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03-31-2014 09:35 PM
Sorry for the O/T - but there are always so many members on this Board that I thought I'd get some good input --
I invited a friend for lunch to celebrate her birthday at one of my favorite restaurants. The restaurant is a take-off of a Paris bistro…..tablecloths, linen napkins, the music, the décor, the servers wear those long white aprons that are tied at the waist. Prices are relatively high (glass of wine=$8.00) but it was a special occasion and great change of pace to eat someplace that always reminds me of a more gentile and civilized time in life.
As I looked around, the clientele was mostly women. I normally go to this place for dinner at which time the clientele is a combo of men and women and last time I was there was about 4 months ago.
My friend and I ordered relatively high priced entrees. She also ordered champagne and we both had a dessert. Our waiter was great. I was already thinking that I’d be tipping him more than the standard percentage because of his wonderful service.
I get the bill and at the bottom there is printed:
“As a service to our customers, we recommend the following gratuity for your server
18% of $76.50 is $xxxx
19% of $76.50 is $xxxx
20% of $76.50 is $xxxx”
(sorry, there were dollar amounts where I put the "x" but can't calculate as I'm writing this)
I had to look at it twice to make sure that I wasn’t delusional. I took out my pen and wrote next to this directive the following: “VERY OFFENSIVE”
I actually wound up leaving our waiter a 22% tip but had to REALLY think hard about that – my thought after reading that message was to just leave $0 tip but felt that it wasn’t the waiter’s fault that the restaurant owners (an investment group) are idiots.
Is this something new in restaurants? Was I being too thin-skinned?
Seriously, we are now being told how much to tip?
03-31-2014 09:39 PM
03-31-2014 09:39 PM
03-31-2014 09:40 PM
03-31-2014 09:42 PM
03-31-2014 09:42 PM
03-31-2014 09:42 PM
I don't like the tip being mentioned on the bill, either, & I think that is particularly tacky. A tip is supposed to be a "gift" for good service. Papa John's Pizza box says something about being sure to tip your driver for their extraordinary service & I think "It's a dude that drives to my house & drops a pizza off. It's nice, but it's not all that extraordinary.".
03-31-2014 09:42 PM
03-31-2014 09:43 PM
Actually the thought that some people may be "mathematically challenged" did occur to me and I always have to use my calculator app on my cellphone to figure out the tip.
But it also occurred to me that with most people having cellphones now - especially i-phones or androids, a calculator app is standard on these phones.
Guess I am too thin-skinned.
03-31-2014 09:45 PM
The restaurant was attempting to make calculating tipping easier and probably an option with the computer system. Many people don't know how to tip these days other than a few dollars, even at nice restaurants. This is a trend in our so called developed country. I was reading a news article that compared our education and expectations from businesses of college graduates to that of INDIA, a not quite developed country. We are at the bottom of developed countries such that are more readily compared to undeveloped countries instead of our contemporary powers. This is our society.
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