DDP tip calculations for drinks

[kvetch22]

My family and I just returned from a six-day trip on the DDP. Our last table service meal was at Ohana and I had an interesting experience paying the bill.

My table had 2 Lapu-Lapus, and this was the only time we ordered anything that was not covered by the DDP. When I got the bill, the two drinks were on it, and the 18% and 20% suggested tip amounts were calculated based on the total including the drinks. After paying that, I got a separate bill for the two drinks, and that total included the automatic 18% tip for non-DDP items, plus a separate blank line to add a tip amount. Since I'd already paid a cash tip based on the 18% amount on the first bill, I paid the gratuity on the drinks twice.

I went back and forth with the waiter a few times, including some back of the napkin math, mostly to make him understand why I wasn't going to fill in the tip amount on the bill for the drinks. If I hadn't been careful, or we'd had a 2nd round, I could have easily tipped him three times for the drinks!

Have other people had similar experiences or was this a quirk of how our bill was prepared?

 

[Calliaz]

We usually wrote in the tip when the wait person first brought the bill based on the bill total. When they came back the charge slip had the tip, drinks, and a tip line. I just wrote "paid" on the tip line for that charge slip and totalled the bill. Of course, looking back, we were never charged an automatic 18% on non-DDP purchases. I could see that throwing a wrench into the process.

 

[kvetch22]

I have to revise my original post after finding the receipt for the drinks. The extra amount on there was for the tax, not the gratuity. So I didn't double tip, but I was encouraged to. I'm curious how the bill is presented at those restaurants that always include 18% on drinks and appetizers.