Automatic, Unannounced Tips on Your Bill

[TheBoatMan]

I can live with the gratuity being added automatically on the check for larger parties, this is not an issue for me.  My concern has more to deal with the manner/process in which the automatic gratuity appears on the check.

This comes into question for me as my family celebrated Mothers Day at a restaurant over the weekend.  Later that evening my father commented to me on how the restaurant was a bit pricier than he expected.  My father paid the bill and I never had a chance to examine it at the restaurant but thankfully he always takes the bill for his records.  I checked the bill and 20% had been automatically added to the bill.  This charge was not written by hand but appeared by print out like a menu item ordered.  When speaking with my wife she told me that it clearly states on the menu that 20% is added for parties of 6 or more.  What makes me angry is not that 20% was added on automatically but the manner in which it was done.  When the bill was presented there was no verbal mention that the gratuity had already been added on.  My father paid by credit card and when the charge slip was presented the tip area was blank and there was no mention that the gratuity had already been added.  This left the opportunity for “double tipping” wide open.  

After seeing what had been done I immediately called the restaurant and spoke with the manager.  They of course apologized but said the added gratuity is always circled to inform the customer.  Well, like I said my father kept the original bill and I told the manager that it had not been circled.  The manager again apologized and stated the credit card would be credited for the extra 90.00-dollar gratuity.

All I can say is this ruined what I thought had been a very good dining experience.  I waited tables throughout college and trust me I have seen this trick pulled before by unscrupulous waitstaff.  Restaurant policy should be to inform the customer when the check is presented that the gratuity has already been added.  They can leave the tip area blank on the credit card slip so people can leave a little extra if they so desire but to trick the customer into “double tipping” is a disgrace.  If I had not called the restaurant back my father would have paid the automatic 20% gratuity of 70.00 dollars plus the 90.00 dollars he left totaling a 160.00 tip for a 350-dollar meal.  I understand it is buyers beware and I always thoroughly read the check before paying.  My father on the other hand doesn’t take the time to read every line on a computer printed restaurant bill and almost paid because of it.

Sorry for the ranting…beware and read your bill.

[dodge621]

Which restaurant is this so we can be on the lookout

[tommy]

Sorry for the ranting…beware and read your bill.

your bottom line is, well, the bottom line.

it might not be fair to assume there was "trickery" involved here.  it could have easily been an oversight on a busy server's part on a very busy and hectic night.  the management seems to have handled it appropriately.

this works the other way as well:  i used a gift certificate the other night.  actually, my wife did, but i paid the bill.  luckily i noticed the bill seemed rather small when i went to sign (and tip).  i then noticed that the total was the dinner amount less the gift certificate (had i been the one to present the gift certificate, i probably would have realized immediately).  however, i almost didn't notice all of the math there in the line items, and almost tipped on 150 less than i should have.  nothing was circled.  nothing was mentioned to me when the bill was presented, even though it is clearly to the server's advantage if she/he quickly reminds the customer.  it was simply my responsibility to review the bill and tip appropriately.

dodge621:  i would be on the "lookout" in *any* restaurant, as mistakes tend to happen.

[dodge621]

i suspect that some restaurants do this on purpose

Another trick that they do is they add the tip not only on the cost of the meal but they also include the tip on the tax

so if meal costs 300 they will add 20%

on 318 not on 300

sure it is only a dollar difference but the point is it should be on the meal excluding tax and they conveniently hope people will not notice, which most will not

[tommy]

i suspect that some restaurants do this on purpose

i have a hard time believing that.  it only benefits the server, while it could destroy a restaurant's repuation.

edit:

sure it is only a dollar difference but the point is it should be on the meal excluding tax and they conveniently hope people will not notice, which most will not

where is it written that when a restaurant includes a service charge that it can't be assessed on the total of the bill and the tax?  would you recalculate the service charge if you noticed this was they case?  would you bring it up to the manager?  would you not return because of it?

[dodge621]

if they do not do it on purpose

Then can you answer why the restaurant when the tip is already added still gives you the credit card bill with the tip left blank and for you, the customer to fill in the total.

If they wanted to make sure no one double tipped they could cross out the area where it says tip where you sign and put the total in themselves.  Then there would be NO confusion.

but they do not make this effort. why? for their own benefit is my belief

I have never seen this. Never

[tommy]

they leave the tip area blank in case you want to add more.  actually, more correctly, they leave it blank because it is the customer's responsibility to fill out and sign the "contract."  

again, perhaps servers are at fault, but you'd be hard pressed to give me an example of a restaurant whose policy it is to attempt to screw the occasional table of 6, giving all of the screw-reward to the server.  it just doesn't make sense.

in a perfect world, the server would remind that table upon the presentation of the bill: "an 18% gratuity has been included per restaurant policy.  you can feel free to simply sign, or even leave a little extra because, well, because i'm so darned cute."

[dodge621]

or they leave it blank

in case you forgot they added the 20%

[tommy]

right.

[Rosie]

In any case the restaurant handled the problem properly. Mother's Day is the busiest day a restaurant has and mistakes happen. If you liked the food I'd give the restaurant another visit. Mistakes can also happen when a waiter hits the wrong  computer button.

[TheBoatMan]

Tommy, waitstaff is a reflection of the restaurants management.  Management should instruct the waiter to inform guests that gratuity has been added.  Something to the effect of "Here is your bill, just for your information we add 20% gratuity to parties of 6 or more" Simple as that.  This person was not rushed as it was early in the evening and the restaurant was still quite empty.  The waiter picked up the check and provided my fathers charge copy.  I'm sure he saw the extra 90-dollar tip at that point.  Did he think his service deserved a 160-dollar tip?  He could have easily said something at that point.  Am I to think the waiter would have notified his management later in the evening about this?  Management said themselves it should have been circled on the bill, which it wasn’t.  Please don’t be naïve Tommy.

[tommy]

Please don’t be naïve Tommy.

i'll take that into consideration.

[TheBoatMan]

My issue was more with the policy of how the tip was added.  I know mistakes can happen and that's why I haven’t named the restaurant.  All I'm saying is I think that if a restaurant is going to add gratuity they shouldn’t try to hide it on a bill like its a menu item being ordered.  They should also verbally alert you when handing you the check.  Is this really too much to ask?

[Rosie]

Boatman--did this restaurant have a young inexperienced staff or were you at a high end restaurant where the staff is usually better trained? I know that what happened should not have happened but  it is more understandable if it happened at a storefront BYO with highschoolers for staff rather than one of the top NJ restaurants. Can you share the name of the restaurant with us?

[TheBoatMan]

Rosie,

It was more of an upscale restaurant and waitstaff seemed to be older.  Our waiter seemed to me that he was quite competent.  I really did not want to name the restaurant only because this could have been an isolated issue.  The management handled the issue fine when I called to complain.  I suppose I was just looking for other's thoughts on how the check should be presented if a gratuity is going to be added.  Or do people not think it is at all dubious to hide this gratuity almost as a menu item on the check?  Am I asking too much to be verbally notified when the check is presented?  I mean you’re with a group of people having a good time, should you be forced to step to the side and go through every item on the check?  Maybe it is I who am naive.

[Rosie]

You have a valid complaint. I think we were all looking for reasons why this may have happened.

What bothers me is when I go into a restaurant with a reservation, the restaurant is half full and they won't seat me right away but tell me to wait at the bar. When this happens I refuse to buy a drink at the bar.

Anyway--why don't you e-mail me the name of the restaurant. I won't tell but if someone else eventually has the same complaint I will know that this is a pattern.

[ngatti]

What bothers me is when I go into a restaurant with a reservation, the restaurant is half full and they won't seat me right away but tell me to wait at the bar. When this happens I refuse to buy a drink at the bar.

I hear this complaint often and I suppose there  may be some validity to the 'let's pad the check with drinks' aspect of it.

There are many other reasons why you may be shunted to

the bar.  Most likely is that for whatever reason the waiters or the waiter stations haven't come on line yet.  Staff is not available to man all stations so they must remain empty The kitchen may be weeded and the chef or expediter may have asked the maitre'd to hold up the seating.  In our place we limit to 25-30  reservations per half hour, but that doesen't account for important walk-ins that you must take or reservation mistakes resulting in more people trying to sit at one time than can be reasonably handled.

In any case reservations should be honored and any wait  beyond a reasonable one (5 - 10 minutes or so) should be met with an apology and the offer of a drink on the house.

[Rosie]

"Most likely is that for whatever reason the waiters or the waiter stations haven't come on line yet.  Staff is not available to man all stations so they must remain empty."

I don't buy that. The restaurant knows how many people are coming in and at what time. The staff should be ready for the customers. If someone calls in sick then the other waitstaff have to pitch in. I've worked in a restaurant and I know the routine!

"The kitchen may be weeded and the chef or expediter may have asked the maitre'd to hold up the seating."

How can a chef be in the weeds if the restaurant is half full? If he is in the weeds he is a slow chef and you need to hire someone who is faster and able to cook more than one item at a time.

"In our place we limit to 25-30  reservations per half hour, but that doesen't account for important walk-ins that you must take or reservation mistakes resulting in more people trying to sit at one time than can be reasonably handled."

If you take reservations then people should know that if they walk in and you don't have a table then it is their fault for not calling. I would never think to go to a restaurant on a weekend without a reservation. Or, don't overbook and you will have room for walk-ins. If your host/hostess overbooks retrain them or hire someone who is able to count.

With all this being said running a restaurant is very difficult and mistakes happen.

Where is your restaurant?

[ngatti]

I don't buy that. The restaurant knows how many people are coming in and at what time. The staff should be ready for the customers. If someone calls in sick then the other waitstaff have to pitch in. I've worked in a restaurant and I know the routine!

If there is one thing I've learned over my time in the business it is that nothing is routine.  Sh*t happens.

I agree with you if waiters were standing about cooling their heels while the owner tried to squeeze a couple of bucks out of you at the bar.  But in my experience the get 'em in, get 'em out rule usually prevails and diners that arrive on time for their reservations are to be nurtured as if an endangered species.  We don't want to piss 'em off trying to grab the profit from a glass of wine.  

I was at Shun Lee Palace recently.  We were a table of  4.  I had the other couple confirm the reservation earlier in the day. When we arrived the maitre d' had no record of the reservation.  Michael Tong immediatly came down and straightened the problem out.  The other couple had mistakenly confirmed the reservation at Shun Lee West!  Since we were Mr. Tong's guests, we were seated immediatly, but the restaurant was booked and full.  Now I may have gotten the AMEX table but I think some other  couple behind us was going to pay for that mistake.  Most likely by waiting a short time in the bar.

How can a chef be in the weeds if the restaurant is half full? If he is in the weeds he is a slow chef and you need to hire someone who is faster and able to cook more than one item at a time.

Well... I've been in the weeds with one four top maybe even a deuce and Since I do the firing...I'm staying.

Seriously though, all I'm saying is that things happen.  Cooks get sick, sauces break, guys get cut, waiters slip and fall.   (gasp) Ansul systems dump.

If you take reservations then people should know that if they walk in and you don't have a table then it is their fault for not calling. I would never think to go to a restaurant on a weekend without a reservation. Or, don't overbook and you will have room for walk-ins. If your host/hostess overbooks retrain them or hire someone who is able to count

I agree...People should know this. However the reality is that they don't care or they feel that they have enough juice to do what they please.  Sometimes a GM forgot to tell the maitre'd about a 6 top right in the teeth of the dinner rush.  Whatever the reason, a decision must be made as to how to deal with it on a case by case basis.  Sometimes somebody gets stuck at the bar.

Now let me say that not honoring a valid resevation within a short and reasonable length of time (5-10 minutes) is inexusable.  I find that simply being honest and compensating  people for their time and frustration works best.  A 20-30 minute delay may happen but you should never have to pay for your own drink and a delay like that requires an amuse from the kitchen and perhaps desert and coffee also.

Where is your restaurant?

A private club in bergen county.. veddy veddy... you know

[tommy]

ngatti, with all due respect, i think that you are stating reasons/excuses why one thing or another might happen in a restaurant.  it's clear to me that you are familiar with the industry, and i'm looking forward to hearing more from you regarding this.  

people like me, and possibly rosie, although i won't speak for her because she is completely capable of doing so on her own, don't buy "shit happens" as an excuse.  especially if it comes across as policy.  i'm not sure about the rest of the readership here, but speaking for myself, i can say that "shit happens" in *not* an excuse in my line of business.  if you can't handle it, if you screw up, you're out.  fired.  looking for another job, if not another career.  it's no wonder so many restaurants go under.  

shit happens in every business that i'm aware of.  only those who acknowledge and remedy their shortcomings survive.  the rest wonder why they went under.  

and i do like your mindset, as it seems you're customer oriented.  

[ngatti]

ngatti, with all due respect, i think that you are stating reasons/excuses why one thing or another might happen in a restaurant

Actually that is all I was trying to do

[tommy]

ngatti, with all due respect, i think that you are stating reasons/excuses why one thing or another might happen in a restaurant

Actually that is all I was trying to do

no excuses.  do it right or don't do it.  

[dodge621]

tommy

above you seem to say the restaurants made an honest mistake regarding the tipping

now you say get it right or else

- I am confused on your position?

[tommy]

tommy

above you seem to say the restaurants made an honest mistake regarding the tipping

now you say get it right or else

- I am confused on your position?

it would seem that we are no longer discussing the tipping issue.  however, nowhere did i suggest that the restaurants make a mistake regarding the tipping issue.

[Courtzzz]

The Boatman is absolutely right.  If the resturant policy is to add the service onto the bill, then you should be informed by the server and if you pay by credit card the receipt should have the tip area populated with the correct information.  

Apparently it is no problem for the resturant to include it on the check, so why not include it on the receipt?

This business about completing the contract is absurd.  Technically the "contract" being presented by the server is incorrect because the tip should be separate from the food total on the receipt.  Or did they just design it that way for no reason?