Couple arrested for not tipping

[Chip R]

Not paying for a meal you willingly ordered seems pretty open and closed to me.

They paid for the meal and all the taxes. They just didn't leave a tip.

[GIDP]

I see both sides though.

[GIDP]

They paid for the meal and all the taxes. They just didn't leave a tip.

No doubt the whole case rides on the word gratuity.

[Roy Tucker]

I see this as a text book case in a restaurant management course as how not to handle a situation.

Rule #1: The customer is always right.
Rule #2: If the customer is ever wrong, re-read rule #1

[dougdirt]

I see this as a text book case in a restaurant management course as how not to handle a situation.

Rule #1: The customer is always right.
Rule #2: If the customer is ever wrong, re-read rule #1

Fantastic summation. When they leave, everyone can talk about how ridiculous they were for an hour and then go on with things. It just isn't worth dealing with over something so petty.

[Chip R]

No doubt the whole case rides on the word gratuity.

Yep.

If the service was as bad as they said it was, I don't know why they didn't just leave before they ordered. A buddy and I went to a Hooters one Sunday afternoon many years ago. They were moderately busy but after we were seated, we didn't get waited on at all. We said something to someone but still no service. So after a half-hour or so, we just left.

I don't know why charges haven't been dropped yet. I doubt the menu said that the gratuity was automatic and people not leaving one would be prosecuted. They paid for everything but the tip and even though they said there should be one, how enforceable is it? Get them before a jury of people who have had bad service at a restaurant and they will get off with no problem.

Charging an automatic gratuity is something that could lead to sub-par service. Why give great service if you're going to get an 18% tip anyway?

[GIDP]

I think its silly to auto charge for the tips but if you go to a place that has that system you should be expected to pay the whole bill in my opinion though. Of course they should also make it very clear that they add it to the bill as well though.

[GAC]

Gleaned this from the article....

After the $73 bill came, the group paid for food, drinks, and tax but refused to pay the tip

So if THE GROUP paid for the meal, and THE GROUP refused to pay the tip, then why just this couple charged? What am I missing here?

And the owner didn't call the police, the bartender did. If I was the owner, that bartender would be getting a good, private talking to, unless that is the owner's procedure for handling such a situation. If that's the case, then he's the idiot!

A Tip is suppose to be a THANK YOU FOR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, not something simply owed, like some sort of "given". So regardless of the service you receive you get tipped?

And the owner acknowledged that it took unusually long to get their food/service. It would have been a nice courtesy, as well as good for business, for that owner, manager, someone, to walk over to the table and offer an apology, and even an explanation, for the slow service. If you had come to me and said they were short-handed tonight, and apologized for the slow service, I think most would be sympathetic to that.

[Chip R]

Gleaned this from the article....



So if THE GROUP paid for the meal, and THE GROUP refused to pay the tip, then why just this couple charged? What am I missing here?

And the owner didn't call the police, the bartender did. If I was the owner, that bartender would be getting a good, private talking to, unless that is the owner's procedure for handling such a situation. If that's the case, then he's the idiot!

A Tip is suppose to be a THANK YOU FOR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, not something simply owed, like some sort of "given". So regardless of the service you receive you get tipped?

And the owner acknowledged that it took unusually long to get their food/service. It would have been a nice courtesy, as well as good for business, for that owner, manager, someone, to walk over to the table and offer an apology, and even an explanation, for the slow service. If you had come to me and said they were short-handed tonight, and apologized for the slow service, I think most would be sympathetic to that.

I'd think a free meal would be a good tradeoff.

[dougdirt]

I'd think a free meal would be a good tradeoff.

I don't. The people got the meal and ate it. A discount from the meal? Sure. Free? No way. They got what they ordered and consumed it. It just took longer than it should have.

[RBA]

I don't understand the police in this instance. They should of went there, ensured information was exchanged. And left it up to the restaurant to pursue it in small claims court if they wish. How would Judge Judy rule?

[Roy Tucker]

I don't. The people got the meal and ate it. A discount from the meal? Sure. Free? No way. They got what they ordered and consumed it. It just took longer than it should have.

Eeeeehhhhh, this is where I differ.

I go out to eat to have a good time. Its not just that I want someone to cook for me. I want an environment where I will enjoy myself and my company.

If I'm getting my own silverware, if my meal is an hour late, if I'm badgering the waitress to serve me, then I'm certainly not enjoying myself. In fact, knowing how I react to things, I'm getting pretty hacked off and veins are starting to bulge in my neck. I will definitely let them know I am not a happy camper and they aren't holding up their end of the bargain.

[Yachtzee]

I think its silly to auto charge for the tips but if you go to a place that has that system you should be expected to pay the whole bill in my opinion though. Of course they should also make it very clear that they add it to the bill as well though.

If it's required, then it's not a tip. It's a surcharge. Change your menu to state that an 18% surcharge for service will be added to your bill and there is no problem. By stating that it is a gratuity, you should expect that some people might believe the payment of the additional 18% is gratuitous.

Their other means of making sure the wait staff gets tips is to just charge more for their food and pay the wait staff better. Just put it in the menu that the wait staff is compensated through higher menu prices and that tips are not necessary. That is the way it's done in other countries. There is still tipping, but the tipping generally involves rounding up to the next whole dollar/5 dollars.

[dougdirt]

Eeeeehhhhh, this is where I differ.

I go out to eat to have a good time. Its not just that I want someone to cook for me. I want an environment where I will enjoy myself and my company.

If I'm getting my own silverware, if my meal is an hour late, if I'm badgering the waitress to serve me, then I'm certainly not enjoying myself. In fact, knowing how I react to things, I'm getting pretty hacked off and veins are starting to bulge in my neck. I will definitely let them know I am not a happy camper and they aren't holding up their end of the bargain.

You still paid for and recieved your product. One that you can't return to the original owner. It may not have been exactly what you wanted, but if you finished said meal then you should have paid for it, at least partially because you did indeed finish it (or most of it) without asking to have it recooked or something similar.

[westofyou]

You still paid for and recieved your product. One that you can't return to the original owner. It may not have been exactly what you wanted, but if you finished said meal then you should have paid for it, at least partially because you did indeed finish it (or most of it) without asking to have it recooked or something similar.

The contract was broken because the gratuity was withheld, the 18% was for the service aspect of the meal, the restauraunt defaulted on their end of the deal by providing substandard service and then by charging a rate for that.

The meal is not the issue, the issue is the strongarming of a fee based on a nonexistant delivery item, capable service.