Attention Restaurateurs

Did they round your total up, too? I've been getting servers round up my change to the highest dollar, so that they don't have to have change, or to just cheat a little more tip.

That no change thing is really one of my pet peeves. I have been a server for a long time and it really p***** me off when a server doesnt bring me ALL my change. Some places I have worked try to avoid small change and servers couldnt get change, but I always made sure that I carried enough with me to get me thru a shift. If I couldnt get it to the penny, I always tried to get it the next nickel (patron on the good side of the deal). And I wont hesitate to ask for ALL my change if I ever come up short. And my tip reflects it. (hey, the way I look at is that if they dont mind me coming up short I am not going to mind them coming up short.) There have been times when change was a problem, but if it was I always made sure the customer got back more than they should have versus being short. As for the topic at hand I am not in favor of mandatory tip on a togo order. Yes it does take time and involves more than you think to get that order but if the restaurant doesnt put a mandatory tip on ALL tickets they shouldnt put it on TOGOs. Most places will let a server put an auto-grat on parties of 6-8 but never less than that. If it is going to be done on TOGOs it should be done in the same manner. Say you order 6 menus items or more, the it would be acceptable IMO.
PS... @ smiling joe.. do you mean that they are rounding up in the way that your bill is $15.50 and they bring you back a five or that they are keeping the .40cents off a $15.60 bill and only bringing you $4. If the later is the case I would ask for the rest of my change.

I think the restaurant Skunkape is referring to adds gratuity to all orders, and it is only counter service.

jodiFL, I mean that regardless of the total amount of the bill, the server rounds up to the highest dollar, not bringing any coins. eg- bill total is $29.12. Give the server $40 and they bring me back $10.00. If my tip would have been $6, now they have $6.88. Not a big deal money-wise, but for me, it is more of a lack of respect. They know that most people don't bother to look at the bill, and won't think twice about questioning $.88 as though it is something important. When it's been happening to me, I'm just cutting my tip to a trivial amount. I guess I should instead, write a note on the receipt, "TIP: Don't short customers their change."

I agree with the lack of respect. If it had been me, and I didnt have the change, you would have gotten back $11.00. I am sure that no one, including that server, would think it acceptable to go in Tom Thumb and be given $00.00 in change from a $50 for a tank of gas that cost $40 (yea..I wish I could fill up for that much too.) just because that cashier didnt have any tens in the drawer. But back to the TOGO tip.. that isnt acceptable to me either. I can see if it was a large carry out but if the restaurant is so busy with tables and TOGO orders they should designate and pay a decent wage for a person that does just TOGOs. Like a hostess, that is not a tipped position, therefore not taking a server or bartender that IS depending on tips and making less than minimum wage away from tables or customers that are in-house. If that person gets a tip then it is all good, if not, no biggy because they arent really depending on the tips to pay their bills.

I want my change down to the penny and I want any tipping left up to me (only exception is if I am in a large group and it is policy).

Feel free to do differently - if you think pissing off the customer right before they decide your tip is a good idea. ;-)

Was it a tip or container charger? We're seeing that now on our carry out orders.
It has been a European tradition for decades to add a tip to the check - hasn't it?
I worked in a restaurant years ago that charged a nickle for a cold mug if the customer asked for it. Servers hated to add it to checks, so we paid for it. Kinda stupid now that I think about it - stupide that we didn't put it on the check and let the customer complain to the manager. Same restaurant reviewed our checks - before computers - at a later date and made us pay, if we did them wrong. Didn't get money back if we overcharged.
Love restaurants and dining out but....
Ellen

Iwas charged $6.00 for a "carryout fee" on a $30 order at a restaurant that will remain nameless, but we eat there at least once a week because it is next door to our business. Usually we eat there and it floored me when I was charged that much. Guess I'm paying for the colorful "shopping bag" style bag to carry out my food in! I would have been just as happy with a plastic bag!

I'm with you Scooter. I was shocked 2 weeks ago when a tip was automatically added to my to go order somewhere in Seaside.

They don't add tips in Europe. Servers are paid a living wage and if there is exceptional service, some customers add a modest tip.

Hey beasette, Ohio Girl & jOe:
Why be so coy about which restaurant(s) you're talking about?
Why do any of us need to whisper about what is supposedly the restaurant(s)' public policy(ies)?
Why "protect" these restaurants/policies?
Let the rest of us know where we should at least look for these policies.
Thanks.

I think the restaurant Skunkape is referring to adds gratuity to all orders, and it is only counter service.

Okay, I'm asking servers and customers alike, please forgive me if I am ignorant of some long-standing custom, but why would a "counter service only" restaurant be adding gratuity to orders in the first place? Is it listed as a "gratuity" or some type of "service charge" like buying tickets from TicketMaster?

It's listed as "Gratuity."

This sounds like a restaurants way of getting around paying the employees minimum wage (thus lowering workmans comp and other payroll amount based expenditures). If they list the position as a "tipped" position and are only paying $4.23 and the tips dont make the employee make at least minimum wage per hour, Florida law says that the employer has to pay them the higher amount. But if they add an "auto-grat" they can still only pay the employee the lower amount while ensuring that the "tips" add up. Either way, the customer ends up paying for it. Whether it be an auto-grat or higher prices for the product.

I just wish someone would say who this counter based restaurant is so I don't have to waste my time and inadvertently find out their poor business practice after the fact.

I just wish someone would say who this counter based restaurant is so I don't have to waste my time and inadvertently find out their poor business practice after the fact.

Agreed; could someone send me a private message so that when I'm down there and ordering out, I know to expect this and whether I need to take cash for the product price, or take a check card so that I can pay any additional gratuities, fees, service charges, fines, convenience charges, marketing fees, merchant fees, surcharges, etc.? I know when I go pick up a pizza at Angelina's or Pizza By The Sea or burgers and sandwiches at Flip Flops, how much it is going to cost, but if I venture out and try another take-out option, I'd appreciate some truth-in-advertising in knowing whether to take a $20 bill to pick up an $18.00 order or whether I need to prepare for other procurement costs before I head out the door. Thanks!

I'd like to know which restaurants add take-out charges/mandatory tips as well. I understand that it's not fair to badmouth restaurants based on one experience, but sharing restaurants' policies about carry-out fees or mandatory tips seems different to me. I have a hard enough time decoding my phone and cable bills, and I like my dining bills to be simple - just the food and tax, please. I like the pricing of my food to match the pricing on the menu with no surprises and nothing in small print. I'll add my own tip, which is typically 20%. I'd would definitely feel taken advantage of if a charge was added to my bill and then didn't realize it until after I got home. I know it's my responsibility to check my bills, but I'd like to know in advance what the extra charges are going to be so that I can decide whether the final price is what I had planned for (or if I should go somewhere else if I don't want to pay the extra fees). If you don't feel comfortable posting the name of the restaurant(s), please email me because we tend to eat out and get take-out in the Seacrest area frequently when we're in SoWal.

I was charged the $6 and some change take out charge at LaCocina on a $30 ticket. I'm assuming it must be a percentage of your total since it was an odd amt. I was also surprised that they have a $3 "order change fee". I asked for melted cheese instead of grated cheese and when my ticket came it was an extra $3! I love LaCocina, but just have to watch my penies there. Between the $6 take out charge & the $3 change fee, I could have dined in and had a margarita!

I was charged the $6 and some change take out charge at LaCocina on a $30 ticket. I'm assuming it must be a percentage of your total since it was an odd amt. I was also surprised that they have a $3 "order change fee". I asked for melted cheese instead of grated cheese and when my ticket came it was an extra $3! I love LaCocina, but just have to watch my penies there. Between the $6 take out charge & the $3 change fee, I could have dined in and had a margarita!

Thanks for the heads up....that 3 Dollar Change Fee alone for them microwaving your cheese for all of 10 seconds will make me never go there...that's borderline offensive

Thanks for the heads up....that 3 Dollar Change Fee alone for them microwaving your cheese for all of 10 seconds will make me never go there...that's borderline offensive

I agree the change fee is absurd - I did not know about this. But, nothing could keep me away from La Cocina! One of my very favorite places EVER. Their salsa and chips, and cheese dip, plus a cadillac margarita = heaven on earth. Not to mention the memories we have with good friends enjoying incredible food in a funn atmosphere, with extraordinary service!

as far as take out charge, I personally think it is fair because so many people do not even think of tipping for take out, which I don't understand. its a small tip for someone who is working to prepare and package the order, and get it right and ready for me. Yes, I would rather add it myself - but so many do not even think to do so. we recently had a thread on tipping for take out. Most agree that it is important to do so.

I was charged the $6 and some change take out charge at LaCocina on a $30 ticket. I'm assuming it must be a percentage of your total since it was an odd amt. I was also surprised that they have a $3 "order change fee". I asked for melted cheese instead of grated cheese and when my ticket came it was an extra $3! I love LaCocina, but just have to watch my penies there. Between the $6 take out charge & the $3 change fee, I could have dined in and had a margarita!

This sounds to me like they were charging you for an upgrade to "cheese dip" or "queso dip" as opposed to shredded cheese. In a partial defense of LaCocina, my experience is that most Mexican restaurants implement this substitution upcharge; my wife usually requests cheese dip on top of a burrito instead of the standard shredded cheese and red sauce. That being said, most places charge $1.00 for the sub, but considering most places charge $3-$4 for an order of cheese dip with your chips and salsa and LaCocina charges $6+ for an order w/ your chips & salsa, I guess they adjust the add-on accordingly. Must be some really expensive ingredients in their cheese dip. We've eaten lunch at LaCocina a few times, and for my wife, 5-yr old daughter and I, it's run from $50-$60. It does seem high considering we usually pay $60 - $80 for seafood DINNER at Stinky's Capt. Anderson's, Red Bar, etc. for all of us when at the beach.

I agree the change fee is absurd - I did not know about this. But, nothing could keep me away from La Cocina! One of my very favorite places EVER. Their salsa and chips, and cheese dip, plus a cadillac margarita = heaven on earth. Not to mention the memories we have with good friends enjoying incredible food in a funn atmosphere, with extraordinary service!

as far as take out charge, I personally think it is fair because so many people do not even think of tipping for take out, which I don't understand. its a small tip for someone who is working to prepare and package the order, and get it right and ready for me. Yes, I would rather add it myself - but so many do not even think to do so. we recently had a thread on tipping for take out. Most agree that it is important to do so.

I think $6.00 automatically added on to a $30.00 take-out order is high; packaging up a take-out order, ringing it up and handing it off does not seem like an ongoing customer service operation of maintaining people's drinks, refilling chips & salsa, replacing utensils, etc. as involved in waiting on a table.

This sounds to me like they were charging you for an upgrade to "cheese dip" or "queso dip" as opposed to shredded cheese. In a partial defense of LaCocina, my experience is that most Mexican restaurants implement this substitution upcharge; my wife usually requests cheese dip on top of a burrito instead of the standard shredded cheese and red sauce. That being said, most places charge $1.00 for the sub, but considering most places charge $3-$4 for an order of cheese dip with your chips and salsa and LaCocina charges $6+ for an order w/ your chips & salsa, I guess they adjust the add-on accordingly. Must be some really expensive ingredients in their cheese dip. We've eaten lunch at LaCocina a few times, and for my wife, 5-yr old daughter and I, it's run from $50-$60. It does seem high considering we usually pay $60 - $80 for seafood DINNER at Stinky's Capt. Anderson's, Red Bar, etc. for all of us when at the beach.



I think $6.00 automatically added on to a $30.00 take-out order is high; packaging up a take-out order, ringing it up and handing it off does not seem like an ongoing customer service operation of maintaining people's drinks, refilling chips & salsa, replacing utensils, etc. as involved in waiting on a table.

yes, I normally tip $5 for typical take out so the $6 doesn't bother me... still, it seems like it would be best if restaurants would leave it up to the customer.

At some point, an employer should decide what his employees should be paid. Aside from the incredibly annoying tip jars, the autotip, the expected 20% tacked on to an already expensive bottle of wine (assuming you pick it yourself), and a hand out in every direction, tipping is incredibly economically inefficient. It makes zero sense that more and more businesses are slumping towards that sort of compensation.

At some point, an employer should decide what his employees should be paid. Aside from the incredibly annoying tip jars, the autotip, the expected 20% tacked on to an already expensive bottle of wine (assuming you pick it yourself), and a hand out in every direction, tipping is incredibly economically inefficient. It makes zero sense that more and more businesses are slumping towards that sort of compensation.

We won't be back to that restaurant. Plus the food was just okay. We're not the only ones who think so -- even during spring break we didn't see people lined up to dine there.

I can see having a tip tacked on at Taco Bar. The customer pays up front at the counter, and because it's an outdoor restaurant, it's easy for a customer to just walk after eating without leaving a tip or someone strolling by and picking up a tip left on the table.

I can also see having a tip tacked on for takeout at Pizza Bar, at least during spring break and in the summer. The bartenders are scurrying around preparing drinks for the diners in the restaurant plus at the bars, and somehow have to also manage answering the phone for takeout orders and packing up such orders. I don't really see how they do it on busy nights.

Thanks for the heads up....that 3 Dollar Change Fee alone for them microwaving your cheese for all of 10 seconds will make me never go there...that's borderline offensive

Wait just a minute. You want a different kind of cheese on your sandwich- what do you think this is? -A restaurant???!!!!!!! lol

I'm not going to name the eatery in question, but it has been named above. I picked up my order at 9:30 PM and the place was very quiet. I don't accept the fact that 'the computer is programmed to tack on a tip' as an excuse to do so. When I worked in the restaurant bidness, we used a pencil, paper and calculator to figure out what someone owed. It isn't asking too much, IMHO, to apply a good old #2 pencil to paper for carry outs, at least orders that are not gigantic. Mine consisted of three containers in one normal bag. For the record, I do usually tip for carry out service, but not always, and it is usually a few dollars and not a strict 15 or 20%.