Had lunch with some friends at a local dining establishment this afternoon. I usually pay with a debit card but today I had cash in my pocket so that's what I used. The waitress collected all our checks at the same time and brought them all back to the table at the same time. When she laid mine down, it was missing the silver and so it was for the other 3 guys at the table that paid cash. They didn't notice until I pointed it out. Collectively, she got us for a total of $2 dollars. I know it doesn't sound like much, just a half a buck each but, it's not the first time this establishment has allowed this practice.

I had a run in with them a year or so ago on the same topic. I noticed I would get shorted on the silver, no matter what the amount of the check when I paid cash. I contacted the corporate headquarters who assured me that was not the company policy. They put me in contact with the local manager who assured me it was not company policy but that it had been accepted practice but he thought it had stopped. I protested the fact that it was theft, just the same as if the money was removed from their cash register. The manager told me he had addressed it previously and he assumed it had stopped but there was an employee meeting coming up and he would deal with it then, and it would stop. As a result of this, it did stop.

Now, the practice of stealing from their customers has resumed and I'm pretty fired up. Before you answer, please take a moment to look at some numbers. Let's assume a member of the wait staff clips all the cash customers for an average of $.50 like we were done. If they worked the heavy traffic hours like lunch and supper, or the week ends, and had an average of 40 cash customers a day, that's $20. Work five shifts a week, now we're talking $100. Work 50 weeks in a year, that's $5000.00 and this is just one staff member!!! That's a pretty good scam in my opinion. So my question is, what to do next? I've talked to them on a local level and a corporate level. My feeling is take it public. What say you?

 

This is easy! Next time you pay with cash, pay in the smallest denominations possible and short them 50 cents or a buck. When they come back to the table to tell you, inform them that you're just putting into practice what you learned from them in the first place. Problem solved!

 

News Time T-Rex...

 

I ALWAYS tip big, I know these restaurant employees rely on tips to make their wages, having said that I would go ballistic if they steal from me. Let me give it to you but woe to those that try to take it!

Call the news, Call the Corporate office, call the Manager...just don't call me

 

Well fine!

Just for that, I'm ordering another 40 feet of surgical tubing and having it shipped to your neighbors..................on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors.

 

This has happened on occation to me too. if she hijacks the change, thats her tip. if not, Ill throw a couple bucks down.
most of the places I have been lately have moved to a front register. the chains are the only places that seem to want to continue to run off with your money and card to some unknown location to write down all the information.

 

I could be wrong on this but here is what I think is going on. They are rounding up or down your bill. I have seen this happen and was told this is what was going on. Supposedly it keeps them from having to carry as much change, it's faster for them, etc. I don't think it is right but I'm sure they are being told to handle the bills this way.

Good luck, Tony

 

They're "rounding" all right. It's their choice to give me the extra pennies to save a bunch of change at the table but to round up and take money they are not due is just stealing.

 

I would have said something on the spot and asked for my correct change and left with out tipping. I usually tip well(20% or more sometimes) but that would tick me off.

 

Agreed!!!!! That is exactly what I would have done in a nice way. But NO TIP.

 

I am a little perplexed here. You are a former LEO and you are asking our advice?

Stated with respect as a question not an accusation.

 

I agree with that.

Also, if I had the time, I would stand outside the restaurant in a public area and hold up a sign that said something to the effect of "My money was stolen from a server here." Something like that. Get a couple of my buddy's to help. Call the news station. Get some negative publicity.

That, or just quit eating out. I thought you were broke!!!! Man, I ain't ate out in months...

 

I have to ask (not being disrespectful, I'm just curious) but if you noticed your change being short after paying your bill why didn't you just ask for the manager right then and there?

I hate saying it, but that's theft ..... and that place is encouraging it.

And if corporate and local management won't fix it, then send them a nice letter stating you'll be contacting the local news station about the complaints they aren't willing to address.



Kris

 

Tim, I'm about as reasonable a person as there is but I'm mad right now. I need to calm a bit before I act so I figured I'd throw it out here and see what you guys think. Maybe I'm missing a piece of the puzzle that y'all will see.

I am, but lunch on the cheap menu is $6.53. How much is a keg?

Kris, it was fixed for a while. Before I accuse anyone publicly, I have to be sure it's not just that one waitress. I'm going to have to dig a little more.

 

Ahh, got it. Good luck brother.