Gratuity Guidance Card - Interesting

[timmac]

As I was finally finishing unpacking random receipts, maps, and other such things, I came across something I had basically forgotten about. I wish I had remembered it while I was visiting, as it certainly warranted some attention.

I can't recall which restaurant we were at when I got it, but with the bill, I got what I would call a "gratuity guidance card". It's in several languages, and gives an overview of what gratuity is, and how it's typically handled in the local culture. Okay, great... it looks and reads fairly professional, and in and of itself does not strike me as distasteful in any way.

That said, there was one issue... among the text written on this card it said "No gratuity has been added to your bill." Unfortunately (can you guess where this is going?) we were a party of 7 at the time, so guess what? There had been gratuity added to the bill already. While I realize this could have been an oversight (or was it?), I was still pretty annoyed to see this. Had I not been there with me kids and was willing to spend a few extra minutes there, I'd have probably called a manager over and complained. I sort of regret now that I didn't.

I wonder how many people less fluent with the usage of KTTW card and/or adding a tip to the receipt might not think twice to see if it was already added? I know even I did a double take at my bill after reading the little insert I was given. And, I remember now... it was at Tusker House.

Thoughts?

 

[WaltD4Me]

As I was finally finishing unpacking random receipts, maps, and other such things, I came across something I had basically forgotten about. I wish I had remembered it while I was visiting, as it certainly warranted some attention.

I can't recall which restaurant we were at when I got it, but with the bill, I got what I would call a "gratuity guidance card". It's in several languages, and gives an overview of what gratuity is, and how it's typically handled in the local culture. Okay, great... it looks and reads fairly professional, and in and of itself does not strike me as distasteful in any way.

That said, there was one issue... among the text written on this card it said "No gratuity has been added to your bill." Unfortunately (can you guess where this is going?) we were a party of 7 at the time, so guess what? There had been gratuity added to the bill already. While I realize this could have been an oversight (or was it?), I was still pretty annoyed to see this. Had I not been there with me kids and was willing to spend a few extra minutes there, I'd have probably called a manager over and complained. I sort of regret now that I didn't.

I wonder how many people less fluent with the usage of KTTW card and/or adding a tip to the receipt might not think twice to see if it was already added? I know even I did a double take at my bill after reading the little insert I was given. And, I remember now... it was at Tusker House.

Thoughts?

Are you thinking that you should not have been given the card to begin with or that the card should state that the gratuity is added on parties of 6 or more?

I do think the card should state that, but I would have just thought the card was given to begin with in error...out of habit. Being given the card wouldn't upset me, I always read the check just to go over it and look to see if the gratuity has been added as it seems every restaurant has a different rule and/or policy.

 

[NC Belle]

We had trouble with knowing how and what to tip when we were in Brussels (before the Euro in 2001). I think we over tip the waiter who understood mostly Flemish and French plus my French was limited.

 

[timmac]

Are you thinking that you should not have been given the card to begin with or that the card should state that the gratuity is added on parties of 6 or more?

I do think the card should state that, but I would have just thought the card was given to begin with in error...out of habit. Being given the card wouldn't upset me, I always read the check just to go over it and look to see if the gratuity has been added as it seems every restaurant has a different rule and/or policy.

I found that in our case, it was very consistent that we had the gratuity added to our bill without fail.

Either possibility would have been fine. It just really rubbed me the wrong way because the card clearly stated "no gratuity has been added to your bill". I generally agree that it was probably just an oversight out of habit that it was included with the bill, but I'm not convinced that makes it ok either. KWIM? This was actually the ONLY time all trip I had seen such a card, so I don't know if that was something most restaurants normally give out (and I just didn't get it the other times, as would have been expected), or if most restaurants didn't give them out at all.

Even assuming this was just an oversight from habit, parties of 6 or more aren't THAT uncommon, which would lead me to believe it happened to others as well.

For the sake of the point I'm trying to make (and I'm not sure exactly what it is at this point), I'm exaggerating my feelings about it just a bit. IDK, it just really bugged me at the time to see in black and white "no gratuity has been added" when right next to it, also in black and white, was said gratuity.