Crystal Bell: 'Revenge' Finale Recap: The Most Shocking Death Ever
BritChick Paris: I'm 38 and Want a Baby - Is it Too Late?
Tipping is kind of a hot-button issue here at Lemondrop, but be warned naysayers: Not tipping could land you in trouble with the law.A couple from Bethlehem, Penn., were arrested for refusing to pay an 18 percent gratuity that was included in their bill because of the size of their party. They say the service was lousy -- the appetizers took an hour, they had to get their own silverware and napkins, and refill their own drinks.
Rather than shell out the $16 they owed for gratuity, Leslie Pope and John Wagner paid for the food, drinks, and taxes, but told the bartender they wouldn't pay for the tip. Cops were called. Arrests were made.
It seems in the great debate over whether or not a person must tip for crap service, it looks like the long arm of the law gets the final say.
UPDATE: Police have decided to drop the charges against Pope and Wagner, possibly because the tip included in their bill was equal to 22 percent of their total, not 18.
Comments:
Add a comment
Tuesday 24 November
By LMC
Cheryl, don't you have minimum wage in the USA? Is that why Americans always seriously over-tip - because they expect the waiters and waitresses to be making pittance? Minimum wage over here is £4.77 an hour - that's about $7.90.
Reply
Tuesday 24 November
By lucky d
I think this is OUTRAGEOUS!! This has for a long time be an "out" for Resturant owners to get out of paying help what they are worth. If anyone should be arrested it should be them!!!
Reply
Tuesday 24 November
By clare
bluesy - you say that they can enforce it because it is written on the menu? They didnt sign anything enforcing a contractual agreement so therefore they are not required (by law) to pay. Also, a tip is something that is earned hence the better the service the higher the tip. The waiter did not uphold his/her end of the bargain so the customers do not have to uphold their end either (18%). In addition, even if the appetizers are the kitchens fault it is the responsibility of the waiter to make sure that the party is taken care of meaning they should have brought more bread, gave one free extra appetizer, etc. Lastly, a customer should NEVER have to get their own ANYTHING at a restaurant. If you want the tip because you make such a poor hourly wage then you still need to work for it!!!
Reply
Tuesday 24 November
By Kate
OK - – If the percentage was included in the bill (and the menu stated that large parties were subject to the gratuity being added to their bill) and the customer refused to pay, then in PA it’s considered theft of services and yes, you get arrested for that just like any other theft – This Restaurant is in PA – not the UK.
None of us were there – we don’t know if the customers were in fact treated badly or if they themselves were badly behaved. I have seen both happen numerous times.
I once had a guy staying at the B&B I ran almost get arrested on his wedding day because he skipped out on paying the tip at his “rehearsal dinner” at a Restaurant just down the road from the B&B – and I planned this man’s wedding and served him the whole weekend – I KNOW he was being an ass and he had his new wife-to-be in tears and almost missed his own wedding - Not to mention the 30 family and friends who almost saw him taken away in hand cuffs - because he didn’t want to tip a server that busted her ass to wait on 20 people who walked in with out a reservation 45 minutes before the kitchen closed on a Friday night– He went there because he didn’t want to pay a $50 set up and service fee at the B&B for us to serve them dinner. Some times it's the customer -
It’s probably the same guy - rone - who commented he shouldn’t have to tip – If I were you buddy I would not eat at the same place twice – If you do, trust me they know your not going to tip (and you are, I'm sure of this a PITA) and I am sure your service sucks but I am not sure and neither are you what is in the sauce or salad dressing – Golden Rule pal – Don’t mess with the people who handle your food.
Reply
Tuesday 24 November
By cheryl
If it says "optional gratuity added" the option is up to the server or not, and usually when they choose to it's so they don't get screwed and get a bad tip or no tip at all.
I don't understand why people feel they don't have to tip. If you went to get your car fixed you don't have the option of saying you don't feel like paying for the labor so you will just pay the other part of the bill. And so many other professions get tips that already get over minimum wage, and they don't have to claim any of their tips. But for some reason people think they can treat their servers like crap and not tip them.
Its a bunch of crap that the law allows us to not get minimum wage and we have to tip out to other workers if we make the money or not. They should pass a law that all bills get an automatic 18% gratuity, because even if you tip out 15%, I only get 10% after tip out. As far as everyone who says they don't tip because they don't feel the server earned it, that is a bunch of crap. If you feel that way chances are you are purposely trying to find a reason to justify not tipping, and their are plenty of times I have had tables tell me I was the best server they ever had and then leave me a 5% tip.
Reply
Tuesday 24 November
By cheryl
If the menu says "optional gratuity included", that means it is up to the server if they want to add it on or not.
I don't understand why people feel they don't have to tip. If you get your car fixed, you couldn't say you don't feel like paying for the labor so you will just pay the rest of the bill. And for everyone who says they don't tip if they feel the server didn't earn it, chances are you are making it hard on the server on purpose to justify not tipping them, and I have had many times that people tell me I was the best server they have ever had and then tip really bad if even at all.
It's a bunch of crap that there are a lot of other professions that get tips that already make over minimum wage and then don't have to claim their tips. For some reason even though my tips is the only money I make (my check is between $50 and $90 for 2 weeks) there are jerks out their that want you to treat them like they are your only customer and then won't tip you, and then I still have to tip out. There should be a law saying all checks will include an 18% gratuity, because now days even if you tip 15% I only get to keep 10% of it.
People don't seem to realize how stressful and hard it is to be a server. I have seen plenty people think that way until they try it, and then quit within 2 weeks.
Reply
Wednesday 25 November
By Stacey
I tip a MINIMUM of 20% when I go out to eat. I factor it in ahead of time... "What do I think the bill will come to, approximately? Can I afford to pay 20% on top of that? Yes? Great, let's go. No? Ok, we're not eating out tonight." Only ONCE have I left a poor tip, and that was for extremely bad service. Not just having to wait for everything, but he was rude and insulting. Blatantly rude. After the meal, I even asked the other staff if our server was new, or training... I could have been lenient if he had been. But not only was he not new, people had complained about him before. So I took a quarter and left it on the table. Before we had even made it out the door, the server took the quarter and threw it at me. Not tossed it to me, not even made a rude comment... he whipped the quarter at me. Well thank you very much, we will NOT be back.
Reply
Monday 21 December
By Tasha
I work morning shift which is the least busy part of the day. My daughter is 5 years old so while I am at work she is learning at school. I use to work night shifts where I made up to 50% more money because I was "sat" with more tables. I decided my time with my very young daughter was more valuable because from the moment she was let out of school for the day I would have to go in to work. Then when I got home she was fast asleep.
My point is I am sat with maybe 5 tables a day because of the recession. I make $2.13 an hour and if you figure out (if you're lucky) $10 a table that's only $50 a day. You say get another job but I am a single mom with very little family support. What other job would work around my daughter's school schedule? Daycare cost $120 a week where I live so I would just be wasting my money.
I say if you can"t afford to tip, then most restaurants offer a "to go" service. I find this a reasonable compromise. Because servers take turns with the customer seating, we are given the same amount of tables regardless of whether tips are given. The to go services will allow you to wait on yourself at home with the food you desire without worrying about leaving a tip. As a result we will be sat with people who can afford to leave a tip for the services provided.
Unless the waitress is just rude, you should always leave some kind of a tip because whether you leave a tip or not, we will be taxed for what the government assumes we made based on the total sales.
Reply
Thursday 31 December
By Jinx
no not paying for bad service. Also i don't think you people noticed but they were charged 22%. The company was stealing from them...
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By Alan Brockman
Tips means To Insure Proper Service! Now I am generous with tips most of the time. I always over tip when I get very good service. But if I am not the proper service that I should be getting, No smile from my Server. Just crappy service all around, then I don't leave a tip, or if I do, it will be a very small one from what I would normally leave for good service. And I do not feel guilty about it either. People have scolded me for it saying that I should have left a good tip anyway. But I don't feel that way about it and it's not their place to say. If they want to leave a big tip even though they got lousy service, that's their business, but not me! I have even stop going restaurant that have giving me lousy service. Or if I knew a Server in that would give me good service, I would always ask for that person to wait on me. So my motto is if you want a big tip from me, then you will have earn it. But if you're going to give me crappy service, If you're not going to give me a smile and make me feel welcome, if you treat me like dirt, then don't expect to get a tip from me!
Reply
Tuesday 24 August
By hjj
were i having dinner with a bunch of friends and receiving lousy service, i probably would take some action, like calling in the manager and asking for another server.gucci
Reply