How Stupid!!!!

**Libby** · 01-17-2008, 08:54 PM

Alrighty - since I am having to book my own dinner party for my own birthday festivities (this doesnt upset me in the least either) I find a place thats common ground on the budget aspect. Its not cheap, its not fancy....smack dab in the middle with a wide range of food for all the picky eaters attending.

Well.....I tell the manager that its for 10 people. He wanted to let me know that the entrees are 1/2 off b/c its slow season so its a promo from Jan - March. Well we work through the convo, giving the necessaries and then he asks if I would like one bill or seperate bills. I asked him if there was any difference since I had never been asked this when making reservations. He basically said nothing. So I said seperate bills.

I got a phone call 5 mins after I had made the reservations and well the difference is (the young hostest told me) that each seperate bill at the table would be subject to an additional 15% gratuity! Um hello?! When does that h happen! That makes me livid...they know its slow season and they harp all over people!? Sheesh

So ... on the day of the dinner - I am going to tell them BEFORE THEY SEAT US that we've changed our minds and would like ONE bill. That way they cant slap us with 5 x 15% additional sucker fee's. OY!!!

Alrighty *breathes in and out, in and out* I'll get off my box now, just had to let it out. But dont you think thats stupid?!?! Even the higher end restaurants dont do that!

**Jamauk** · 01-17-2008, 09:03 PM

Chances are, even if you do all one bill they will still add on the 15% gratuity. Most restaurants now a days will automatically add the gratuity on for parties of 8 or more - and its usually 18%.

When I was a server in college it was our discretion whether or not we added it. Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't. I tried to read the crowd. Statistically speaking, though servers usually get stiffed more often with large groups than with small ones. (FYI, the gov't taxes servers on 8% (I think, it may be 10%) of their sales whether they earn the tips or not - its assumed that they did...)

Also, even if I'm paying with a charge (or debit) card, I always leave a cash tip - when the tip is on paper the server has to claim the full amount, as opposed to just 8% of the sales.

Ok, off my soapbox!

**Tango** · 01-17-2008, 10:08 PM

I've never heard of this. Where I am it's up to the customer whether they want to tip or not. I always base the amount of tip on the service I recieve. If the service is good I will tip up to 20%, but if it's terrible I give nothing. Also, we book anywhere for 10 or more we usually get 10% off. I wouldn't give my business to a restaurant that adds gratuities to it bill regardless of the level of service.
_____________________
Krissy

**Lady_V** · 01-17-2008, 10:15 PM

I know that all the places I have been in MA add 18% for parties of 8 or more...

**Neeley** · 01-17-2008, 10:19 PM

It is pretty common practice here to add gratuity on to parties of 8 or more. Some places here even do it for 6 or more.

When I bartended and served(then became a manager) for a restaurant here their company policy did not allow us to add gratuity to any party and that stunk. I had a party of 75 once and could not add gratuity. Thank goodness the person in charge asked me to figure up what 20% would be and that is what he left. More times than not we had servers get stiffed from parties.

I personally remember a party of 9 who ran up a $180 tab, no problems, no issues, and left NOTHING other than a business card. The card was preprinted and said there was nothing wrong with the service, but they did not believe in tipping. Okay that was just great. I ran my a$$ off, gave up other tables to give them my full attention for nothing. I actually lost money on that table since we had to contribute to tip share. (That is where the server has to give the restaurant money from his/her tips - the amount based on a percentage of his/her sales. That money is then given to the bartenders and hostesses based on how long he/he worked. Our tip share percent was 3% of our total sales. So, in that case not only did I not receive a tip, I also lost an additional $5.40 from my other tips to cover my tip share for that table It may not seem like a lot, but I could have easily made $10-$20 that hour and a half if I had just waited on regular groups of two or three. Tip share is pretty common in most full service retaurants - especially those that only pay $2.13 per hour wages.

We always check our reciepts and see if gratuity has been added. If it is only 15%, we add an additional 5%-10% in cash if the service warrants it. But we never leave less than 15%.

My MIL is a terrible tipper. I hate to go out to eat when she is paying. She will tip $2 on a $200 tab. DH and I always make sure we take an extra $20-$40 cash with us when we go out with her so we can make sure the server is being tipped an appropriate amount, if neccessary. When we go out to eat with her I pray that the server adds 15%. I have even pulled our server aside before and told them to do it, otherwise MIL would pretty much stiff them.

**emily_hope** · 01-17-2008, 11:51 PM

Happens here, too. I think it is 8 or more and there is a gratuity of at least 15% automatically added to the bill.

**Kitten20** · 01-18-2008, 12:06 AM

Adding a 15% gratuity for parties of 8+ is common here. Some of my family (10 of us) went out to dinner over the holiday and they added 15% -- too bad we were going to leave more, but since they were "kind enough" to do it for us...

I do understand why they do it though.

**Sari** · 01-18-2008, 12:40 AM

Yeah, most restaurants do that for over a certain number of people. I was a little confuzzled by your post though. 15% of each individual table still equals the 15% of the entire bill. It's not like they're going to be charged extra just because there's separate bills, if that's what you meant.

**zakity** · 01-18-2008, 01:05 AM

If they add the tip for me, that is what I pay. But, since it is either 15 or 18 percent, they short themselves because I tip 20%.

**powerfm1** · 01-18-2008, 04:02 AM

I've been stiffed by bigger parties also. It is really hard waiting on all those people. I used to really hate it when the guys would be all flirty, the women arrogant and they left 5% - Gee, thanks for the loaf of bread.

**Holly** · 01-18-2008, 05:59 AM

Our waitress will get there own tips.
Thats already been discussed with
everyone. I think its wrong to have to share. I used to work my butt off and I sure wasn't giving it to the one who got out of every bit of work she could.
Also it will be up to th epeople if they tip or not wherther its 2 or 20.
Sorry thats happening to you Shorty

**lwlynch** · 01-18-2008, 06:24 AM

gosh, that is alot. but they do it here at some of our resturants.

**favesis37** · 01-18-2008, 06:58 AM

hmmm, well i guess i have a different feeling then most, please dont bite my head off. i feel that when you choose to work at a place where you make tips you better be prepared to not get any.we once ate out, and i did not leave a tip, the service was awfull and the girl was not pleasant, she later told a friend that she hated it when i went there because i never tipped. the friend told me this and then said that she counted on tips to get her food money, well then she ought to get a regular job where she gets a hourly amount. now don't curse me,lol i do tip and i tip 20% if not more. but i think that if it is depended on then that is wrong.

**YankeeMom** · 01-18-2008, 08:04 AM

I think there's a difference in Canada, where Shorty is. In Canada, don't servers make a regular minimum wage that is equal to anyone else making minimum wage? Unlike the US where servers have their own minimum wage which is about*half* what regular minimum wage is.

And yes, the gov't taxes (and expects servers to claim at least) 10% of the server's sales regardless of whether or not they made that much. If you don't claim at least 10% of your sales (even if you didn't make that much) you're setting yourself up for an audit down the road.

When I served, I did depend on that tip money. No one in their right mind would take a job that makes $4/hour and NOT depend on getting tipped. That is the whole premise behind getting paid only $4/hour. If I provide good/excellent service, then I damn sure deserve to be tipped. Period. The customer gets the benefit of lower prices because my service costs the restaurant so little. That is because they are expected to reward that (good) service w/ a gratuity.

And there's no way in heck I would ever take a minimum wage hourly job over serving. No way would I take a job where I would make $7-8/hour when I could serve and make $20-50/hour. Thankyouverymuch.

**mom2bobsarah** · 01-18-2008, 08:56 AM

We have it here where most resturants add 15% to parties of 6 or more. You would be surprised at how many big parties will not tip without this. I think that a lot of people think that someone else left the tip or they just forget because they are all talking or whatever. If you feel that the service was bad just ask to speak with a manager when you get the check. As a past server I can say that this is necessary and I think that most people realize that servers count on tips to make their living. No one could live on 2.15 per hour which is what servers make here.