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chased by waiter from restaurant
I just have to share what happened last night. DH tried to make dinner but used too much vinegar and after a few suggestions I couldn't save it so we went out.
Went to Heebeen - I had a restaurant.com gift certificate and it had been a while since we'd been there. Dinner was fine and service as always was excellent.
Gave the waiter my debit card and the restaurant.com certificate. On the bottom of the sales slip is says "18% gratituty has already been included". Since I saw this I was like well I'm not going to add more tip then. Signed the sales slip and walked out. We were maybe 20 steps outside and the waiter came running out saying "did you leave the tip on the table".... I said it's already been included on the sales receipt... DH and I walked to the car...
Waiter comes back out AGAIN and says we didn't leave tip and wants an answer why. I said the receipt said tip was already included. We got in the car and left. This is the 1st time this has ever happened to us and I hate to say it but I'm not sure I'd go back again after that. In the past we've never had a certificate so I've always left a good tip, this is the 1st time I'd seen "gratituty has already been included" - I'm assuming it's because of the certificate. I'll be watching my bank statement to make sure I wasn't charged "extra".
Re: chased by waiter from restaurant
Kinda pushy, yeah, but he does work for tips so I can see why he'd ask ... he likely has no idea that the tip was included on the certificate bc the employees would not normally be that involved (manager makes the decisions and the employees implement). If you enjoyed the meal, I wouldn't not ever go there again bc of this, but I might be more careful to make sure that the waiter had the same information as you when you handed over the certificate.
"What is a week-end?"
Even with the gift certificate, I have a hard time going to any place that includes the tip to a bill when it is just two or four people. I don't know why, but that has always bothered me...
And the fact that he came out twice to hassle you seems completely unneccesary.
As a former server all throughout college, this is every server's dream: to chase someone out who didn't leave a tip.
But that is completely unacceptable and not something you would ever do unless you want to get fired. I have seen people fired for it. The only time I chased someone out in the parking lot was when they didn't pay their whole bill. They were a bunch of college kids and everyone just threw money on the table without counting it. *insert eye roll*. They came back inside apologized, paid their bill and left me a little tip.
As much you want to chase them out, you suck it up and deal with your stiffing by crying in the bathroom and cursing your job over a beer after work.
On another note, we went to Heebeen with a living social deal with some friends. We both had vouchers and it said one per table. I thought if we did separate checks they would be ok with it. But no, they made us sit at separate tables right next to each other. It was a little silly really.
Off to the beach
DS 7/18/2010
Handy 2.0 Due Early August
2011/2012 Races
12/17/2011 Christmas Caper 10K
2/11/2012 Have a Heart 5K
3/17/2012 DC RNR Half Marathon
4/22/2012 10M Parkway Classic
10/28/2012 Marine Corps Marathon
I don't think restaurants normally include the tip on small tables, but since so many people use these coupons and perhaps tip on the final bill amount instead of pre-discount bill amount, they are adding in a tip for all coupon users. I've seen it happen with a few restaurant groupons to restaurant we already frequented where the normal practice was to leave the tip to our discretion.
WTF? We use gc where the tip gets included in the bill all the time and have NEVER had this happen.
I would call and speak to a manager.
We make the rockin' world go 'round.
Okay, in that sense it does make sense. (And I have sadly watched my FIL do this very thing, and my H and I ended up leaving an additional tip after my FIL walked out.) I guess I have a hard time with it, since it is not something I would ever think of doing. I tip on the full amount, pre-discount. So I stand corrected, if there is a coupon in play, that makes sense.
I am dying, because I read the title as you were chased from the restaurant by a waiter, and I had this image in my head of a man with a big cleaver chasing youout of a restaurant!
I agree that you should speak to the manager. Clearly he has issues!
Do you mean that the gift certificate said that the tip was included but not your actual receipt? We've used a lot of Restaurant.com gift certificates and I've noticed that there are times when the restaurant does not follow the rules on the gift certificate. For example, the gift certificate may say that the restaurant will add 18% gratuity but if the server doesn't make sure this happens, then the gratuity may not be included. I've been to the same restaurant where sometimes the server includes it and sometimes they don't. So, I would just review your receipt carefully so that you are tipping appropriately.
ETA: I'm not saying it was right of them to chase you out of the restaurant, I definitely think that's rude. I'm just saying that I think that sometimes the Restaurant.com gift certificates cause a miscommunication.
That is crazy. We use the restaurant.com ones too and yes they do almost always include that type of gratuity being on your bill no matter how many people you have. I am guessing that a lot of cheap people must use those certificates and then just tip on the amount they actually pay and not on the full bill so they changed it so that the wait staff doesn't get stiffed. If we get good service we usually leave a little extra but I hate that if we don;t get good service we are still paying 18% (I would still leave something just not 18% which I consider a good tip for good service, better than basic but not over the top exceptional).
I would call the manager too, maybe he or she can explain to the staff how the vouchers work.
I feel like a total idiot because I've used restaurant.com GC's 2 or 3 times and never paid attention to that - so technically the restaurant is supposed to add 18% on the bill (I can see why - so people don't just tip on the difference)? I definitiely tipped normally - on the full bill - using restaurant.com GC's. I guess over-tipping will give me good kharma.
So yeah, my guess is that either they didn't add the 18% themselves, so they expected you to tip, or, they did add the 18% and the waiter didn't know it - and maybe they're shady and don't turn around and hand that waiter his 18%.
I've been chased once after leaving the Thai place in Shirlington, several years ago. It was so embarassing, my stepfather-in-law (DH's ex-stepdad) was picking up the tab and left a puny tip. Or maybe he left no tip. I don't remember, but let's just say he's not really used to tipping the way us city-folk do. So the waitress came after us, which really pissed off my stepfather-in-law, who argued with her. It was embarrassing because yes, he should have tipped more IMO, but I couldn't believe the gaul of the waitress. Like pp said, my brother was a server for years and years, and I know he would never do then if stiffed on a tip. Never.
Exactly my thoughts.
My Food Blog
Each restaurant can make their own rules for the Restaurant.com program. For example, some restaurants only offer it on certain days of the week or some restaurants won't include alcohol. Not all restaurants include the gratuity. It just depends on their policy. Either way, I would always check the bill because even if it says they take gratuity, if the server doesn't do it on the bill, it may not be included.
I ended up checking my receipt again and yes, the 18% was included on the origional bill (prior to the coupon). I did call the manager and explained what happend.... they pulled up my receipt and said that I did not tip. I offered to come in with my receipt that shows it was already included and they said "don't bother I'm already aware of the suitation" - the manager was actually really pi$$y like it was my fault.
I don't know if the server was expecting more than 18% but I always tip on pre-discount meals regardless of where I go. Granted it's not always 18% because I do take into account the meal, service, etc.
That is incredibly rude of the manager. I would not go back! I can't believe they didn't apologize for the server's actions.
Off to the beach
DS 7/18/2010
Handy 2.0 Due Early August
2011/2012 Races
12/17/2011 Christmas Caper 10K
2/11/2012 Have a Heart 5K
3/17/2012 DC RNR Half Marathon
4/22/2012 10M Parkway Classic
10/28/2012 Marine Corps Marathon
"What is a week-end?"
Now i would not go back......