Does anyone feel weird....

[birdiesunshine]

when they go to the counter to pay by credit card but left the tip in cash on the table. Sometimes the cashiers make me feel like I am cheap but I always leave 20%. It is wierd to see there face when you put an x thru the tip spot and just pay for the total on the check ....am I paranoid or do others feel this way also.

 

[jme829]

Actually I am just the opposite... I feel weird paying the tip on the cc with the rest of the bill and not on the table.. I always feel like the server is going to think we stiffed her. I'm always afraid that maybe by paying it at one time with the tab, then they won't actually give the server her tip.

 

[L107ANGEL]

Yes you are wierd!! Just kidding I have been looking for you lady, can you please PM me?

 

[birdiesunshine]

Thats so funny ...I never thought of that ..Now I don't know what to do. I am so confused

 

[DVCLiz]

I do both, but if you feel weird about it, I think a simple, "I like to tip at the table so the server doesn't have to wait - is that OK?" would let the cashier know you weren't stiffing the waiter.

 

[Stitchfans]

We always pay with our visa check card too. But we specify to the waitress that her tip will be at the cashiers desk and to make sure they give it to her. Don't want her to be stiffed afterall she is the one working her buns off.

Also specify it to delivery guys for pizza delivery, so on when paying with a personal check. People make misakes and may forget to give it to them.

 

[stacy347]

I actually just had something like this happen on Sunday. DH and I had taken the little ones to Pizza Hut to use Book-Its (also got a regular pizza of course) and while I was over at the juke-box with the kids, DH tipped the waitress in cash (handed it to her).
So when I went to pay at the counter with my CC (it was our same waitress that rang me up), I did not include a tip in the total and she actually looked a little taken aback that I left it blank. DH had just tipped her $5 on an $11 check, LOL ~ I think that was fair enough.
And yep, she knew we were together...there were only 3 tables going at that point.
Generally, I just include the tip on the CC but DH was trying to be nice because she was really a very good waitress.


I should also add that we only had the 2 little ones with us that day ~ when we have the whole family of 7 together, I always tip more than $5 even if the check isn't that expensive

 

[KAMommy]

After hearing a horror story from a friend who left the tip line blank, but it somehow got filled in for her, I started writing "on table" on the tip line. That also serves the purpose of letting the cashier know that you did leave a tip and keeps them from staring daggers at you.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

After hearing a horror story from a friend who left the tip line blank, but it somehow got filled in for her, I started writing "on table" on the tip line. That also serves the purpose of letting the cashier know that you did leave a tip and keeps them from staring daggers at you.

Yes please be careful of things like that. Always put zeros or lines or something on that line so that no one fills it in for you.

I think the waitress will appreciate the tip being on the table instead of on your cc. Because then it is in their hands and they don't have to worry. But as long as you don't stiff them you should have no worries.

Ok I have a question: When your bill ends in some small amount of cents (like 5-20) do you leave that change with your bill or do you round up? I usually will leave the change because my waitress friends say it is annoying to carry like 95cents around for the rest of their shift.

 

[rt2dz]

Restaurant pro here. Both happen often. Cashiers don't think you stiffed the server, but that you left the tip on the table. Servers don't think they were stiffed, but that you tipped on the cc. Often, they go check to see how much.

'If you feel weird about leaving the tip on the table & paying by credit card, you can always write "cash" in the tip line.

 

[Poohgirl]

I always write "cash" on the line, I am leary of leaving it blank as well.

 

[jgmklmhem]

I always write "cash" on the line, I am leary of leaving it blank as well.

I do that as well because once I put just a zero and ended up tipping $10 somehow. It was a lunch bill so it was small like $7.00. When my CC posted it as $17 I knew there was a problem. The manager refunded my $10 when I went back in to question it.

Along the same lines. I always hate when my waitress also checks me out if I am leaving the tip on the CC. I tip well but don't like the pressure of her being right there when I am filling it out.

 

[KelNottAt]

Back when I was a waitress (20 years ago), a credit card tip never delayed getting the money to me. All cc tips were cashed-out by the restaurant at the end of the shift. We always left the shift with total cash tips in our pockets.

Don't know if it's the same way today, but when I'm a customer I assume that it hasn't changed. This allows me to comfortably tip on the CC without concerns of misplaced cash (on the table, in the apron, etc.)

 

[Chicago526]

Back when I was a waitress (20 years ago), a credit card tip never delayed getting the money to me. All cc tips were cashed-out by the restaurant at the end of the shift. We always left the shift with total cash tips in our pockets.

Don't know if it's the same way today, but when I'm a customer I assume that it hasn't changed. This allows me to comfortably tip on the CC without concerns of misplaced cash (on the table, in the apron, etc.)

It was when I worked for Rain Forest Cafe in the late 90's.

Usually we pay either all cash or all credit, rarely to we mix. But we have left cash on the table and changed the tip in the past, and never gave it any thought. We tipped, and could care less what the cashier/waiter thinks. They got the money, and we have more important things to worry about then what restaurant employees think of us!

 

[Mishetta]

My DH always puts a line thru the "tip" portion & leaves a cash tip on the table. Most times, if the waitress is walking past our table again, he will even just hand it to her/him with a remark like "great service, thank you."

 

[mickeyboat]

The restaurants where I worked in the early 90's paid their credit card tips in your paychecks. So we had to claim the entire amount of the tip for tax purposes, and we were never really able to make sure we were getting the right tip amount. I hope all restaurants are not like this.

I usually lesve the tip on the card, now, because we don't carry around a lot of cash anymore.

Last night we went out to dinner. DD's tend to get upset tummies when they drink to much soda, so DD and I rushed outside to get some fresh air, while DH dealt with the check. DD#2 came out feeling bad, too and DH followed quickly behind her. When we were on the way home I asked DH if he had left a tip. Yep - a whole $5 on a $55 bill. We got great service, so I was horrified, but I didn't turn around, just in case the kids really were sick (they weren't). I plan on stopping there on the way home from work tonight to rectify the under-tip. Men!

Denae

 

[scrump]

I always write "cash" on the line, I am leary of leaving it blank as well.

This is what I do too.

 

[RickinNYC]

I almost always leave the tip in cash when/if I pay with a card. On those occasions, I just write in caps on the tip line, "CASH" so that the server knows to look for the $$ and also so that the powers that be can write in something else, i.e. a dollar amount.

 

[rt2dz]

Restaurants can pay you your tips in one of two ways. (1) They can pay you all your tips (credit card, as you would already have your cash tips) at the end of the night or (2) give you your credit card tips in your check.

Usually, if you carry your own bank, you will have your tips at the end of the night. What is really going on here is that the customer is paying you and the restaurant is simply letting you use their credit card machines. You just pay them what you owe them in cash at the end of the night, if it is negative (all credit card pay outs & then they have your tips), they pay you.

As far as claiming tips in paychecks, legally you have to claim all credit card tips regardless of which way they pay you. The restaurant is legally obligated to track the cc tips and give it to the IRS. As far as cash tabs and untipped cc slips go, you are legally obligated to claim at minimum 8% of the tab. The IRS is assuming you will get at least 10% off most checks and lowers it to 8% for the occasional no tip. Well, actually, you are supposed to claim 100%, but...

The restaurant must supply the IRS with the total of cc tips you have received and what 8% of your cash tabs & untipped cc slips are if asked. They do this if you are audited. Big trouble for the tipped restaurant employee whose numbers come in under what the restaurant reports. If the restaurant doesn't track this, they can get in big trouble with the IRS.

OK, I'm done with my restaurant-economics lesson. I just worked in the industry for 10+ years (server, manager [where I really learned how it all works], and event planner).