Re: This is a New Trend - I Think - Page 4

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

@Fona wrote:
@chrystaltree wrote:
Why would you think it's a trend and why have your kept silent about it? Granted, it's small change but it's still your money. It's strange that it has happened to you more than once, perhaps the cashier can't count. The next time it happens, say something and in case it is a scheme, say "this has happened before". It won't happen again once they know this customer actually counts her change.
Chrystaltree: Let me explain again. As I said earlier, I think it is a trend because about three of the wait staff are doing it in the restaurant, all on separate shifts, so I am guessing they are all in on this. There is no cashier, just your own wait person taking the money. I also have always said something to them and waited for the rest of my change, so I am not letting them get away with anything.

I also think it is a trend because it is now happening in other places as well.

I have decided not to go back to that restaurant but, of course, it may now pop up in any others I go to.

Many thanks to all other posters for their timely replies.

Now it sounds like you are the one with the counting problem. This "problem" seems to follow you around and for some inexplicable and puzzling reason, you never address with the servers. Why is that? It doesn't make any sense. If I was short changed just once by as littlle as 5 cents, I would mention it. Perhaps you should carry a little calculator with you and use when you are in restaurants because this is not some "trend" and since you experience this in multiple places, it cannot always be the wait staff. That just isn't possible.

ALRATIBA · ‎07-15-2016

Where do you live? ... I'll be sure to avoid your diners/restaurants!

I've never had that happen here in NYC ... and I eat out several times a week.

Shop Till you Drop · ‎03-10-2010

We are seeing this at the majority of places we eat at these days in our area. Usually, we just do not receive any change back. It's nuts!!! At first I would ask where is my change and the waiter always responds. OH YOU WANT IT???? Yes, I want my change. Now I dont ask anymore. If you do not bring my change, I assume that is the tip amount you want and that is the tip I leave you with. If you steal my 65 or 75 cents, thats your tip...It may seem like nothing, but it is my change. You would have received a nice tip, but instead you opted for a pitiful tip. I dont mind sharing that info with them either.

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

This has been going on at several restaurants in my area for several years. I always figured it's because they don't know how to give change back so they just round it off.

It never works out to us getting more change back than we should, it always works out to us getting less than we should. I don't bother to ask for it back because by the time I explain it to them, I've wasted more time and it's worth more than the change they owe.

I drive through Starbucks almost daily for a small coffee. It was $1.85 and I always got the $.15 back. Now they raised the price to $1.95. Several times I've given them $2.00 and they hand me my coffee with no change and when I sit there looking at them, they give it to me. I'm thinking the price increase was because they are banking on the fact most people will hand them $2.00 and drive away.

Fona · ‎11-16-2011

@chrystaltree wrote:
@Fona wrote:
@chrystaltree wrote:
Why would you think it's a trend and why have your kept silent about it? Granted, it's small change but it's still your money. It's strange that it has happened to you more than once, perhaps the cashier can't count. The next time it happens, say something and in case it is a scheme, say "this has happened before". It won't happen again once they know this customer actually counts her change.
Chrystaltree: Let me explain again. As I said earlier, I think it is a trend because about three of the wait staff are doing it in the restaurant, all on separate shifts, so I am guessing they are all in on this. There is no cashier, just your own wait person taking the money. I also have always said something to them and waited for the rest of my change, so I am not letting them get away with anything.

I also think it is a trend because it is now happening in other places as well.

I have decided not to go back to that restaurant but, of course, it may now pop up in any others I go to.

Many thanks to all other posters for their timely replies.

Now it sounds like you are the one with the counting problem. This "problem" seems to follow you around and for some inexplicable and puzzling reason, you never address with the servers. Why is that? It doesn't make any sense. If I was short changed just once by as littlle as 5 cents, I would mention it. Perhaps you should carry a little calculator with you and use when you are in restaurants because this is not some "trend" and since you experience this in multiple places, it cannot always be the wait staff. That just isn't possible.

Chrystaltree: This recent post from you truly astounds me and I just do not get where you are coming from. Why are you so insistent that I didn't say anything...etc.? In BOTH of my posts (did you actually read them through?) I very plainly said that I say something and I get my change back. And No, I do NOT need to carry a calculator because my powers of reasoning are just fine, otherwise I wouldn't even notice that I had been shortchanged. That comment was rude and uncalled for.

"It cannot always be the wait staff"...? Yes, it most definitely can.

So, what is so difficult to understand about what I said in my posts, and why is this my fault? This is definitely a trend, whether you like it or not, because yes, I have noticed it in other places, too, as apparently have many other posters in this thread.

[The emphasis in your post is mine.]

Daisy Sunflower · ‎10-26-2010

@Shop Till you Drop wrote:
We are seeing this at the majority of places we eat at these days in our area. Usually, we just do not receive any change back. It's nuts!!! At first I would ask where is my change and the waiter always responds. OH YOU WANT IT???? Yes, I want my change. Now I dont ask anymore. If you do not bring my change, I assume that is the tip amount you want and that is the tip I leave you with. If you steal my 65 or 75 cents, thats your tip...It may seem like nothing, but it is my change. You would have received a nice tip, but instead you opted for a pitiful tip. I dont mind sharing that info with them either.

In that case, I would have asked for my change and I wouldn't have left a tip.

RetRN · ‎10-01-2013

I consider this to be stealing and I now make sure I have enough money and change to leave the exact amount. I really don't care if they don't like it. Alot of people are getting ripped off.

Well, of course not Chrystaltree.

ROMARY · ‎04-28-2010

I was going to say that they (some of them) probably don't know how to count change...........but, then, with all of their phones/whatevers, surely they could calculate it...........right?

'More or less', 'Right or wrong', 'In general', and 'Just thinking out loud ' (as usual).

Allegheny · ‎03-19-2010

@Lipstickdiva wrote:
This has been going on at several restaurants in my area for several years. I always figured it's because they don't know how to give change back so they just round it off.

It never works out to us getting more change back than we should, it always works out to us getting less than we should. I don't bother to ask for it back because by the time I explain it to them, I've wasted more time and it's worth more than the change they owe.

I drive through Starbucks almost daily for a small coffee. It was $1.85 and I always got the $.15 back. Now they raised the price to $1.95. Several times I've given them $2.00 and they hand me my coffee with no change and when I sit there looking at them, they give it to me. I'm thinking the price increase was because they are banking on the fact most people will hand them $2.00 and drive away.

@Lipstickdiva I think you hit the nail on the head. I don't believe its necessarily attributed to wait staff but management. Especially in an establishment as busy as Starbucks, those nickles add up.

Other places, I don't know. Neither wait staff or management should make an assumption what customers want. If they are going to round up totals to cut back on coin exchange that should be posted on the receipt. Even then I think a customer could challenge the practice.

My feeling is to bring back the proper change unless customer advises otherwise. Honesty and transparency never goes out of style and are good business models.