What's up with waiters/waitresses not giving you back change...

[Chordata]

(I mean "change" not "currency")

This has happened to me two or three times this week and appears to be a regular occurrence now.

I pay for lunch/dinner by cash. Let's say the bill is $11.36. I give him/her $15.00. I get $3.00 back. Dude/dudette just keeps the $0.64.

Now, do I need that change? No. It goes straight to the tip. But isn't it presumptuous for them to keep it?

/rant

[jkwest]

that has never happened to me, but, I'll tell you what...the first time it does happen, that's ALL they are getting of a tip...seriously...

[mikejet]

Report them. It's after the meal anyway. They are stealing from you. It's your decision how much the tip should be.

[dpomp]

Originally Posted by jkwest

that has never happened to me, but, I'll tell you what...the first time it does happen, that's ALL they are getting of a tip...seriously...

yeah that's the way i look at it. i'd be like oh, i see you already helped yourself to a tip.

[Septimus Prime]

Originally Posted by dpompeo

yeah that's the way i look at it. i'd be like oh, i see you already helped yourself to a tip.

Same here. I also give the exact amount, down to the penny, when the push that forced gratuity garbage on me.

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

(I mean "change" not "currency")

This has happened to me two or three times this week and appears to be a regular occurrence now.

I pay for lunch/dinner by cash. Let's say the bill is $11.36. I give him/her $15.00. I get $3.00 back. Dude/dudette just keeps the $0.64.

Now, do I need that change? No. It goes straight to the tip. But isn't it presumptuous for them to keep it?

/rant

Absolutely presumptuous. They are no way entitled to that money, and they shouldn't feel that they are in any way. Granted, in this case (and all cases), we're talking about less than $1, but it's the principal at work that bugs me. I delivered pizza many years ago and I would never consider doing that. The trick to ensuring that you always get the coin change is to pull out the paper cash change to be given back to the customer first, then "struggle" with getting the coin together. This is especially applicable if you're operating out of a wallet or pouch type of setup; pretty much useless if you're talking about a cash register. The customer will just give you that coin change anyway, unless they're a total b@st@rd tipper.

A good general rule I've found about tipping, is to tip the waiter what you calculate might be about half of what you expect to give them as a tip before you get served. For example, if you think the meal will be $100 and you were thinking about tipping $20 in that example, give them $10 upfront. Tell them something along the lines of "this is what you get now. You'll get the rest after we're done." You will then be virtually guaranteed of getting good service, as that puts the onus on them to truly earn a good tip. If they don't want to work for a good tip, it's theirs to lose and their fault.

[Sussudio]

never happened to me before

ridiculous tho

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by brettallica

A good general rule I've found about tipping, is to tip the waiter what you calculate might be about half of what you expect to give them as a tip before you get served. For example, if you think the meal will be $100 and you were thinking about tipping $20 in that example, give them $10 upfront. Tell them something along the lines of "this is what you get now. You'll get the rest after we're done." You will then be virtually guaranteed of getting good service, as that puts the onus on them to truly earn a good tip. If they don't want to work for a good tip, it's theirs to lose and their fault.

No offense...... but if someone did that to me..... I'd think they were a pompous arse.

[dpomp]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

No offense...... but if someone did that to me..... I'd think they were a pompous arse.

+1 that sounds like something someone would tell a hooker.

[jadedeath]

This is why god invented tasers.

Logan

[jkwest]

LOL!...dpomp...good one...not sure it woud go over so well in that situation...maybe I can try that with house work with my wife....

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

No offense...... but if someone did that to me..... I'd think they were a pompous arse.

None taken, and I can see how that could be taken that way. I've personally always had success with that method. It's my belief that a waiter/waitress must earn their tip; i.e. they are not "supposed to be tipped just because [they] wait tables." Should I, the customer, give them a tip for the simple fact that they're waiting my table? What if they're a horrible waiter/waitress? I don't think horrible service should be honored by me giving them my hard-earned dinero. I believe a waiter/waitress should be rewarded by scale: good waiter/waitress gets a good tip; bad waiter/waitress gets very little tip.

The way I see it, I'm doing all waiters/waitresses a good thing anyway by giving them a tip right away, so they've already gotten a tip no matter what. From there, how good of a tip they get depends on how good their service is. Seems fair (and right) to me.

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by dpompeo

+1 that sounds like something someone would tell a hooker.

Hahaha! Good one. Probably applicable in that situation as well!

[cruisyeyes]

The greedy bastards. If they want more money, quit their job and get a better one.

[jw]

i would demand a free beer, how dare them

[jsteinhauer]

Never happened to me either. It would be a huge mistake, too. I am a fine, fine tipper. I've never waited tables, but I worked a long time in food service interacting face to face with customers and appreciate what waitpeople and bartenders do. I often tip in the 25-30% range, and for small bills will tip sometimes over 100%. If that happened to me, though, that would be it.

You know what cheezes me off? Going someplace where you know the server knows who you are, how you tip, and they still give you crappy service without explanation (I completely understand when the other guy calls in sick deal, or something). That's when you decide to leave the tip under an upside down glass full of water, tell the boss and never go back.

Oh, and my wife lets me tip based on physical appearance. That can't be sexist, if it's woman approved.

[DutchBoy]

Buddy of mine used to put the entire tip on the table right when we sat down (all in $1 bills) -- anytime they screwed up (rude, came to the table and saw empty glasses and didn't offer a refill, etc.), he'd pluck a dollar off the pile. What they were left with at the end was what they got. I thought it was cruel at the time, but as I've gotten older, I kind of understand his thinking now.

[danay82]

That has happen to me a few times when out to dinner. When it did happen, I often A) didn't leave a tip or B) Pull all the pennies out of my pocket and put it down as a tip. (usually 20 cents)


Last time it happened, I ask "where's my change at?" the waiter responded "I figured you didn't want it" My comment back was, "what the hell? of course I want it, its my money. What if I wanted to give to to my niece or nephew to put in their piggy bank for summer vacation comming up?"

[DutchBoy]

Originally Posted by danay82

That has happen to me a few times when out to dinner. When it did happen, I often A) didn't leave a tip or B) Pull all the pennies out of my pocket and put it down as a tip. (usually 20 cents)


Last time it happened, I ask "where's my change at?" the waiter responded "I figured you didn't want it" My comment back was, "what the hell? of course I want it, its my money. What if I wanted to give to to my niece or nephew to put in their piggy bank for summer vacation comming up?"

It is absolutely insane and mind-boggling that they do this.

I'd be speaking with a manager, and explaining to him and the waiter/waitress just why they weren't getting any tip from me, and more than likely, my business in the near future.

Hell, I might try to wrangle a free dessert out of it while I was at it!

Then again, I pretty much debit everything anyway so, maybe that's why I've never been the victim of this petty thievery.

[opterasis]

Wow, that has never happened to me. If it ever does, I hope they enjoy their less than $1 tip, because that's all they're getting.