So I treat myself to a nice lunch today...Pappasito's Mexican Cantina. Probably THE best Tex-Mex in the city of Houston and perhaps the quad-area states of TX, OK, AR, LA. Kinda pricey, but their food quality has ALWAYS been top notch and the service from the wait staff is almost always very attentive.

The bill comes, and it's $22.08...I give Sara (who's been a really good waitress) two (2) $20 bills. Anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together or even a calculator is expecting to see $17.92 returned in the little book they give you that houses the check.

I open my little book, noticing there isn't any loose change, so I think, "Huh...maybe they just rounded up and Sara gave me $18." Nah...unless it was an honest mistake in mathematics, she actually SHORTED me $0.92, as I count out a $10 and seven $1's (checked the math 3 or 4 times). Well, I'm usually a very...VERY...generous tipper, especially if my meal is accompanied by proper and attentive service, which I received. Wulp...Sara lost $2.00 from what I was going to tip her if she had in fact given me $18 in change.

In hind sight, I could/should have inquired with Sara why I was shorted the $0.92, pointing out her math error in a very nice, friendly manner. I'm still thinking of having a discussion with the manager the next time I'm up that way and simply ask if it's company-wide policy to round DOWN a customer's change based on the few cents over the dollar on the tab.

Or maybe I'll just open a Guinness Draught and finish watching my Bruins kick Buffalo's butt. Probably the best option...

Just wondering if anyone else is seeing this when paying with cash at restaurants.....

I just had a restaurant charge me an extra 4% credit card fee. Yep, that couple of bucks came off the tip.

I'd maybe give her a pass. If this becomes a pattern, then I'd take some action. But a one-off, maybe let it slide.

I haven't seen this recently but I always use a card now. Can't remember the last time I used cash except for tips.

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
I just had a restaurant charge me an extra 4% credit card fee. Yep, that couple of bucks came off the tip.

I would have let the restaurant know that you don't like this policy and are not returning, rather than take it out of the tip. The waitress has no control over that.

As to the OP, I would have asked the waitress. Could have been an honest mistake.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
I just had a restaurant charge me an extra 4% credit card fee. Yep, that couple of bucks came off the tip.

I would have let the restaurant know that you don't like this policy and are not returning, rather than take it out of the tip. The waitress has no control over that.

I don't agree with you. If the wait staff starts seeing their tips drop off by 4%, they'll take it up directly with management and will put the most pressure on them. If the wait staff starts walking because of it, the manager gets into a pickle of their own making. If I were to bring it up, the manager would look at me and laugh because I'm just 1 person.

ERJ, since Sara has a track record of being a good waitress, I would give her the benefit of doubt. She may have intended to give you $18 in change and miscalculated. We all have off days. If it happens again, I would address it.

As for the credit card fees mentioned later in the thread: yep, they suck. I would be really pissed if not stated on the menu. However, that is the management of the restaurant. The waiter/waitress has no say in the matter. I differentiate between the two and would not reduce the tip. I would however pay the tip in cash to ensure that the waiter/waitress gets the full tip.

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
I just had a restaurant charge me an extra 4% credit card fee. Yep, that couple of bucks came off the tip.

So you punished the waitress who depends on tips to make ends meet for a restaurant policy she has no control over? I avoid eating at places that charge extra if you pay with a credit card but I don't punish the wait staff by subtracting it from their tip especially when they've provided me with good service.

It's amazing how we spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars on firearms but get bent over a 92 cent discrepancy on a restaurant bill???? If you had a question in regards to the bill why didn't you ask the waitress for an explanation? She could have made an honest mistake or it could be some dumb policy the restaurant has instituted. You admit she's always provided good service but you punish her financially because of what might have been an error????

I've not seen this as an issue of rounding down or up at restaurants where I eat frequently.

quote:

Originally posted by mutedblade:

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
I just had a restaurant charge me an extra 4% credit card fee. Yep, that couple of bucks came off the tip.

I would have let the restaurant know that you don't like this policy and are not returning, rather than take it out of the tip. The waitress has no control over that.

I don't agree with you. If the wait staff starts seeing their tips drop off by 4%, they'll take it up directly with management and will put the most pressure on them. If the wait staff starts walking because of it, the manager gets into a pickle of their own making. If I were to bring it up, the manager would look at me and laugh because I'm just 1 person.

Bringing it up to management does nothing because you are just one person, but somehow shortchanging the waitress, hoping everyone shortchanges her, and that she figures out why, and she brings it up to management, that will do the trick? I don't follow the logic.

First off you hurt the person that is doing the work and not making the policy. Second, you didn't cost the management any money. Unless they can't actually find a waitstaff, they lose nothing by lower tips.

The cynical side of me thinks that if you 'keep the change' 40-50 times per shift, that's a nice little bonus at the end of the day.

The optimist says maybe just an honest mistake.

The Papasitos fan says you made the right lunch choice, even if they did take their grilled fish tacos off the menu

We punish employees all the time. You are acting like taking it out of the tip is somehow different from taking your business elsewhere. It isn't. They still lost tip money. We have been conditioned over time to take an odd view on staffing restaurants. Tipping is out of control and if you leave a 15% tip on an already high tab you are looked at like you dropped a penny on the table. Expectations are out of whack. Especially since I think the actual service is worse in general and they expect more. It is an odd dynamic.

The point is valid, if the wait staff sees a drop in tips they will take it to management or move to a different restaurant. It is not my job to fund the world. I just wanted a taquito.

I have seen the short change thing quite a bit. I think while it isn't common, it certainly isn't uncommon.

My local Mexican place is doing the cash price/credit price stuff. In reality I have subconsciously taken my business elsewhere. I used to eat there a lot and now I rarely go. 4% seems really high even if I was agreeable to covering their cc charge, seems like they decided to cover the cost and give themselves a pay raise at the same time.

If I had a Papacito's though I think I would rethink all the above. Their fajita platter is about the best you can get. Love that place.

How old was she?
Ya know they don't teach arithmetic in the schools any more?

For less than a dollar, I'd chalk it up to a simple mistake. Not everyone does arithmetic in their heads. Even if she used a calculator, it would be easy in a rush to transpose or mistype a digit or two.

Standard practice at strip clubs and bars in the French Quarter.

I think I would have asked her where the rest of the change was. Is there a reason not to have asked?

Maybe the change fell out of the little book on her way back to the table and she didn’t notice. Maybe she meant to give you 8 singles and miscounted.

I'd let it go the first time. Is Sara also the cashier? Or, drops it off at the cashier station and picks it up after the cashier rings it up?

I doubt it was a mistake. Possible but unlikely. I would politely ask for the rest of my change. Nine out of ten will let not say a word. That is what they are counting on.

Self tipping. I’ve had it happen a couple of times. Haven’t been back.

You knew you were given the incorrect change, why didn’t you simply ask the waitress? I consider shorting the tip to be passive aggressive shit. The change could have dropped on the way over. The wrong numbers could have been punched in accidentally. Sara can’t read your mind. You did not give her a chance to correct it or explain so that you can be clear.

Just so those chastising me know, Sara STILL got a 20+% tip…22.64% to be exact. I counted that $0.92 as part of her tip. Like I said…I tip well. Soooooo…lighten up, Francis.