Do servers not want a tip?

[kdonnel]

For the fourth time in less than two weeks I have had a restaurant server not understand how to make change when paying cash.

Most recently the bill was $37.20. I put two twenties and a ten in with the bill and specifically asked for change. I got back two ones, eighty cents, and the same ten I had put in the folder.

I had to ask again for change for the ten, strangely the server didn't seem to grasp why.

Did they expect me to tip them 27% with the ten? Or has the education system and credit cards helped raise a generation or two that can't do basic math?

 

[low-key]

Did they expect me to tip them 27% with the ten? Or has the education system and credit cards helped raise a generation or two that can't do basic math?

A combination of both them

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Our education system has failed us.

 

[luvsJack]

Perhaps she didn't understand that you wanted change for the 10 and thought it was you that couldn't do math?

 

[wilkeliza]

When I was working with money if you over paid me like that I would just give the big bill back. Nothing to do with not wanting a tip. Now if you asked me to also break the 10 into 2-5s or a 5 and 5 ones or into ones I would ablige but if it is just left in there I would think you over paid is all.

 

[usnuzuloose]

And all this new math…..yup, what good did it do? And did it teach them anything. They need to go back to basic math.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Perhaps she didn't understand that you wanted change for the 10 and thought it was you that couldn't do math?

When I was working with money if you over paid me like that I would just give the big bill back. Nothing to do with not wanting a tip. Now if you asked me to also break the 10 into 2-5s or a 5 and 5 ones or into ones I would ablige but if it is just left in there I would think you over paid is all.

The poster specifically asked for change.

 

[kdonnel]

When I was working with money if you over paid me like that I would just give the big bill back. Nothing to do with not wanting a tip. Now if you asked me to also break the 10 into 2-5s or a 5 and 5 ones or into ones I would ablige but if it is just left in there I would think you over paid is all.

In each case I have specifically asked for change as they took the money.

 

[GaryDis]

In each case I have specifically asked for change as they took the money.

Is that literally what you said? Because you got change, it just wasn't the type of change you wanted. In that situation, I would have explicitly asked to break the $10.

 

[gotomu212]

It's been 20 years since I was a waitress but even then if you said "I'd like change please" I would not have translated that to please break up my $10. I think it'd work better if you said can you break my $10 into 2 $5s or 10 $1s.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

It's been 20 years since I was a waitress but even then if you said "I'd like change please" I would not have translated that to please break up my $10. I think it'd work better if you said can you break my $10 into 2 $5s or 10 $1s.

I'm sorry but it would have been obvious to me.

It would have made no sense to me to hand him back the same bill he gave me.

 

[DLgal]

The problem with what you did is I bet some people would try to pull the whole "I gave you a twenty, not a ten." You should specify "break the ten" so both you and the server acknowledge the size of the larger bill.

 

[TraceyDisney2008]

I am server and I would break the ten for you everytime knowing that it would be part of my tip.

 

[Disneylover99]

For the fourth time in less than two weeks I have had a restaurant server not understand how to make change when paying cash.

Maybe you should bring some smaller bills with you. That's what I do. I hate waiting around for change if I'm paying with cash.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I'm absolutely positive that they simply don't want a tip. You hit the nail on the head. I'm sure it had nothing to do with confusion over your request or anything like that. I have no doubt they simply didn't want a tip and were just daring you to tip them anyways.

 

[jevs]

I'd rather they just write the amount of tip on the bill so I don't have to think about it, or tip the wrong amount and get stressed about it afterwards.

 

[gotomu212]

I'm sorry but it would have been obvious to me.

It would have made no sense to me to hand him back the same bill he gave me.

Since its happened 4 times in 2 weeks I'd say it clearly isn't as obvious to a lot of people.

 

[kdonnel]

It's been 20 years since I was a waitress but even then if you said "I'd like change please" I would not have translated that to please break up my $10. I think it'd work better if you said can you break my $10 into 2 $5s or 10 $1s.

Really?

In this case I didn't care if they brought back two fives or one five and five ones so I didn't see a need for anything more specific than I need change. I thought that would make it clear that I wanted some combination of smaller bills.

Even if I had left three twenties I would expect that someone who gets paid a tip would understand that it would be in their interest to break the twenty into atleast a ten and two fives.

 

[VillainFavs]

Well, if it's happened multiple times with multiple servers, the common denominator is your method. They did bring you change, after all. That's what you asked for, that's what you got.

I would have handed them the $40 with the bill. And then handed them the $10 separately and said, "While you're at it, could you break this for me, please."

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Really?

In this case I didn't care if they brought back two fives or one five and five ones so I didn't see a need for anything more specific than I need change. I thought that would make it clear that I wanted some combination of smaller bills.

Even if I had left three twenties I would expect that someone who gets paid a tip would understand that it would be in their interest to break the twenty into atleast a ten and two fives.

Maybe what you should say is, "If you would like a tip, please bring me change."

Then if they hand you back the exact same ten, well, just keep it. Leave the $2.70, and be done with it.