Frankie and Bennys surcharge?

[the_bloke 17]

So that's the reason you're after the refund.

 

Bingo. Not tipping, especially when a large group of people have been in (and a birthday party on top of that) is just being tight fisted.

 

Surprised F&B even have that 10+ people surcharge as an option, quite a lot of places make it obligatory.

[SnailyBoy 10]

That's the point they hadn't seen the optional bit just the menu price so when they came home and told me what they had been told as to why the bill was higher than they expected they didn't argue, maybe it's common practice because when I phoned up there was no argument I asked is it optional or compulsory the reply "optional", so I asked why were they told it was compulsory, "they shouldn't have been, would you like the money refunding to your card or collect the cash" was the immediate answer.

 

Guilty!

 

You do realise what they really think, don't you?

[the_bloke 17]

Wait; how are you going to redistribute the £1.35 to each of the 14 teenagers? Is it really worth the time and effort? What example are you setting them - if I was your child I'd be a bit embarrassed to be honest, and as another parent of one of those kids I'd be laughing.

 

Still, good luck.

[Tim1 10]

Wait; how are you going to redistribute the £1.35 to each of the 14 teenagers? Is it really worth the time and effort? What example are you setting them - if I was your child I'd be a bit embarrassed to be honest, and as another parent of one of those kids I'd be laughing.

 

Still, good luck.

 

I am afraid some people have no shame but hey he will blame the fact it's "the principal" I hope it make him feel better. Lol

[bears9h 10]

Well here's the follow up, they questioned the bill with the waiter because they were short of the final amount, he said yes you have to pay it but don't worry he would put in the short change!!! Now if that's not cheating the kids out of the money what is.

 

" oh yes I'll put the rest of my town tip in" but hey ho some people on here seem to think questioning right from wrong is wrong. That's maybe half the problem with society roll over and take a kicking.

[paranoid 10]

i always tip, unless i've had exceptionally bad service (i don't get tipped in my job either, but i'm happy to accept that it's just the way it is)

 

i gotta say, i agree with bears9h on this occassion. we're talking about 14 year old kids here at a birthday party. any reasonable adult waiting on them would have said "look, there's a 10% charge added automatically to the bill because you're a group of over 10 people, but don't worry about it"

 

it sounds like not only did they fail to point this out to the kids, they actually tried to hide it from them. that IS NOT good sevrice so i think bears9h has a fair point

[bears9h 10]

i always tip, unless i've had exceptionally bad service (i don't get tipped in my job either, but i'm happy to accept that it's just the way it is)

 

i gotta say, i agree with bears9h on this occassion. we're talking about 14 year old kids here at a birthday party. any reasonable adult waiting on them would have said "look, there's a 10% charge added automatically to the bill because you're a group of over 10 people, but don't worry about it"

 

it sounds like not only did they fail to point this out to the kids, they actually tried to hide it from them. that IS NOT good sevrice so i think bears9h has a fair point

I'm glad someone half agrees, I also tip when I go for a meal IF I GET MORE THAN I EXPECT SERVICE, the point is it is optional they were told they had to pay and that as they were short the waiter would make up the difference.

 

The bill was £189 + 10% optional , Around £208 they questioned this the waiter said no they had to pay, they only had £205, the waiter said don't worry I'll put the extra £3.00 in. Well that was good of him considering he was going to get the £19.00 back!!

[sgtkate 10]

A bit torn on this one. I dislike the practice of adding a service charge to the bill as it puts pressure on to pay it, and actually I might have given more than 10% but if it's on the bill they lose that!

 

However, surely it's common practice to tip and perhaps the kids should have considered that when they maxed out their food orders based on what they could afford...then again, I highly doubt I'd have even considered that when I was 14 so perhaps I'm being a bit unduly harsh...

[byeo 10]

However, surely it's common practice to tip and perhaps the kids should have considered that when they maxed out their food orders based on what they could afford...then again, I highly doubt I'd have even considered that when I was 14 so perhaps I'm being a bit unduly harsh...

 

BIB - Why ? The minimum wage in the US is £$7.25 which works out about £4.60 p/h. Staff working in restaurants use tips to up their wage, ok I guess they can find a better job but that's not as simple as it sounds in some circumstances.

 

We offer a better wage p/h so have never really encouraged tipping although it is creeping in and I myself have tipped on many occasions. Tipping should not be "common practice" and only given if the customer feels that they have had great service from the waiter/waitress.

[sheffbag 237]

I can perfectly see where Bear is coming from especially if the service person told them that the charge was compulsory. that's poor service and doesn't deserve a tip at all.

 

I would also question the "10 person =10%" rule. The waiter/waitress could serve 10 people across 3 tables or 10 people on 1 so why do the ones on a single table getting penalised with a charge that most people wouldn't challenge yet ones on other tables don't.

 

I will tip in places where I feel that the service has been of a quality that it deserves a reward but I choose that as the customer and both the amount I choose. I always ask if it goes to the individual or a pot. If a pot then I wont tip as why should others get the money that I intend to go to the person who served me. However, where do you draw the line at tipping? If I went to a pub for a meal would I tip there? if not then whats the difference between a reasonable pub or F&B's? where does a place become a "tipping" establishment? Do I tip the person at the chip shop? Do I tip at fast food places?

 

Tipping should be left up to the individual not imposed on a bill and then left to be challenged. I would openly refuse the item on my bill if I saw it but if I then choose to tip an amount then I would do so but it should be the customer decision.

 

The manager was completely right to offer the money back (not a refund) as the service person had told them it was compulsory when it wasn't. I'd also pull the service person in for a chat to ask why they said and remind them that their attitude to customers could affect sales.

 

---------- Post added 05-08-2015 at 12:38 ----------

 

You do realise what they really think, don't you?

I don't, what do they really think?

 

Could it be - our staff tried taking money by saying it was compulsory so they got a nice extra £15 from the party when they could have given poor service throughout the meal so who else are they doing this to and what are people saying about us?

 

OR - What a measly penny pincher for taking back what actually was theirs to give in the first place and were misled into giving.

[jamesogt 11]

BIB - Why ? The minimum wage in the US is £$7.25 which works out about £4.60 p/h. Staff working in restaurants use tips to up their wage, ok I guess they can find a better job but that's not as simple as it sounds in some circumstances.

 

We offer a better wage p/h so have never really encouraged tipping although it is creeping in and I myself have tipped on many occasions. Tipping should not be "common practice" and only given if the customer feels that they have had great service from the waiter/waitress.

 

The minimum wage does not apply to all restaurant workers in the US.

 

I know, I worked there 6.5 years. $2.05 an hour and $55k in tips The tipping system works far better for a career in catering.

 

Rough US standards are $1 a drink in a bar, 15% for average service, 20% for good service. But the fact they pay the FOH staff very little is reflected in their running costs and the prices they have to charge.

 

I knew of nightclub bar staff that were doctors by day and club staff at night as a big club could you as a barman could easily do $300 a night, cash. You are meant to declare 7% of your total sales, but as most Americans tip heavier there is a good tax free amount.

 

I rarely tip 20% in the UK for the reason I know they are paid more reasonably. If we dine as a group and the service is good I have no issue with 10%, the higher amounts have crept in from what is becoming standard in London.

 

What I do take issue with is some large restaurant chains where tip is included but NONE of it makes it to the staffs pocket, that is both misleading and wrong. They also use TRONC committees, and charge the staff sometimes up to 20% handling and management fee.

 

My biggest single tip came from Mr Bob Reece, then owner of Hershey Chocolate. A table of ten people the added tip was $336. He said it was not enough so added an additional $600, making my 6 hour shift $936, after deductions close to $650. Not bad for a nights work.

[Tim1 10]

I can perfectly see where Bear is coming from especially if the service person told them that the charge was compulsory. that's poor service and doesn't deserve a tip at all.

 

I would also question the "10 person =10%" rule. The waiter/waitress could serve 10 people across 3 tables or 10 people on 1 so why do the ones on a single table getting penalised with a charge that most people wouldn't challenge yet ones on other tables don't.

 

I will tip in places where I feel that the service has been of a quality that it deserves a reward but I choose that as the customer and both the amount I choose. I always ask if it goes to the individual or a pot. If a pot then I wont tip as why should others get the money that I intend to go to the person who served me. However, where do you draw the line at tipping? If I went to a pub for a meal would I tip there? if not then whats the difference between a reasonable pub or F&B's? where does a place become a "tipping" establishment? Do I tip the person at the chip shop? Do I tip at fast food places?

 

Tipping should be left up to the individual not imposed on a bill and then left to be challenged. I would openly refuse the item on my bill if I saw it but if I then choose to tip an amount then I would do so but it should be the customer decision.

 

The manager was completely right to offer the money back (not a refund) as the service person had told them it was compulsory when it wasn't. I'd also pull the service person in for a chat to ask why they said and remind them that their attitude to customers could affect sales.

 

---------- Post added 05-08-2015 at 12:38 ----------

 

I don't, what do they really think?

 

Could it be - our staff tried taking money by saying it was compulsory so they got a nice extra £15 from the party when they could have given poor service throughout the meal so who else are they doing this to and what are people saying about us?

 

OR - What a measly penny pincher for taking back what actually was theirs to give in the first place and were misled into giving.

 

I own a chippy. We had just short of £400 in "tips" last year it took us all out for a nice meal. We also had two grand put in our RSPCA and Poppy collection tin.