Automatic Gratuity

[OnTheRoadAgain]

Tipping is your choice:

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Travel-g15333 ... uette.html

http://restaurantramblings.com/2008/08/ ... -disaster/

[OnTheRoadAgain]

The easiest solution, if you are unhappy with the automatic gratuity, move to the next table, or split up the group.

Or, just ask the manager to remove it. Just did one of these last week...but the auto grat charge did say 'voluntary'.
People we were sharing with (6 total) said they looked at the total, and were about to add their gratuity to the total which already included the auto-grat.

[calcondy]

Here's the tipping problem that seems to be happening more and more.

At a given Restaurant - you are given the debit machine to pay your bill. On the machine - you have the option of "How much to tip?" You of course assume that the tip portion will go to the waiter. But hold on - Does it? I decieded to find out by asking the Waiter - Do you get the tips? Admittedly I'v only asked twice now - but the results were interesting. The first waiter I asked said "No" the Resturant keeps them all" and second one I asked said "She just get's a portion of it."

Doesn't sound fair to me.

My advice - from now on - before you enter a tip amount on the machine - ask the waiter if they actually get the tip? If they don't - I don't think you should be under any moral obligation to tip.

Fair is fair.

[Bsuds]

I don't think you should be under any moral obligation to tip.

You are not under any obligation to tip anyway. You either do it or you don't.

[alanjh595]

I may pay by card but, always tip in cash.

[RustyCrayon]

Here's the tipping problem that seems to be happening more and more.

At a given Restaurant - you are given the debit machine to pay your bill. On the machine - you have the option of "How much to tip?" You of course assume that the tip portion will go to the waiter. But hold on - Does it? I decieded to find out by asking the Waiter - Do you get the tips? Admittedly I'v only asked twice now - but the results were interesting. The first waiter I asked said "No" the Resturant keeps them all" and second one I asked said "She just get's a portion of it."

Doesn't sound fair to me.

My advice - from now on - before you enter a tip amount on the machine - ask the waiter if they actually get the tip? If they don't - I don't think you should be under any moral obligation to tip.

Fair is fair.

That's interesting...I always assumed the server/waiter received the tip. I'll will certainly ask from now on and will consider simply tipping with cash.

[Even Steven]

I decieded to find out by asking the Waiter - Do you get the tips? Admittedly I'v only asked twice now - but the results were interesting. The first waiter I asked said "No" the Resturant keeps them all" and second one I asked said "She just get's a portion of it."

The first one kinda lied to you.

The restaurant does indeed keep the tips, but they split it between all staff involved in making the food including the back staff and cooks. The second one was telling the truth.

[johnny24]

Here's the tipping problem that seems to be happening more and more.

At a given Restaurant - you are given the debit machine to pay your bill. On the machine - you have the option of "How much to tip?" You of course assume that the tip portion will go to the waiter. But hold on - Does it? I decieded to find out by asking the Waiter - Do you get the tips? Admittedly I'v only asked twice now - but the results were interesting. The first waiter I asked said "No" the Resturant keeps them all" and second one I asked said "She just get's a portion of it."

Doesn't sound fair to me.

My advice - from now on - before you enter a tip amount on the machine - ask the waiter if they actually get the tip? If they don't - I don't think you should be under any moral obligation to tip.

Fair is fair.

That's interesting...I always assumed the server/waiter received the tip. I'll will certainly ask from now on and will consider simply tipping with cash.

So you're hoping the waiter goes against restaurant policy and puts it into their pocket?

[alanjh595]

OR, any gratuity that is gained through the use of the debit machine, will be taxed, split and shared and after the debit machine costs are deducted.

[the truth]

I may pay by card but, always tip in cash.

same here,the better service i get the bigger the tip, crappy service = crappy tip

[RustyCrayon]

That's interesting...I always assumed the server/waiter received the tip. I'll will certainly ask from now on and will consider simply tipping with cash.

So you're hoping the waiter goes against restaurant policy and puts it into their pocket?

No. I did not say that.
I would rather the staff who provided the service and preparation for my meal receive the tip I give, as opposed to the tip amount going towards other things such as the fees for the machine, and/or disappearing/pocketed by the owners etc...

[forumdoug]

(to respect the rules, let's avoid naming establishments, and instead focus on the practice of adding a tip to a bill.)

a.k.a. to protect Castanet Media's business relationships with its current and potential advertisers. :(

#micdrop

Cheers,
Doug

[Dizzy1]

OR, any gratuity that is gained through the use of the debit machine, will be taxed, split and shared and after the debit machine costs are deducted.

Depends on the restaurants policy. Some give the entire tip to the server, some pool it, some keep it.

My stance on tipping hasn't changed. If you don't dazzle me with exceptional service - no tippy for you.

Any place that adds automatic gratuity, I ask to have it removed. If they don't remove it - I don't visit again

[GordonH]

^^^ those who keep the tips are the places I'd like to know who they are reason I would never visit them... ever.

[Glacier]

Why should the servers get paid so much more than the cooks?