Leaving money at the restaurant table ... fact or fiction ?

[ZeTi]

Saw this so many times in movies (leaving the money on the table and walking out) ... is this just a trope or common practice in the states ?

Just curious.

[Leonidas King]

Yes its extremely common.

[master_8ball]

All the time, sometimes its just the tip if the restaurant has a front counter to cash out at but if the wait staff bring me the bill and I'm paying in cash the entire amount and the tip get left on the table. Nicer places will usually have some sort of bill holder that the bill comes in so there isn't a pile of cash sitting out.

Not once have I ever heard of anyone taking someone's money from the table and running but I have never worked in a restaurant.

[ZeTi]

Originally Posted by master_8ball

Not once have I ever heard of anyone taking someone's money from the table and running but I have never worked in a restaurant.

Haha that was what i was thinking of .... like in the ep. from "Malcolm in the Middle" where Dewey grabs all the cash from the tables.

[Dex Robinson]

I did that a very high end restarant about 30 years ago...and the waiter came running after me (and my date) as we were walking up the stairs to leave the building. As I recall, he just wanted to give me a receipt but it was a bit embarrassing to be chased down by a restaurant employee. Other people probably thought it was a "dine-and-dash".

I tend not to do it anymore .

[Abby is Q]

Originally Posted by master_8ball

All the time, sometimes its just the tip if the restaurant has a front counter to cash out at but if the wait staff bring me the bill and I'm paying in cash the entire amount and the tip get left on the table. Nicer places will usually have some sort of bill holder that the bill comes in so there isn't a pile of cash sitting out.

Not once have I ever heard of anyone taking someone's money from the table and running but I have never worked in a restaurant.

I've never seen that happen. Maybe at a restaurant that is extremely slow with a waitstaff that cares very little to pay attention, but usually when you're waiting tables you want to get it cleaned immediately after the table has left so you can get turnover. So there is really no opportunity for someone to just take the money from a table. Dine and dash is more common because it's impossible to really tell in some situations if money was left on the table unless you stand over them. That's why it's actually good to clear tables of plates so you can actually see what is going on at a table.

[Leonidas King]

Originally Posted by Abby is Q

I've never seen that happen. Maybe at a restaurant that is extremely slow with a waitstaff that cares very little to pay attention, but usually when you're waiting tables you want to get it cleaned immediately after the table has left so you can get turnover. So there is really no opportunity for someone to just take the money from a table. Dine and dash is more common because it's impossible to really tell in some situations if money was left on the table unless you stand over them. That's why it's actually good to clear tables of plates so you can actually see what is going on at a table.

Ahhh. No wonder a lot of waiters do that.

[master_8ball]

Originally Posted by Abby is Q

I've never seen that happen. Maybe at a restaurant that is extremely slow with a waitstaff that cares very little to pay attention, but usually when you're waiting tables you want to get it cleaned immediately after the table has left so you can get turnover. So there is really no opportunity for someone to just take the money from a table. Dine and dash is more common because it's impossible to really tell in some situations if money was left on the table unless you stand over them. That's why it's actually good to clear tables of plates so you can actually see what is going on at a table.

For sure, I've seen it go the other way too where the restaurant has "bus boys" who clear the table and I've been seated before with the tip still sitting at the table from the last person who ate there; table cleaned and all.

[Michael24]

We have nearly always left our tips on the table for as long as I can remember, although at some restaurants there will be an option to add a tip on the receipt and it will be added to the total you pay. I generally prefer the old fashion way of leaving the money on the table, though.

[Groot]

I haven't left money on the table at a restaurant in ages given debit cards/credit cards have become the go-to method to pay for anything. You just use the "tip" section on the table receipt and they charge your card.

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

One thing movies and shows do that annoys me is they just plop down money without even getting the bill. They just know how much it's going to cost and pre pay. I've never seen that done.

[Eternal Dreamer]

Originally Posted by ArmyOfDarknessAW

One thing movies and shows do that annoys me is they just plop down money without even getting the bill. They just know how much it's going to cost and pre pay. I've never seen that done.

Ha! I know what you mean.

The closest I've seen in real life is actually something I had to do because I had a job that was emergency-based and so I was on call 24/7. I had just sat down at a restaurant and the server took my drink order, and then was going to come back to take the food order. While the server was gone, I got a phone call saying that I was needed immediately. So, I got out the money for the cost of the drink and a little extra for the server's time, handed it to them as they were coming back to the table (luckily, they were already coming back as I hung up the phone), and left.

I've also seen people leave money on the table before, but it was due to being helped by several servers during the meal and so they didn't know who to tip and so I suppose they figured, "Whoever gets it gets it."

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Originally Posted by Eternal Dreamer

Ha! I know what you mean.

The closest I've seen in real life is actually something I had to do because I had a job that was emergency-based and so I was on call 24/7. I had just sat down at a restaurant and the server took my drink order, and then was going to come back to take the food order. While the server was gone, I got a phone call saying that I was needed immediately. So, I got out the money for the cost of the drink and a little extra for the server's time, handed it to them as they were coming back to the table (luckily, they were already coming back as I hung up the phone), and left.

I've also seen people leave money on the table before, but it was due to being helped by several servers during the meal and so they didn't know who to tip and so I suppose they figured, "Whoever gets it gets it."

Yeah I can understand in an emergency of some sort just putting the money down. Some of these shows though make it seem like everyone adds up cost plus tax and tip ahead of time. They'll finish a conversation and just leave without getting a bill haha.

[WhySoBlu?]

Originally Posted by ArmyOfDarknessAW

One thing movies and shows do that annoys me is they just plop down money without even getting the bill. They just know how much it's going to cost and pre pay. I've never seen that done.

That made me think of this...

(NSFW)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id82x2FjY-I

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Originally Posted by WhySoBlu?

That made me think of this...

(NSFW)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id82x2FjY-I

Haha that was pretty darn funny...thanks.

[ThatOneGuy]

I leave money in the bill book when I pay in cash.

[tezster]

Is this not a common practice in Europe?

[Markgway]

I wish you could just leave the money at the table, but we don't do that here, at least not from my experience. You always have to wait until the waiter/ess comes over (which can take ages) or queue up at the counter whilst they search for your bill and then ask you what you just ate.

[ZeTi]

Originally Posted by Markgway

I wish you could just leave the money at the table, but we don't do that here, at least not from my experience. You always have to wait until the waiter/ess comes over (which can take ages) or queue up at the counter whilst they search for your bill and then ask you what you just ate.

^this

[dissention]

Originally Posted by Groot

I haven't left money on the table at a restaurant in ages given debit cards/credit cards have become the go-to method to pay for anything. You just use the "tip" section on the table receipt and they charge your card.

I usually pay for the meal with my card, but always leave a cash tip so the waitress/waiter doesn't get tax taken out of it. I'm all for lying about those tips.