Social Question About Waitress Weirdness

[koshergrl]

But we all know that a $7 scam wouldn't be worth the time of a waitress...

Of course, forgetting that it's highly unlikely she only scams once....scam artists get their bread and butter via SMALL scams spread out over days, months, years, and multiple marks. That's the way it works.

 

[percysunshine]

But we all know that a $7 scam wouldn't be worth the time of a waitress...

Of course, forgetting that it's highly unlikely she only scams once....scam artists get their bread and butter via SMALL scams spread out over days, months, years, and multiple marks. That's the way it works.

So send me $7 and I will pay for the room. $42 + $7 = $49....you come out $1 ahead....

 

[koshergrl]

Wait let me write another ticket for the correct amount first....and give me the first ticket as well so I have something to look at while I'm doing it. Oh and I'll need the ticket from this other table too since you guys ordered the same dish...then I'll fix it all..oh wait, the cash register is broken.

Can you pay cash?

 

[Gagafritz]

Scammers always will find ways to scam. So what? But, i would rather just assume the best and get scammed then always be looking behind me. If she scammed them and pocketed the money, oh well.

 

[percysunshine]

Wait let me write another ticket for the correct amount first....and give me the first ticket as well so I have something to look at while I'm doing it. Oh and I'll need the ticket from this other table too since you guys ordered the same dish...then I'll fix it all..oh wait, the cash register is broken.

Can you pay cash?

Well, we ordered a dish, plus one co-worker. She needs to come up with another $1...

 

[koshergrl]

Here, I'll give you a $10 and you give me a $20, then I'll give you change for $5..and you'll come out ahead, I promise!

 

[percysunshine]

Here, I'll give you a $10 and you give me a $20, then I'll give you change for $5..and you'll come out ahead, I promise!

$49 - $5 = $44....which is your $1 plus your co-workers $1 plus a $42 room.

Deal.

 

[koshergrl]

Scammers always will find ways to scam. So what? But, i would rather just assume the best and get scammed then always be looking behind me. If she scammed them and pocketed the money, oh well.

Yes, ignorance is bliss. Until you get hit with the scam where they take a pic of your credit card and run up $40,000 on it.

I prefer to let them know I'm not an easy mark, so they will move on to the next rube.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Seven dollars represents quite a bit of hard work to me.

Server scams target primarily large groups, and that was a classic one.

I spent some years as a server,which is why I recognize it.

And just because it's not a lot of money is no reason to pay up. Scammers count on idiots to do just that.

I always tip my pizza delivery person, and I always tip my servers...well. That doesn't mean I have to look the other way when they're trying to rip me off.

The way the waitress is described it doesn't sound like she has the wit to scam, sounds like she can barely wait tables to begin with. And this can easily be detected if the patrons compared their bills.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

A co-worker, whom I greatly respect did something I cannot fathom. So I thought I would bounce it off some folks here and see if I am way off base here or if she might have been to quick to avoid a socially awkward situation.

We were eating at a new resturaunt, and we had a large going away party for a different co-worker. The waitress was very friendly, but a bit disorganized. She brought out the wrong meal for several of us (wrong table), forgot my straw for my soda, forgot seperate plates for the appetizer, and several times stuck her elbow in my face while she talked to the person beside me. And I wasnt the only one who experienced this kind of thing.

The most dramatic case of waitress blundering though was the following converstation that I am editing slightly for brevity (and because I cant rremember all of the exact words anyway).

Waitress to co-waorker: I split your bill with seat 6 so it would be more even for you.

Co-worker: You what?

Waitress: I split your bill between you two since you are each paying for the two workers leaving your company just to make it fair.

Co-worker: But the other person is also paying for her husbands meal, so it shouldnt be even bill.

Waitress: Oh, I see, well the meals all average out to $7 anyway.

Co-worker: I dont care. Please, correct the bill and bill me for what I said I ordered.

Waitress: OK, well, I'll be right back, sweety.

(waitress goes away for a few minutes then returns)

Waitress: Sorry ma'am, but I cant change your bill.

Co-worker: You cant what?

Waitress: I cant change your bill. The computer has it recorded the way I put it in and only the manager can change that, but he is in a meeting.

Co-worker: I dont understand.

Waitress (sits down in chair next to co-worker): See hon, (holds the ticket out for co-worker to see along with her) I have this and this and this on your ticket and I cant take it off because the computer has these items on your ticket.

Co-worker (exasperated): OK, fine, whatever. Here is my card.....

When my co-worker told me about it with another co-worker verifying the account, I was stunned at the waitresses behavior (though my own experience with her made me think it all within the realm of plausibility) but also that my co-worker actually paid for the items she didnt order.

There is no way in hell I would have paid for that stuff, period, nada, zero, null chance at that whatsoever.

When I said this, everyone looked at me like I was being unreasonable.

Would you have paid that ticket?

only the manager can change that, but he is in a meeting.

THIS is the REAL problem - the floor level employee isn't empowered by management with enough authority to make things right for the customer - even when its the employee's mistake. This seems to happen all too often today. I was at a convenience store the other day and the price that was rung up for the guy in front of me was more than the price listed right next to the product (for chewing tobacco) - and the clerk fully acknowledged that the price listed by the product was the correct one - it wasn't just mis-labeled - yet she did not have the authority to do anything about, whatever price was in the computer was the only price it could be sold at.


Was this a chain restaurant? Sounds like it. They generally care less about service because their advertising and largesse guarantees them a steady stream of suckers.

 

[koshergrl]

Seven dollars represents quite a bit of hard work to me.

Server scams target primarily large groups, and that was a classic one.

I spent some years as a server,which is why I recognize it.

And just because it's not a lot of money is no reason to pay up. Scammers count on idiots to do just that.

I always tip my pizza delivery person, and I always tip my servers...well. That doesn't mean I have to look the other way when they're trying to rip me off.

The way the waitress is described it doesn't sound like she has the wit to scam, sounds like she can barely wait tables to begin with. And this can easily be detected if the patrons compared their bills.

Acting stupid is part of the scam. "Oh silly me, I made a mistake and the computer is broken...I'll fix it this way...."

And they bet on patrons NOT comparing their bills. Or they spread it out over days and other people's bills who ordered the same items but aren't a part of the same party.

I think we can safely bet that nobody who thinks they are better served to just look the other way or pretend it's not happening would ever make it as a scam artist...and are potential targets for those who do. They see you guys coming a mile away.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Seven dollars represents quite a bit of hard work to me.

Server scams target primarily large groups, and that was a classic one.

I spent some years as a server,which is why I recognize it.

And just because it's not a lot of money is no reason to pay up. Scammers count on idiots to do just that.

I always tip my pizza delivery person, and I always tip my servers...well. That doesn't mean I have to look the other way when they're trying to rip me off.

The way the waitress is described it doesn't sound like she has the wit to scam, sounds like she can barely wait tables to begin with. And this can easily be detected if the patrons compared their bills.

Acting stupid is part of the scam. "Oh silly me, I made a mistake and the computer is broken...I'll fix it this way...."

And they bet on patrons NOT comparing their bills. Or they spread it out over days and other people's bills who ordered the same items but aren't a part of the same party.

I think we can safely bet that nobody who thinks they are better served to just look the other way or pretend it's not happening would ever make it as a scam artist...and are potential targets for those who do. They see you guys coming a mile away.

I like the "15% gratuity included in bill for parties of 6 or more" in extra fine print on the menu - I think I've been gotten more by that one than double billing. When our waiter actually takes the time to fairly point out that a 15% gratuity is included, I'm inclined to make the total tip higher than it would be otherwise.


EDIT: How exactly would this work in a restaurant where all bills are rigorously entered into and generated by a computer? If I bill two people for the same item, my tip base goes up but the real winner is the restaurant, right?

 

[koshergrl]

Actually,you take tickets where multiple people have ordered the same thing, you only ring up one (or two) of the item, you charge the patrons for them all, and you pocket the difference.

Plus the tip.

 

[hortysir]

This place doesn't sound very guest-focused.

What ever meeting this manager was in wasn't as important as resolving a guest issue.

You should contact the manager and see how he/she plans to resolve it.
Their response will tell you whether you should bother returning.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Actually,you take tickets where multiple people have ordered the same thing, you only ring up one (or two) of the item, you charge the patrons for them all, and you pocket the difference.

Plus the tip.

Patron A orders a steak and a beer
Patron B orders just a beer.

So you give patron A bill for a steak and a beer
and patron B a bill for a beer

but only ring up Patron A for a steak and patron B for a beer - and pocket the difference on the beer.

Right?

In that case is the restaurant that is getting screwed - and if its a computer system that generates the bill you're going to have to generate two different bills for patron A.

 

[hortysir]

Actually,you take tickets where multiple people have ordered the same thing, you only ring up one (or two) of the item, you charge the patrons for them all, and you pocket the difference.

Plus the tip.

Patron A orders a steak and a beer
Patron B orders just a beer.

So you give patron A bill for a steak and a beer
and patron B a bill for a beer

but only ring up Patron A for a steak and patron B for a beer - and pocket the difference on the beer.

Right?

In that case is the restaurant that is getting screwed - and if its a computer system that generates the bill you're going to have to generate two different bills for patron A.

Doesn't sound very 'kosher' to me