Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 21:26:05 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2013 22:51:13 GMT -5
Every year during the Christmas season we buy tickets at the Comedy Club for us and my son and his wife. We went tonight and had the worst server ever! Believe it or not, I asked her why she was staring at me like that while I was trying to order. It was as if she couldn't believe what I was ordering (a cheese burger with fries straight off the menu with no changes). It was just ODD and really disconcerting the way she stared at me. I asked her if I was ordering incorrectly or something. (I hardly ever drink outside my home so it was definitely her and not me.) My husband asked for an extra pickle chip, and she said, "I'll have to see if I can ring that up." Yes, she charged us 50 cents for a pickle chip. My son asked for a refill of diet coke, and she said, "But I just brought you one" and stared at him as if he was weird. As "guests," we found ourselves defensive whenever we made a request. The worst part was that we gave her our credit card, and it took 30 minutes to get it back. The show was over and the rest of the crowd had exited, but the half-tier she served were ALL waiting to get our credit cards back. My husband actually asked to speak to the manager because, as he said, he would like to leave before the next show started. Yes, she sounds as if she is obviously new. She also has no potential for the food service industry. I've had inexperienced servers before, but they are actually usually just slower and a little unsure while being very accommodating because they are looking forward to a tip. But a 20% tip was automatically added to your bill. Then they add a tip line so the inebriated or the non-observant can tip again. This was not a large party. It was two couples with separate bills. I was neither inebriated or non-observant, merely pissed. I found myself very resentful of that automatic tip. This time it wasn't a case of the food being bad or a situation being beyond the server's control. It was bad service. It was really bad service. Both my DIL and I are, um, bitching about having to tip her at all. I never use words like that. See how angry she made me?
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 21:26:05 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2013 22:57:57 GMT -5
I wouldn't have tipped. And the behaviour you are describing sounds like she was on drugs of some kind.
|
|
Nazgul Girl
Junior Associate
Babysitting our new grandbaby 3 days a week !
Joined: Dec 25, 2010 23:25:02 GMT -5
Posts: 5,913
Today's Mood: excellent
|
Post by Nazgul Girl on Dec 7, 2013 22:59:23 GMT -5
No, I wouldn't have tipped for treatment like that. I hate stupidity.
|
|
taz157
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 20:50:06 GMT -5
Posts: 12,934
|
Post by taz157 on Dec 7, 2013 23:02:01 GMT -5
to both replies
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 21:26:05 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2013 23:33:39 GMT -5
to both replies X 2
|
|
ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ
Community Leader
♡ ♡ BᏋՆᎥᏋᏉᏋ ♡ ♡
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 16:12:51 GMT -5
Posts: 43,130
Location: Inside POM's Head
Favorite Drink: Chilled White Zin
|
Post by ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ on Dec 8, 2013 0:14:15 GMT -5
I wouldn't have tipped either under the circumstances. How can a restaurant automatically add a 20% gratuity to the bill? It's up to the customer if they want to tip the server (or not). They (you) are already paying for the meal - if the service is crappy, why should you be "obliged to pay 20%?
I wouldn't have tipped. And the behaviour you are describing sounds like she was on drugs of some kind. Why would you assume she's on drugs?? It sounds like the server was just a bitch who hated her job - or was totally incompetent.
|
|
tcu2003
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 31, 2010 15:24:01 GMT -5
Posts: 4,955
|
Post by tcu2003 on Dec 8, 2013 0:22:06 GMT -5
I wouldn't have tipped. Did the manager come to your table when you asked to speak to him? If so, I would have asked him to remove the gratuity included on the bill.
|
|
midjd
Administrator
Your Money Admin
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 14:09:23 GMT -5
Posts: 17,720
|
Post by midjd on Dec 8, 2013 11:32:27 GMT -5
That's why I hate the auto grat! We went out with a group of 8 others last summer...it took 20 minutes for the server to come to our table (even though it was 2pm and not crowded at all). When everyone else's food came out, she informed me that what I'd ordered wasn't available and did I want to order something else? I ended up eating DH's fries because i didn't want to wait another hour for food. And for that, we were all charged 20% extra.
|
|
NoNamePerson
Distinguished Associate
Is There Anybody OUT There?
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 17:03:17 GMT -5
Posts: 26,212
Location: WITNESS PROTECTION
Member is Online
|
Post by NoNamePerson on Dec 8, 2013 13:39:19 GMT -5
I would be concerned about it taking so long to ring up my credit card. And no I wouldn't have left a tip.
|
|
Miss Tequila
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 10:13:45 GMT -5
Posts: 20,602
|
Post by Miss Tequila on Dec 8, 2013 14:53:52 GMT -5
I would have complained to the manager and demanded that the auto-tip was removed. I find it appalling that any establishment would include an auto-tip
|
|
busymom
Distinguished Associate
Why is the rum always gone? Oh...that's why.
Joined: Dec 25, 2010 21:09:36 GMT -5
Posts: 29,228
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"https://cdn.nickpic.host/images/IPauJ5.jpg","color":""}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 0D317F
Mini-Profile Text Color: 0D317F
|
Post by busymom on Dec 8, 2013 14:57:40 GMT -5
I'd contact the establishment, & ask for my tip to be refunded. It's one thing for a place to be busy, but quite another for the server to be rude. (Hopefully they'll refund the entire meal.) BTW, keep an eye on your credit card statement. Maybe she was in back copying the information off of all of those credit cards.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 21:26:05 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2013 20:36:10 GMT -5
Busysantamom, that was exactly what was going through my mind with the 30-minute wait on the credit card returns. DH promised to watch the account, but he said since so many accounts were waiting for their CC (we are talking about at least 50 people but probably 25 couples), DH chalked it up to the worst server ever.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,912
|
Post by zibazinski on Dec 9, 2013 7:56:12 GMT -5
Not only would I not have tipped, I'd have notified the manager way before the end of the meal. That food is usually pretty subpar anyway as well as overpriced.
|
|
xia
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 3, 2011 9:17:22 GMT -5
Posts: 155
|
Post by xia on Dec 9, 2013 8:06:41 GMT -5
No, I would not have tipped at all plus I would write official complain letter to the management of the establishment. I also hate auto-tip, it’s basically carte blanche for a server to blow off service. The expectance of a tip is bad enough but to automatically choose for you how much you tip…. Wow rude, rude, rude.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,912
|
Post by zibazinski on Dec 9, 2013 8:12:15 GMT -5
These are the same places that make you drink a two drink minimum, each. We have one just like it in Tampa but they get great comics so we go.
|
|
Miss Tequila
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 10:13:45 GMT -5
Posts: 20,602
|
Post by Miss Tequila on Dec 9, 2013 8:31:51 GMT -5
These are the same places that make you drink a two drink minimum, each. We have one just like it in Tampa but they get great comics so we go. Since when is drinking 2 drinks a hardship? That's pretty much a given
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,912
|
Post by zibazinski on Dec 9, 2013 9:14:07 GMT -5
DF doesn't drink so the 4 are on me and I'm not capable of handling 4 without serious issues! Plus, they a SO strong. I tried rum and comes one time and I had to have two cokes to get down one drink! Lightweight!
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,912
|
Post by zibazinski on Dec 9, 2013 9:14:27 GMT -5
Rum and coke.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 21:26:05 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2013 10:32:22 GMT -5
No, I would not have tipped at all plus I would write official complain letter to the management of the establishment. I also hate auto-tip, it’s basically carte blanche for a server to blow off service. The expectance of a tip is bad enough but to automatically choose for you how much you tip…. Wow rude, rude, rude. I was a real wimp a couple of months ago. We went with a large group to a Greek restaurant, so they did add the gratuity. Service wasn't great and the owner was overbearing- liked the sound of his own voice, acted as MC for the band, kept telling us when to shout "Opa!" (I don't need anyone to tell me when to be exuberant, thanks.) The server told one of our party that tzatziki was made with sour cream. Huh? I don't have a drop of Greek blood in me and I know it's made with yogurt. DH went to the car early because it was so noisy it hurt his ears (he has tinnitus). We waited for our checks. And waited. And waited. They finall arrived and she disappeared before I could hand mine back with my credit card. So I waited some more. Finally, I got sick of it and removed the credit card, threw in more than enough cash (I didn't have smaller bills), and left. The members of our group who waited said she did come back with the change. I just figured it was a "get out of jail" payment. But I gave them a really crappy review on TripAdvisor, with details.
|
|
NomoreDramaQ1015
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 14:26:32 GMT -5
Posts: 48,082
|
Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Dec 9, 2013 10:40:06 GMT -5
I went to a comedy club once. What a racket! 2 drink minimum, I drank soda and I was charged $8!!. Then on top of that there was an automatic gratuity. I've never been back to one.
I would have contested the tip. Automatic gratuties can be removed, I did it several times when I was a server.
Two pennies would have been left by my cup but I doubt she'd get the message.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 21:26:05 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2013 10:43:29 GMT -5
Zib, our comedy club has a $5 minimum per guest. The food, though, is so terrible that most people would rather drink.
The comic was good, though.
|
|
sarcasticgirl
Junior Associate
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 14:39:51 GMT -5
Posts: 5,155
Location: Chicago
|
Post by sarcasticgirl on Dec 9, 2013 12:11:15 GMT -5
I wouldn't have tipped... and I certainly would contact the manager. did you speak with him/her? what did they have to say?
|
|
Abby Normal
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 22, 2010 12:31:49 GMT -5
Posts: 3,501
|
Post by Abby Normal on Dec 9, 2013 16:36:12 GMT -5
I would not have tipped. But a little side story- I went into a bakery a few weeks ago and the woman behind the counter was staring at me from the moment we entered. It was really weird. I'm trying to place my order- and she just kept staring. She's noticeably distracted - even my DS noticed it. She's packaging the items up and she finally says " Forgive me. I love your hair and I'm trying to figure out how to get mine to do that."
Yep- she got a tip in the jar.
|
|
|
Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 9, 2013 16:52:25 GMT -5
I hate the auto grat because it seems like an excuse for crappy service.
This fall, TD and I met some friends in Seattle for a couple days. We broke apart according to interests so the groups were fairly equal. My group was waiting at a restaurant acing wine and apps while waiting for the others to come back and the 4 of us got fantastic service. A couple hours later, all of us (there were 7) decided to go back for dinner.
Same restaurant, same density of diners, hell, we even had the same server! We had utterly crappy service, and I noticed that the wait staff (including our waiter) was waaay more attentive to smaller tables than they were to the 2 larger tables in the restaurant where they were getting an auto grat.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Dec 9, 2013 20:02:01 GMT -5
I'm not a fan of auto grat but understand why it exists for larger parties.
I used to be a waitress in college and inevitably with a large group one or two families would "forget" to calculate the tax and tip so someone would be counting the dollars at the end when everyone has left and realize they've come up short.
I worked Bob Evans on the weekends and would spend 1/2 of my shift covering one large group taking all the tables in my station. 2-3 hours worth of work for a $5-7 tip on a $150 tab? Ummm, no (and I was a helluva good waitress). That's why I got into the kitchen/dishroom as quick as I could.
|
|
|
Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 9, 2013 20:25:02 GMT -5
I'm not a fan of auto grat but understand why it exists for larger parties. I used to be a waitress in college and inevitably with a large group one or two families would "forget" to calculate the tax and tip so someone would be counting the dollars at the end when everyone has left and realize they've come up short. I worked Bob Evans on the weekends and would spend 1/2 of my shift covering one large group taking all the tables in my station. 2-3 hours worth of work for a $5-7 tip on a $150 tab? Ummm, no (and I was a helluva good waitress). That's why I got into the kitchen/dishroom as quick as I could.
I'd have no problem with an auo grat if the quality of service remained the same. Unfortunately, IME that is not the case and when there is a disparity of service that is easily recognizable to those of us at the larger table, you get the idea that the waitstaff is going to do the absolute minimum. This is not the first time that it has happened to me, but the most recent and most glaring disparity.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,912
|
Post by zibazinski on Dec 9, 2013 20:29:26 GMT -5
I've had autograt and never had bad service.
|
|
TheOtherMe
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 14:40:52 GMT -5
Posts: 28,088
Mini-Profile Name Color: e619e6
|
Post by TheOtherMe on Dec 9, 2013 22:36:03 GMT -5
We had the automatic grat once where the service was so poor that we requested the manager and had it removed. I would not hesitate to do it again.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Dec 10, 2013 7:20:51 GMT -5
Nope, I get it and understand. I agree the level of service SHOULD be the same.
Unfortunately what happens is often not what should happen. Let's say my station had 6 tables each seating 4 people. Normally all six would not be seated at once so I'd have a chance to stagger getting tickets in, getting drinks, refills, clearing plates, etc. In other words, a chance to provide good service on a rotating basis.
Now have a large family come for Grandma's birthday - 24 people who take up my whole station. We have loud kids, people trying to have a conversation across a large table. 24 drink orders, food orders at once. There is no way to get 24 plates of food out at the same time without help, which (stupidly) was not the way were were set up. So someone's food would get cold and maybe I don't get some glasses refilled quickly enough (eveyone is eating/drinking on the same schedule). Now if my friend is working we've got each other's backs and help serve and refill drinks, but that is a rarity.
I think multiple servers should serve large parties. If it's only one person all the table is going to remember is who's food was cold, who's drink was late, etc. After all, why should I tip for bad service?
Have this happen enough times and yes, even the best of servers will not bust ass on a big table, because you almost NEVER make a decent tip on one.
In the above case, it was Grandma's b-day, they were there for almost three hours (three turnovers) I did have my friend helping and the total tip was less than $15 on a tab over $150 (there were a lot of kid's plates). Split with my friend we made less than $2.5 an hour. That was the last Sunday I worked on the floor.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,912
|
Post by zibazinski on Dec 10, 2013 8:18:11 GMT -5
Your manager should have stepped in on that one. DD served and large parties, over 8, always had two servers, and the manager told them (the party) that service would be added. Manager also helped with table when he could. Manager also helped hostess when he could. In other words, he was a good manager. DD loved working there and they loved her. Mid priced steak joint. DD always got more than the auto grat anyway. Not a ton more but some, like if bill came to $193 with tip, she'd get $200. Something like that. She liked big parties but she wasn't the only server, either. You want to be a server, get used to it. She also had an old couple who would come in every week, eat in her section the same thing every week, and tip her $2 every week. She loved them and could have cared less. She said it always evened out and as long as she made $10 an hour,it was all good.
|
|