Pennsylvania couple handcuffed & arrested for theft for not leaving tip

I'm sorry, but I disagree with you.

It is not a gratuity if it is mandatory. If the restaurant is going to force people to pay that then they damned well had better not call it a gratuity. In fact, it is nothing but stiff arming your customers. It is dishonest at its best.

I suspect this restaurant has piss poor service therefore they must force at the barrel of a gun their customers to pay tips. Doesn't sound like a place I care to eat at.


I have never not left a tip. I tip at least 20%, but it is no longer a tip when it becomes mandatory.

Hell, I wonder how many people don't look at the bill close enough and add another 20% tip at restaurants like that... talk about a frigging scam!

Immie

Does it matter if it's called a gratuity or not if it's mandatory? If it's stated that it's mandatory, consider it the cost of the meal. Not paying that cost is stealing.

Not putting it in the cost of the meal, but presenting it after the fact is deceptive.

Uhh... it wasn't after the fact.

At the end of the meal of salad and chicken wings, they were presented with a $73.87 bill. A $16.35 tip had been added as there was eight people in the party.

You know how receipts work right? Where you have the cost of the meal, then you have the tip, then you have the total combination of meal and tip as a full total? In the first line was 73.87, on the tip line was 16.35... and the expected price to pay is on the last line.

Yeah...
 
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The bill sounds pretty reasonable for 8 people. Apparently the menu said that gratuities were included in the bill but the college types couldn't understand that concept. They were arrested for theft of services and it sounds like they are guilty.

I'm sorry, but I disagree with you.

It is not a gratuity if it is mandatory. If the restaurant is going to force people to pay that then they damned well had better not call it a gratuity. In fact, it is nothing but stiff arming your customers. It is dishonest at its best.

I suspect this restaurant has piss poor service therefore they must force at the barrel of a gun their customers to pay tips. Doesn't sound like a place I care to eat at.


I have never not left a tip. I tip at least 20%, but it is no longer a tip when it becomes mandatory.

Hell, I wonder how many people don't look at the bill close enough and add another 20% tip at restaurants like that... talk about a frigging scam!

Immie

Does it matter if it's called a gratuity or not if it's mandatory? If it's stated that it's mandatory, consider it the cost of the meal. Not paying that cost is stealing.

Then call it what it is... a surcharge.

Don't take away my ability to willingly and joyfully reward good service. If I am forced to do it at gunpoint, then it is not worth paying it.

Also, I would like to know where the mandatory gratuity is written and how prominently. If the first time you find out about it is when the check is stuck on your table by the asshole who couldn't even smile as he brought your cold dinner to your table, who couldn't even be bothered to bring silverware to the table etc. etc. etc. then this is bullshit.

Gratuities are at the will of the customer not at the point of a gun. If your restaurant sucks so bad that people regularly do not give tips especially when in a large party, then perhaps you need to change your waitstaff because they are doing something wrong.

And by the way, if I went into a restaurant that had such a policy, I am not likely to stay. I would not order but I would damn sure let the manager know that I am leaving because it is apparent that they do not take pride in hiring quality wait staff.

Immie
 
Does it matter if it's called a gratuity or not if it's mandatory? If it's stated that it's mandatory, consider it the cost of the meal. Not paying that cost is stealing.

Not putting it in the cost of the meal, but presenting it after the fact is deceptive.

Uhh... it wasn't after the fact.

At the end of the meal of salad and chicken wings, they were presented with a $73.87 bill. A $16.35 tip had been added as there was eight people in the party.

You know how receipts work right? Where you have the cost of the meal, then you have the tip, then you have the total combination of meal and tip as a full total? In the first line was 73.87, on the tip line was 16.35... and the expected price to pay is on the last line.

Yeah...

It damned sure is deceptive if they do not clearly mark on the menus and at the entrance way that an 18% mandatory surcharge is added to all meals for 8 or more customers. Presenting it at the time of the bill is absolutely unacceptable.

Immie
 
Yes a surcharge not a gratuity or tip though or it is voluntary.

I actually do not have a problem with a restaurant adding a surcharge for large parties. It takes a lot of work for the waitstaff to manage larger parties. I have a problem with them telling me that I have to add a "tip". When you make it mandatory, it is no longer a privilege to give a good waiter a tip just to say "thank you". It loses its meaning.

This is like a church telling you that your tithes are between you and God but then having thugs at every exit with collection baskets who won't allow you to leave until your wallet is empty.

Immie
 
Yes a surcharge not a gratuity or tip though or it is voluntary.

I actually do not have a problem with a restaurant adding a surcharge for large parties. It takes a lot of work for the waitstaff to manage larger parties. I have a problem with them telling me that I have to add a "tip". When you make it mandatory, it is no longer a privilege to give a good waiter a tip just to say "thank you". It loses its meaning.

This is like a church telling you that your tithes are between you and God but then having thugs at every exit with collection baskets who won't allow you to leave until your wallet is empty.

Immie
I will agree provided the arriving party is clearly informed of the circumstances you've described. Otherwise I disagree.
 
It damned sure is deceptive if they do not clearly mark on the menus and at the entrance way that an 18% mandatory surcharge is added to all meals for 8 or more customers. Presenting it at the time of the bill is absolutely unacceptable.

It's standard practice for restaurants to include the gratuity in the bill for large groups. Do you live in a cave, or are you just stupid? And, I have no doubt the menu mentioned the required gratuity for groups.
 
I'm sorry, but I disagree with you.

It is not a gratuity if it is mandatory. If the restaurant is going to force people to pay that then they damned well had better not call it a gratuity. In fact, it is nothing but stiff arming your customers. It is dishonest at its best.

I suspect this restaurant has piss poor service therefore they must force at the barrel of a gun their customers to pay tips. Doesn't sound like a place I care to eat at.


I have never not left a tip. I tip at least 20%, but it is no longer a tip when it becomes mandatory.

Hell, I wonder how many people don't look at the bill close enough and add another 20% tip at restaurants like that... talk about a frigging scam!

Immie

Does it matter if it's called a gratuity or not if it's mandatory? If it's stated that it's mandatory, consider it the cost of the meal. Not paying that cost is stealing.

Not putting it in the cost of the meal, but presenting it after the fact is deceptive.

I think this is somewhere that you can blame the law.

When you talk about people who work for tips, they get taxed for tips whether they receive them or not. The IRS assumes that if you get a salary for waitressing, you are getting X-amount in tips and are underreporting them, so they make up a number.

Some resturants have a required gratuitity because their customers don't do that.
 
The bill sounds pretty reasonable for 8 people. Apparently the menu said that gratuities were included in the bill but the college types couldn't understand that concept. They were arrested for theft of services and it sounds like they are guilty.

I'm sorry, but I disagree with you.

It is not a gratuity if it is mandatory. If the restaurant is going to force people to pay that then they damned well had better not call it a gratuity. In fact, it is nothing but stiff arming your customers. It is dishonest at its best.

I suspect this restaurant has piss poor service therefore they must force at the barrel of a gun their customers to pay tips. Doesn't sound like a place I care to eat at.


I have never not left a tip. I tip at least 20%, but it is no longer a tip when it becomes mandatory.

Hell, I wonder how many people don't look at the bill close enough and add another 20% tip at restaurants like that... talk about a frigging scam!

Immie

It would behoove you to read the menu carefully so as to not make a mistake and inadvertently fail to leave a tip when you have been informed that the tip will be added to the bill.
 
Also in most places restaurant waitresses are exempt from the minimum wage law.

Just another reason why we should do away with tips and put their salary into the price of the meal. Everybody wins including the IRS.

Maybe...

Or it might kill the resturant business when prices go up, even if people are paying the same.
 
Yes a surcharge not a gratuity or tip though or it is voluntary.

I actually do not have a problem with a restaurant adding a surcharge for large parties. It takes a lot of work for the waitstaff to manage larger parties. I have a problem with them telling me that I have to add a "tip". When you make it mandatory, it is no longer a privilege to give a good waiter a tip just to say "thank you". It loses its meaning.

This is like a church telling you that your tithes are between you and God but then having thugs at every exit with collection baskets who won't allow you to leave until your wallet is empty.

Immie
I will agree provided the arriving party is clearly informed of the circumstances you've described. Otherwise I disagree.

Agreed, it must be evident before the order is placed.

Immie
 
The bill sounds pretty reasonable for 8 people. Apparently the menu said that gratuities were included in the bill but the college types couldn't understand that concept. They were arrested for theft of services and it sounds like they are guilty.

I'm sorry, but I disagree with you.

It is not a gratuity if it is mandatory. If the restaurant is going to force people to pay that then they damned well had better not call it a gratuity. In fact, it is nothing but stiff arming your customers. It is dishonest at its best.

I suspect this restaurant has piss poor service therefore they must force at the barrel of a gun their customers to pay tips. Doesn't sound like a place I care to eat at.


I have never not left a tip. I tip at least 20%, but it is no longer a tip when it becomes mandatory.

Hell, I wonder how many people don't look at the bill close enough and add another 20% tip at restaurants like that... talk about a frigging scam!

Immie

It would behoove you to read the menu carefully so as to not make a mistake and inadvertently fail to leave a tip when you have been informed that the tip will be added to the bill.

True but that fine print in dark restaurants can be a killer on the eyes.

Immie
 
Also in most places restaurant waitresses are exempt from the minimum wage law.

Just another reason why we should do away with tips and put their salary into the price of the meal. Everybody wins including the IRS.

I hate negotiation for car prices and leaving tips. Both are easy enough, but should be unnecessary. But, some things won't change.

Suppose they raise prices 15% and do away with tipping. Many people would still leave tips and tips again would become the expectation. Now, you're paying a higher price while still leaving a tip. Meanwhile, a similar restaurant across the street has a lower price, so you go there and leave a tip.
 
Also in most places restaurant waitresses are exempt from the minimum wage law.

Just another reason why we should do away with tips and put their salary into the price of the meal. Everybody wins including the IRS.

I hate negotiation for car prices and leaving tips. Both are easy enough, but should be unnecessary. But, some things won't change.

Suppose they raise prices 15% and do away with tipping. Many people would still leave tips and tips again would become the expectation. Now, you're paying a higher price while still leaving a tip. Meanwhile, a similar restaurant across the street has a lower price, so you go there and leave a tip.

All I know is that while prices are much higher in Japan, I actually spent a lot less on eating out because I wasn't tipping. I would like to see that same practice here. Tipping for so called "good" service seems like extortion to me. Look at the guy in this very thread that threatened to spit in the food of people who don't leave tips? Why on earth should we have anything to do with that kind of blackmail?
 
It's standard practice for restaurants to include the gratuity in the bill for large groups. Do you live in a cave, or are you just stupid? And, I have no doubt the menu mentioned the required gratuity for groups.

What's the logic behind an automatic gratuity for groups? Standard, my butt.
 
[Just another reason why we should do away with tips and put their salary into the price of the meal. Everybody wins including the IRS.

Best solution is for people to stay out of restaurants. I haven't been to one in maybe 8 years. Not even a fast food joint.
 

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