed by the resturant as a "fee".

As for bad service, I haven't had much. Only one time in recent years I left a sub par tip, and that was mostly at the behest of my table mate. However, there was one time I left no tip. Me and three friends went to a Pizza Hut around Columbia, TN. We caught the end of the dinner hour, ordered the usual drinks and a pair of x-large pizzas. During the next hour and a half or so we proceed to talk and have a good time, and the resturant clears out. So it's just us at our tables and the serving staff at the booth, not really crowded. Anyway, they proceed to ignore us. Pizza Hut is one of those resturants that's always good for getting drink refills whenever you need them. But, when we had to resort to glaring at the waitresses, waving empty glasses, and finally getting the drinks our own damn selves, well, that's a lapse in service to say the least. Universal consensus around the table was "Well, there goes their tip." When we were ready to leave, we had to actually go over to their table and tell them we were done. Thankfully I've never had reason to go back to that part of the country.

-- Jack

I either want less corruption, or more chance to participate in it.
-- Oscar Wilde

 

[badluck]

Edit: Oh and I hope you do realize that the 2 cent tip affects the amount of money those poor overworked busboys get, so you screwed them over too. Good job.

the only person screwing you over is your boss. demand your salary from your employer, not customers....

 

[sygyzy]

Gratuity should only be included for large (6 or more) parties. Not for a party of 2.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: cr4zymofo

Originally posted by: Amused
How many of you were at the table? Most restaurants will put the tip on the check for parties of 8 or more.

just the two of us.

I've seen the 8 or more thing at almost every restaraunt I've been to, but for 2 people that is ridiculous. I would've raised a stink.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
Also since you mentioned you were not dressed like others that where eating there....chances are you should have picked another restaurant.

That's another thing here in South Florida that is hard sometimes...many places have open dress codes due to the beach atmosphere....however there are also many not necessarily dinner jacket places, but rather no jeans and collared shirt only places.

You get Joe Dirt coming to the reception and being told politely that he is too dressed down even for the complementary coat they would lend him. Now he goes on a screaming tirade of how just because he is a working man doesn't mean he should be excluded. How this is the F----ing beach, are you really supposed to where a black tie to it? etc....

It's not fair to the other patrons you have dressed up for there meal. A restaurant is not necessarily an equal opportunity place to catch a meal .

It could have been a slightly un-needed reminder that the $20 does not include the tip....and as always whether or not tip is included, it doesn't mean you have to pay anything...you can pay for the tip as you see fit, simply X'ing it out and rewriting it.

I agree

Ausm

 

[Zebo]

There is a sterotypr about asians and tipping. I would save the reciept and supena thier records and sue their ass. Bastards.

 

[bigdog1218]

Originally posted by: badluck

Edit: Oh and I hope you do realize that the 2 cent tip affects the amount of money those poor overworked busboys get, so you screwed them over too. Good job.

the only person screwing you over is your boss. demand your salary from your employer, not customers....

You obviously have never worked in a restaurant before because you would realize that minimum wage for a restaurant employee is much lower because of the tips they make. I have no idea what the hell you are trying to say by someone getting screwed over by their boss because that makes no sense at all. Waiters, busboys, runners, all make their money from the tip you leave for the waiter. By being a cheap bastard you are screwing over everyone, this has absolutly nothing to do with someones boss. If you're too cheap to give someone their well deserved tip stay at home and cook your own dinner, otherwise stop complaining.

 

[waylman]

Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
Ok... to make a long story short... when the damn waiter brought my check after we've finished our dinner at a restaurant on Santa Monica's 3rd street prominade, I noticed "Gratuity Included" on the check. Now, this has never happened to any restaurants that I went to, and this is not a fancy restaurant either. Dinner was about $20.00 a plate, but we didn't look like most of the people that ate there, i.e. I was in my usual khaki and shirt, and gf, like always, looks hot. I got the impression that they didn't really want to serve us there, don't know if it was cuz I was Asian, or I didn't look like I "should" eat at their stupid ass restaurant (Mario's Bistro or something like that). The whole time, the waiters never came up and ask if we're doing o.k. and by any standards, that's bad service to me.

How would you take it, I took it as an insult... don't know if I was over reacting... Your thoughts?

if you dont like it, dont eat there cheapskate.

 

[Wuffsunie]

Originally posted by: waylman
if you dont like it, dont eat there cheapskate.

Yes, we're all psychic like you and know exactly what's going to happen at places we've never been.

 

[MaxDepth]

I vote for this being the official "non-cow tipping" thread. Too bad, this thread needs about 20 more replies to over take the the knock-off thread.

 

[Nebor]

If you'd read the menu, you'd have seen that the gratuity was included. I don't see why it's such a big deal. I mean, what if they just raised all their prices by 15% and said "No tipping." Same diff, but you wouldn't be pissed, you'd say, "hahahahaha, I don't have to tip! Score another point for the cheap bastards!"

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: bigdog1218

Originally posted by: amnesiac
^^^ You're not paying attention.

This is in Santa Monica, CA. Party of 2. It's a subpar Italian joint. Their food isn't even that great.
cr4zymofo, your server was probably just a stupid dildo. Do yourself a favor and don't eat there. If you're gonna get italian from Santa Monica, go to the place up the street (Used to be Trastevere, dunno what it is now).

Not as bad as the time I went to Teaser's across the way. The server showed up twice during the whole meal -- once to take our order, once to give us the check. Drinks, bread, dinner all served by the poor overworked busboy. My attempts to signal the waiter were flat-out IGNORED.

So I left him a 2 cent tip. He RUNS UP to us when we're halfway down the block, yelling at me and calling us cowards for doing that. I tell him to fvck off. The place closed a month later. I hope the bastard is still unemployed.

I worked in a restaurant as a busboy and waiter that worked that way. The waiter only took orders, got drinks, not water, and brought the check, everything else was done by runners and the busboys. But not everyone eating there bitched and moaned about it and left 2 cent tips and then was badass enough to tell them to fvck off.

Edit: Oh and I hope you do realize that the 2 cent tip affects the amount of money those poor overworked busboys get, so you screwed them over too. Good job.

actually the smart thing to do, and what i do, is i just find the bus boy and directly give him the tip. why should the waiter get money he didn't earn?

 

[miri]

Unless they told you before hand that they add gratuitity for parties of 2 or more before you ordered or it was listed on the menu, I would have refused to pay the auto gratuitity.

On a side note, to the person who said demand your salary to be paid by your employer, that's just not the way it works in America. In Virginia for example, servers make $ 2.13 a hour and usually have to tip out between 3-5% of their total sales, not tips but total sales to bussers, food runners, bartenders, hostesses etc. and have to pay the service charge on credit card tips which is usually 3%. Also bussers, bartenders and foodrunners tend to make more than $ 2.13 a hour, usually minimum wage which is $5.15 a hour. As you can see waiters are pretty dependent on tips.

I'm not saying tip for bad service, i'm just stating some facts.

 

[sillymofo]

Originally posted by: Nebor
If you'd read the menu, you'd have seen that the gratuity was included. I don't see why it's such a big deal. I mean, what if they just raised all their prices by 15% and said "No tipping." Same diff, but you wouldn't be pissed, you'd say, "hahahahaha, I don't have to tip! Score another point for the cheap bastards!"

Quote from menu "Gratuity is included for party of 8 or more!"

 

[miri]

"actually the smart thing to do, and what i do, is i just find the bus boy and directly give him the tip. why should the waiter get money he didn't earn?"

Because usually the bus boy is getting a higher wage per hour and is also working for mulitiple waiters, say 5-8 waiters for example. That bus boy is also probably already getting 2% of each waiter's total sales which means he's making 10-16% of total sales plus his higher wage per hour compared to a waiter.

In the restaurant I am working at to pay my way through school, it's not uncommon for bussers to make more than waiters at the end of the night.

 

[Noirish]

Just out of curiosity, how much did they ask for, percentage wise?
I know most places that do that don't have the guts to put more than 15%.