Arrested for not paying tip.....

[Freedom1911]

That is just not reality. You agreed to pay that when you sat down and ordered. If you went to Denny's and ate all of your food, then decided that it was sub-par, do you think you can walk out and not pay?

Sorry sir. They paid for their food, drinks and everything else.
A TIP is a voluntary gratuity that is given based on the quality of service, NOT! because it says you have to in the fine print on the menu.

Liberal PA, sounds about right. That is nothing more than that restaurants way around an additional tax on you.

And for the sub par. I have eaten at restaurants where the service was total dog sh!t and I paid my bill, but left no tip.
I have also eaten at places where the service was better than the food and left the waitress a tip larger than the food bill.
A tip is what it is. And you should not be able to FORCE any one to pay a tip. PERIOD.

 

[navyguy]

...agree to pay for the food. The tip is paying for service.

I suppose you could argue that, the same as you could argue that you're not paying for the baked potato because they never brought it. But I doubt that would hold up, even in front of Judge Judy

As stated, if they informed you in some way up front that there is a mandatory gratuity then it is merely a part of the price you must pay when you sit down and order. The proper thing to do would have been to ask to speak to the manager and negotiate a settlement which might have been the removal of the tip, or discounting part or all of the meal. That is what most reputable restaurants would do. You simply can't take it into your hands and demand things if they don't agree.

Although I understand the thinking on adding a mandatory tip with large groups I personally hate that. Especially when they sneak it on the menu in fine print, then leave the tip line blank when presenting the check, hoping you won't realize a tip is already in there and you'll leave an additional tip.

 

[DCortez]

Although I understand the thinking on adding a mandatory tip with large groups I personally hate that. Especially when they sneak it on the menu in fine print, then leave the tip line blank when presenting the check, hoping you won't realize a tip is already in there and you'll leave an additional tip.

If you find yourself with 6 or more people...

 

[Hawghauler]

Larger groups should get a volume buy. Hey Madmo, next time we go to Ponder steak house let's ask for wholesale pricing.

 

[txinvestigator]

Sorry sir. They paid for their food, drinks and everything else.
A TIP is a voluntary gratuity that is given based on the quality of service, NOT! because it says you have to in the fine print on the menu.

If the menu or any other notice tells you that your party will have an added gratuity then it is part of the bill.

The poof of that is the fact these folks were charged.

It appears some of you miss the fact that if you agree ahead of time to pay that which is in writing, then failure to pay it is theft of service.

You may not "feel" that way, or like it, but it is a fact.

 

[txinvestigator]

...agree to pay for the food. The tip is paying for service.

They were informed there would be a mandatory gratuity. They agreed by ordering and they have to pay it. If they did not like that, they could have split the party up or chosen a different place to eat.

 

[txinvestigator]

i say if they did pay the tip, the folks that ordered would be the ones robbed of service.

Too bad that is not the law.

 

[Acetone]

They were informed there would be a mandatory gratuity. They agreed by ordering and they have to pay it. If they did not like that, they could have split the party up or chosen a different place to eat.

I agree that they agreed to pay the mandatory gratuity by ordering their food; however, they agreed to pay it based on the premise of being served properly. The restaurant business is in the service industry. This particular restaurant did not uphold their end of the agreement.

 

[txinvestigator]

I agree that they agreed to pay the mandatory gratuity by ordering their food; however, they agreed to pay it based on the premise of being served properly. The restaurant business is in the service industry. This particular restaurant did not uphold their end of the agreement.

You could sue over that, but you can't walk. It sucks, but that's the way it is.

Think what it would be like if EVERY person who eats in a restaurant could decide on a whim if they wanted to pay or not.

 

[cuate]

I'm headed for Penn, Monday, Thanksgiving with kin that are stationed there in the USMC...If by chance we eat out which I doubt, I will read the menu completely before ordering and if a gratuity is mandatory, will get up and as we say down here, just haul ass !!!! No, I wont be in handcuffs and leg irons because the Thanksgiving trip is a Christmas present...But I am wearing my Levis, western boots, western belt with big belt buckle, and if they all stare, its tough....No hat, its got Texas sweat &
dirt stains....God Bless TEXAS !!!!

 

[TrailDust]

This video says it ALL FOR ME:

YouTube - Reservoir Dogs - Tipping Scene

The MacDonald's comment is a great one!



-

 

[TxEMTP69]

Is that a city law or a Pennsylvania law about the 18% gratuity.

I have seen that here (TX) on many menus (usually lists a party size and is 10-15% as high as 20%), I have had shitty service and complained to the manager and they agreed to take the tip off the bill. And yes it lists on the bill the added gratuity and therefore part of the bill.

 

[Big country]

Now Yall all know that me and texasinvestigator don't always see eye to eye on things. But!! He is absolutely right on this 110%. If you ever take the family out for a nice dinner at lets say Olive Garden, you will see it somewhere on the menu more than likely. If it's Jardin Del Ray (spelling?)(a Local Mexican/Tex Mex establishment in Leander) it's on the wall by where you wait and pay. It is allot like a contract, you sit down and eat you agreed. I'd bet some folks don't even notice it. It's not a law it's a company policy and like I said you more or less signed the contract when you sat down and ordered. So it sucks that these people were jailed over this but they had neglected to pay for something that they had a previous obligation to pay. I don't know if it would differ had it been 8 people paying 8 separate bills for 8 completely separate meals but that might factor into it.

 

[TrailDust]

Now Yall all know that me and texasinvestigator don't always see eye to eye on things. But!! He is absolutely right on this 110%. If you ever take the family out for a nice dinner at lets say Olive Garden, you will see it somewhere on the menu more than likely. If it's Jardin Del Ray (spelling?)(a Local Mexican/Tex Mex establishment in Leander) it's on the wall by where you wait and pay. It is allot like a contract, you sit down and eat you agreed. I'd bet some folks don't even notice it. It's not a law it's a company policy and like I said you more or less signed the contract when you sat down and ordered. So it sucks that these people were jailed over this but they had neglected to pay for something that they had a previous obligation to pay. I don't know if it would differ had it been 8 people paying 8 separate bills for 8 completely separate meals but that might factor into it.

This thread has thoroughly enlightened me about this practice. From now on I will scour my menu and/or ask the waitress before placing my order. Mandatory gratuity is a contradiction in terms, and complete and utter bulls***!

 

[Byaah_19]

I have waited tables for 4 years and am now a manager at a steakhouse. If you sit at my table I would like $5 right off the bat no matter what is ordered just for taking my table. Then the tip goes up from there. (Given that my service is great) If I do not preform then I do not expect a great tip. We make our money by how many tables we turn so when you sit there for 30 minutes after your meal talking tip accordingly. While you are sitting at my tabe I cannot make money off it. It is amazing how many people leave $5 on a $100 dollar tab. Off of that $100 dollar tab I have to give 3% back to the store to tip out host bussers and bartenders. So I would end up with $2 dollars. Plus we make $2.13 an hour. Thats just my rant on tipping. If I do good then show me with a good tip. If I do bad then show me I did bad with my tip. At our store the customer doesnt have to pay the grat but are encouraged to.

 

[Byaah_19]

It's kinda like getting your car repaired and only wanting to pay for the parts and not the labor.

 

[Byaah_19]

If you dont want to pay for the service go get ur own drinks and refills and cook ur own food.

 

[Texas1911]

In Europe the tip is fixed into everything, hence the less than ambitious waitstaff in Europe.

 

[Texas1911]

If you dont want to pay for the service go get ur own drinks and refills and cook ur own food.

It's a two sided deal ... if the restaurant is not providing service, then it does not deserve the payment for it. I'm very respectful of a busy establishment or someone that is really trying but is just a step behind, but I've had some pure crap service before and have not paid a dime for it.

If you took your car to the mechanic and he took a week to do an oil change on your car are you going to chalk it up to "well I should have done my own oil change?". No, you'd be upset about it.

If the establishment is so busy that they can't keep up then they are at fault, not the customer. The manager is responsible for keeping a working staff on hand to ensure customer satisfaction. In my opinion they should have been met on a middle ground rather than involving the police.

Then again, who knows if the people in question weren't completely unrealistic and unwavering either. The article is one-sided.

 

[Texas1911]

I have waited tables for 4 years and am now a manager at a steakhouse. If you sit at my table I would like $5 right off the bat no matter what is ordered just for taking my table. Then the tip goes up from there. (Given that my service is great) If I do not preform then I do not expect a great tip. We make our money by how many tables we turn so when you sit there for 30 minutes after your meal talking tip accordingly. While you are sitting at my tabe I cannot make money off it. It is amazing how many people leave $5 on a $100 dollar tab. Off of that $100 dollar tab I have to give 3% back to the store to tip out host bussers and bartenders. So I would end up with $2 dollars. Plus we make $2.13 an hour. Thats just my rant on tipping. If I do good then show me with a good tip. If I do bad then show me I did bad with my tip. At our store the customer doesnt have to pay the grat but are encouraged to.

$5 on a $100 tab is just asinine, but what do you expect this day and age.

I went to Chili's one day by myself and the waitress hung out and chatted with me for a while (they were slow), plus she was really on the ball with everything and seemed motivated. I think my bill was $15 or something like that but I tipped her $50. I would like to think it made her day.