Not getting coins/change back at restaurant. Ne w trend?

[Music City Mama]

Maybe this has been going on for a long time but only just started happening to me. Twice in the last 2 weeks, actually.

Two weeks ago, my friend and I went to lunch. Both of us paid cash. My bill was something like $8.36, I gave $20.00 and I got back $11.00 (vs. $11.64). Same thing happened to my friend but hers came to like $8.84 and she got back $11.00 (vs. $11.16).

So instead of giving her a $2.00 tip, I only gave $1.40 (because she already took .64 from me). This is a chain restaurant, but a local chain, so I just figured that's how they did things and I wasn't going to say anything about it. Figured they knew you probably wouldn't say anything over change which is why they do it, but it still annoyed me. If anything, if they're not going to want to deal with change, they need to make it to the customer's advantage, in my opinion, not the other way around -- especially since I should have gotten back more than .50, you know?

So, anyhow, today, I took my son to the Olive Garden for lunch and the same thing happened!

Is this a new trend?! Or has it been happening all along and I've just been lucky enough for them not to have done this before now? I pay in cash at restaurants a lot, so I would have noticed -- but what a nasty coincidence for it to happen twice in such a short period of time.

Maybe other larger cities have always done this and Nashville is just now jumping on the bandwagon, but I think it's sucky.

Next time I'm saying something -- I just blew it off the first time as an isolated thing for that particular restaurant, and today I was in a big rush and had to go.

 

[happygirl]

I never heard of such a thing. I would have said something,

 

[JVelasquez]

It has happen to me before but maybe only a time or two and never really bothered me so I never said anything.

 

[dngnb8]

Tips are not mandatory. If I dont get all my money back, not only will I ask for it, I will not leave a tip. Essentially, this is like them just opening my wallet and helping them self.

 

[IUTBAM]

I rarely pay with cash at sitdown restaurants (99% of the time I use a credit card), but I definitely would have said something! That's stealing...minor...but stealing nonetheless.

 

[Disney Doll]

That does not happen in my area.

 

[daughtersrus]

Maybe this has been going on for a long time but only just started happening to me. Twice in the last 2 weeks, actually.

Two weeks ago, my friend and I went to lunch. Both of us paid cash. My bill was something like $8.36, I gave $20.00 and I got back $11.00 (vs. $11.64). Same thing happened to my friend but hers came to like $8.84 and she got back $11.00 (vs. $11.16).

So instead of giving her a $2.00 tip, I only gave $1.40 (because she already took .64 from me). This is a chain restaurant, but a local chain, so I just figured that's how they did things and I wasn't going to say anything about it. Figured they knew you probably wouldn't say anything over change which is why they do it, but it still annoyed me. If anything, if they're not going to want to deal with change, they need to make it to the customer's advantage, in my opinion, not the other way around -- especially since I should have gotten back more than .50, you know?

So, anyhow, today, I took my son to the Olive Garden for lunch and the same thing happened!

Is this a new trend?! Or has it been happening all along and I've just been lucky enough for them not to have done this before now? I pay in cash at restaurants a lot, so I would have noticed -- but what a nasty coincidence for it to happen twice in such a short period of time.

Maybe other larger cities have always done this and Nashville is just now jumping on the bandwagon, but I think it's sucky.

Next time I'm saying something -- I just blew it off the first time as an isolated thing for that particular restaurant, and today I was in a big rush and had to go.

I've had it happen before but in my favor. We just left a little larger tip to cover the difference.

On a side note, we were at a national chain restaurant when we brought DD#2 back to school in Aug. The bill was around $60. DH gave the waitress a $100 bill to pay. She made a smart comment along the lines of "the rest is mine for a tip right?" We were so taken aback that we all just sat in silence at the table. It took her about 15 min to bring the change.

 

[happygirl]

I've had it happen before but in my favor. We just left a little larger tip to cover the difference.

On a side note, we were at a national chain restaurant when we brought DD#2 back to school in Aug. The bill was around $60. DH gave the waitress a $100 bill to pay. She made a smart comment along the lines of "the rest is mine for a tip right?" We were so taken aback that we all just sat in silence at the table. It took her about 15 min to bring the change.

She was just joking, I have said the same thing a million times to customer must just say sure and laugh.

I have even had customer say I will need change back from a hundred really, I thought you were going to let me keep the 50 dollars LOL.

 

[disykat]

I've been asked "do you need change?" and I find even that offensive. If I didn't want change, I would have said so. To assume I don't want it is presumptious.

 

[englishteacha]

A server at The 99 did that to a friend of mine. He didn't bring my friend back his coin change (27 cents). When my friend asked about it, the server said, "Oh, you wanted your change back?" My friend made sure his tip was figured to the exact penny...minus 27 cents. It's not cool to keep the change unless the person tells you to keep it!

 

[Stitchfans]

I would of politely but firmly told them I wanted my correct change. Then of course the tip would of been affected after seeing what the waitress/waiters reaction to my request was. If everyone did that all that change would add up real quick.

 

[paintnolish]

I used to serve and saw people do that but always in the customer's favor. They'd never keep any extra change. The reason people did is was that we had to carry our own "bank" or change. Sometimes when it was really busy, if you didn't have enough coin to make exact change, it was easier to just let the customer have the few extra coins than going to find a manager and get change or waiting on the bar to make change for you. Like I said though, it was always to the customer's benefit.

 

[Goofyluver]

This happened to me a few years back at a restaurant and I DID inquire about my change.

I was polite to the server and simply said, "Excuse me. But, did you forget to give me the rest of my change? I didn't get back my (I don't remember how much) cents."

He got incredibly angry. He stalked away and came back and literally threw the change at me. And said, "Here. If you need this money that bad, take it."

And this is where the poop hit the fan.

A: I'm an awesome tipper. I always tip big, because I believe that good servers and servers in general are underpaid and they deserve it.

B: Don't EVER throw something at me and expect to walk away unscathed. AND

C: If I'm going to tip you, it's up to me to do so. You don't get to determine the amount of your tip. (minus required minimums)

When he threw the money at me, I almost lost my mind. The incident ended in him being fired. I never felt bad about it either.

As far as I'm concerned, when I tip, I get to decide the amount (again, minus required minimums). Should you decide to keep my money, clearly you've decided that that's the only tip you should receive.

I think it's incredibly poor practice for a server to keep any amount of money without permission. If I were you, I'd speak up! I've never had this happen before or since the incident I mentioned above.

 

[happygirl]

I used to serve and saw people do that but always in the customer's favor. They'd never keep any extra change. The reason people did is was that we had to carry our own "bank" or change. Sometimes when it was really busy, if you didn't have enough coin to make exact change, it was easier to just let the customer have the few extra coins than going to find a manager and get change or waiting on the bar to make change for you. Like I said though, it was always to the customer's benefit.

That what I would do, If it was there was change was 99 cents or whatever instead of giving them back a handful of change I would just give them a dollar

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Tips are not mandatory. If I dont get all my money back, not only will I ask for it, I will not leave a tip. Essentially, this is like them just opening my wallet and helping them self.

This is how I feel. It's nearly the only time I haven't left a tip. I told the server I want my money, that I am normally a very generous tipper, and I don't tip people who steal my money. Even if it's $0.22.

I've been asked "do you need change?" and I find even that offensive. If I didn't want change, I would have said so. To assume I don't want it is presumptious.

I get annoyed by this too. It's rare that change ever matches up with the amount I want to tip. When it does, I say keep it. Give me my change.




I also don't like when people say: do you want your penny? YES! I want my penny. It's my money so give it to me.

 

[RachaelA]

I've never had them keep the extra change. They've always rounded down in my favor. I probably would have tipped a lot less if they kept my change!

 

[hereyago]

This happened to me a few years back at a restaurant and I DID inquire about my change.

I was polite to the server and simply said, "Excuse me. But, did you forget to give me the rest of my change? I didn't get back my (I don't remember how much) cents."

He got incredibly angry. He stalked away and came back and literally threw the change at me. And said, "Here. If you need this money that bad, take it."

And this is where the poop hit the fan.

A: I'm an awesome tipper. I always tip big, because I believe that good servers and servers in general are underpaid and they deserve it.

B: Don't EVER throw something at me and expect to walk away unscathed. AND

C: If I'm going to tip you, it's up to me to do so. You don't get to determine the amount of your tip. (minus required minimums)

When he threw the money at me, I almost lost my mind. The incident ended in him being fired. I never felt bad about it either.

As far as I'm concerned, when I tip, I get to decide the amount (again, minus required minimums). Should you decide to keep my money, clearly you've decided that that's the only tip you should receive.

I think it's incredibly poor practice for a server to keep any amount of money without permission. If I were you, I'd speak up! I've never had this happen before or since the incident I mentioned above.

You rock!!!!!!!! I can't get my smiley things to work, but you rock.

I've had a few people go oh you wanted your change? um yepper. and then any tip I thought they deserved would be cancelled out by the "sticky fingers" situation of trying to keep my change . They can't put in the register that they only gave you back 11.00 from 11.84 that would cause an uneven drawer wouldn't it?

I have people ask if I wanted my few pennies back, um yep. every night i put the change into a change jar, something my grandfather taught me when I was young and it adds up quickly.

 

[JoiseyMom]

Tips are not mandatory. If I dont get all my money back, not only will I ask for it, I will not leave a tip. Essentially, this is like them just opening my wallet and helping them self.

ITA...I would do the same thing!

 

[Art 1]

I have seen this before in cheaper places, it reflects poorly on the server almost like they are begging for money.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

This happened to me a few years back at a restaurant and I DID inquire about my change.

I was polite to the server and simply said, "Excuse me. But, did you forget to give me the rest of my change? I didn't get back my (I don't remember how much) cents."

He got incredibly angry. He stalked away and came back and literally threw the change at me. And said, "Here. If you need this money that bad, take it."

And this is where the poop hit the fan.

A: I'm an awesome tipper. I always tip big, because I believe that good servers and servers in general are underpaid and they deserve it.

B: Don't EVER throw something at me and expect to walk away unscathed. AND

C: If I'm going to tip you, it's up to me to do so. You don't get to determine the amount of your tip. (minus required minimums)

When he threw the money at me, I almost lost my mind. The incident ended in him being fired. I never felt bad about it either.

As far as I'm concerned, when I tip, I get to decide the amount (again, minus required minimums). Should you decide to keep my money, clearly you've decided that that's the only tip you should receive.

I think it's incredibly poor practice for a server to keep any amount of money without permission. If I were you, I'd speak up! I've never had this happen before or since the incident I mentioned above.

That's AWESOME!

I had this happen once. I was sort of shocked, so I said nothing. I think that due to a possible language barrier, I just didn't want to cause trouble.

Next time though--nope!