[Tyga11]

My wife is planning a celebration of life ceremony for her Uncle who passed away from cancer. We toured a restaurant a few days ago and had a few appetizers / drinks at the bar when we were finished with the tour.

The total bill was $34. I left an $11 tip and the bartender changed my tip to $16 for some reason. He was a nice guy but this is a brand new restaurant and the bar was extremely slow so now I'm wondering if he made a mistake or he did it maliciously.

It makes me question the restaurants' integrity because I can't recall ever having my tip changed while eating out.

Would you all tell your SO or let it go? I'm not worried about the $5 but I am worried about this place doing something shady as they feel compelled to add $5 to a small bill

[kscarrol]

I would let it go but never go back.

[M_Six]

That's screwed up. $11 on a $34 bill is very generous tip. His added $5 makes it nearly 50%, which is way overboard.

As far as doing something about it? I suppose you could dispute it with your cc company. See if they have any sort of copy of the bill the restaurant submitted. It would at least give them a heads up about the place if other folks using the same bank's cc complain about the same restaurant.

[Tommy-G]

I wouldn’t say anything but if I did, she wouldn’t throw a fit. I know sometimes it’s hard to read the tip if the paper gets wet or what have you.
If you liked the spot, give it another try. If it happens again, speak with management. I make sure to ALWAYS take the 2nd receipt copy so they can’t fill that one in and toss my original, that’s apparently common.

[Our03z4]

Originally Posted by Tommy-G

I wouldn’t say anything but if I did, she wouldn’t throw a fit. I know sometimes it’s hard to read the tip if the paper gets wet or what have you.
If you liked the spot, give it another try. If it happens again, speak with management. I make sure to ALWAYS take the 2nd receipt copy so they can’t fill that one in and toss my original, that’s apparently common.

Yikes, sorry to say I've never thought of that. I always leave the other copy with the pile of papers. We eat out almost daily so it would be quite a bit to keep around.

OP, I would let it go but like others said I wouldn't go back. Not sure how you could get a 6 from a 1 or even fat finger it on the key pad. Might do it all the time thinking some one won't catch it, sadly I wouldn't.

[jsf721]

This is something new I’ve noticed post Covid shutdown and the reopening up restaurants. I don’t know if people feel entitled to more money or they’re just so tight that screwing the next guy has become common practice I now check to see if my credit card receipts to compare to my app on my phone the following day.

I’ve had this happen two or three times.
And thought perhaps I made the mistake ? Keeping eye on it.

[Tyga11]

The reason I'm asking if I should 'let it go' or not is she is going with her Aunt to the restaurant on Friday. If her Aunt likes the restaurant, they will go with it for the Celebration of Life. The rough quote she has is a minimum $3K food & beverage. She's thinking the total bill will be around $6K.

This is a 2 month old restaurant down in Tempe on a very nice lake. The food was awful by the way, but the restaurant is very nice. The place was empty on the inside which is why I'm thinking it was a rogue bartender but I can't remember the last time I've had a tip changed on me

[tcphoto]

I worked in the Industry for a long time and every restaurant I worked at would fire me on the spot for changing a tip, it is a crime. I would go in and show them the discrepancy and expect to have it corrected or comped completely.

[kscarrol]

Ahh, now hearing about aunt and wife going back, potentially choosing this place, I would go speak with the manager as long as you have your copy of the receipt showing the $11 tip. And I would tell the wife so she is aware of the incident and how the manager handles it.

[Minacious]

It's not about the amount of money, it is the principal of the matter. Letting it go is easy enough, but letting it go also allows nonsense like this to continue. If you have the proof in hand to show the change in amount, address it with management.

Perhaps there was an error somewhere, doubtful, but possible. If the more likely scenario of a bartender who felt they deserved more than your already generous tip is what transpired, they need to be canned promptly. I'd like to think this is the last thing a new restaurant wants taking place.

[Jbrown7403]

“ The food was awful by the way” + your very generous tip was manipulated = never go back!

[cooolone2]

Let's look at it another way... What if the bill was $340 and the barkeep added a $160 tip... That would've raised your eyebrows, no?

Would that be ok?

Don't marginalize it because it was peanuts, theft is theft! And if he's doing it to you, he's doing it to others as well. I don't think it was a mistake because the original charge ($34)...

A few bucks means nothing, but the principal of it requires that something be said, if not for you, for others! And yeah, I wouldn't go back anyways, fool me once shame on YOU! I'm not allowing a repeat offense. I would call the place and question the charge. And I would also notify the CC company to the appropriate charge you signed for. And lastly, there is always hope that Karma find all who deserve it!

Regards

[Mein11]

Originally Posted by Onesie

Could it have been misinterpreted? A 1 that looked like a 6?

Doubt it, I write like a chimpanzee with tremors and have never had a bill/tip discrepancy.

OP can slash a tire and leave a note that says "thanks for the extra tip". Eye for an eye.

[M5Rick]

Easy just don't tip in the first place what's with this tipping just for drinks anyway, we don't tip in pubs and bars here and in restaurants they add optional service charge and I pay in money.

[Th3Walrus]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Easy just don't tip in the first place what's with this tipping just for drinks anyway, we don't tip in pubs and bars here and in restaurants they add optional service charge and I pay in money.

It's different here. Servers in North America are generally paid less than minimum wage, and rely on the tips to make a living wage.

OP.. maybe the place adds an automatic 15% gratuity? 15% x $34 = $5.10. Maybe that's where the extra $5 came from? But then it should have already been in the $34.

[hubbahubba]

If you dispute the charge with your CC company, the burden of proof falls to the restaurant. The CC will notify the restaurant in writing, and then the restaurant (should have) saved the hard copy, which they then submit back to the CC. If they do not have it or do not respond, $5 heading your way. I understand it's not about the $5, but then the restaurant will have notice of what may have transpired, and who is doing what to their customers, and hopefully take the appropriate action with the employee. As a restaurant owner in Mesa, I would want to know. Also as a restaurant owner in Mesa, we would love to have your celebration of life party. Breakfast or lunch time? (Shameless plug)

[Tommy-G]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

This is a 2 month old restaurant down in Tempe on a very nice lake. The food was awful by the way, but the restaurant is very nice.

HOLD ON! You just changed my whole opinion here. I'm out! If the food is horrible there is no scenery nice enough for me to pay $3k-$6k

[RickFLM4]

I can see a 1 looking like a 6 is written in haste. But I can't see a $45 total looking like $50. Even if you don't have the receipt, I'd say something to the manager, not necessarily to get the $5 back, but in case others have complained and to see his reaction. The manager should be able to check into it. If the manager doesn't act like an asshole about it, I wouldn't let the incident interfere with plans. But if the family uses the restaurant for the ceremony, scrutinize the bill and keep a copy.

[miiipilot]

FIRST...has the CC transaction POSTED to your CC account or is it still in a PENDING state?
If it is pending, please wait until it posts to see what the total is. A lot of times, especially due to gratuities, the pending transaction is different than the posted transaction.

If Posted, and as a restaurant manager, I would implore you to call and speak to the manager. Give them a chance to make it right. How THEY handle it should guide you in ever going back to the restaurant

In my state, we are required to keep CC records, including the signed slips.
Just, calmly, let them know that there was a discrepancy on the bill. They should have the paper CC slip and the electronic data in their PoS system.

Give them the chance to look into it and correct it.

Yes, there are greedy unscrupulous people in the business, but intentionally altering a CC transaction is one of the dumbest things to do. There is a paper trail.
We are all moving a thousand miles an hour and mistakes happen, dumb mistakes(brain fart/fat-fingers/fast fingers). I can go into details of all the ways this could happen. I find people on here automatically going right to "THEFT" as their first reaction really offensive and Karen-like behavior. You didn't win the lottery...CALM DOWN!
I can only recall firing an employee for CC theft only a few times in my entire career. 20+ years. I've fired more people for removing tax from a persons bill than altering a CC tip

It looks like a mistake happened at a VERY new restaurant. Opening a restaurant in this economic climate is suicide IMHO. You even said yourself, "but I can't remember the last time I've had a tip changed on me." But now you are automatically leaning to theft???

If we all want to continue to eat out, please be patient and compassionate.

[LookBothWays]

Why wouldn't you tell the SO? They ripped you off and the food sucks, something tells me you don't like the place but your SO does and you're afraid of her.

[spazzyfry123]

Sounds like $5 is a cheap price to pay to now know where not to go!

Originally Posted by Tommy-G

I make sure to ALWAYS take the 2nd receipt copy so they can’t fill that one in and toss my original, that’s apparently common.

Ditto. I ALWAYS crumble that thing up and take it with me.

[Alfisti]

This would all be avoided if tipping wasn't a thing, just sayin'.

Whole system is absolute madness, totally crazy way to pay for shit. Whatever happened to 10 to 15% anyway? Now the machine starts at 18%, like fucking really?