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

[Sparx]

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 agree. To ask if I want my change presumptuous, and to take it without asking is theft. Not only would I have said something, but there would have been no tip.

I tip very well for good service. But taking my pennies isn't good service. It makes you look greedy and makes me think that you assume I'm too stupid to notice that I didn't get change back on an uneven bill.

 

[bumbershoot]

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.

I strongly urge you to STOP doing that. Some people might be truly laughing, but others are becoming uncomfortable with it, and are laughing to be polite.

...I did make a point to say I will be right back with your change, leaving an opening for them to say keep the change if that is what they wanted me to do. I wasn't trying to beg for a tip but rather save time so I didn't go make change and bring it back to someone just for them to say keep the change. 99.9% of the time if a person's change involved coins that was left on the table as part of the tip.

THAT is the way to do it.

Yes, many people (especially at a bar) are going to leave their change for you. But it's THEIR change, UNTIL they leave it for you! Sure, it feels like a pain to go back and forth, but it's just not the server's decision.

A server wouldn't do anything to make there customers mad.

Oh....yes they would. Didn't you read the story posted earlier? That's just one story... So many servers do ridiculous things, and they aren't all just joking...

Just change what you say to "I'll be right back with your change", and see if anything changes on the positive side for you over a few months....

 

[cbg1027]

A lot of restaurants have the awful practice of making servers carry their own bank of change. I worked at one where that was the case and it made all the server's jobs a lot more difficult since we'd have to be running around all night asking one another for the right change.

I think all the Darden restaurants do that (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze, Smokey Bones, and Seasons 52).

If I didn't have the exact amount of change, then I would return the change in the customer's favor, hoping it would then turn around in my favor (Your change is $5.64, so I bring you back $6 since I don't have the coins).

I could see that sometimes the server doesn't have anywhere near the right amount, and maybe that is why the customer gets shorted. Say most of my customers paid with credit cards that evening. If someone's change is $5.32 and all I have in my bank is a $5 and a $20, then I would probably have to bring you back the $5.

My point is, it may be the restaurant's poor policy, not the server's.
If the restaurant provides a cash drawer that the servers can access, then there is no excuse for not returning exact change.

 

[GoofyTroopOf6]

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 EXACTLY what I did when this happened to me back in September of 2008 and we live in a small town in Indiana. The waitress did it to my fiend but she was too drunk to care. Sorry, but I was pregnant and ever penny counts....right? So, I did call her out on her math skills and no, I did not leave a tip. Some said I was wrong for that, but the last sentence you posted is EXACTLY how I felt about it too.

 

[kaytieeldr]

One night, I was slammed and gave the incorrect change to a table. It was off by $0.10. It wasn't that I omitted giving them the coin portion of their change all together. I did give them dollars and cents but was off by a dime. I would have appreciated if that customer would have asked me if I miscalculated or dropped the dime on the way to the table.

Now, I would have just figured you dropped the dime or miscounted, and not given it a second thought (different story if my change were only ten cents, of course ).

 

[kaytieeldr]

I could see that sometimes the server doesn't have anywhere near the right amount, and maybe that is why the customer gets shorted. Say most of my customers paid with credit cards that evening. If someone's change is $5.32 and all I have in my bank is a $5 and a $20, then I would probably have to bring you back the $5.

My point is, it may be the restaurant's poor policy, not the server's.

That is a lousy policy, and if I didn't have a bunch of Darden gift cards I'd boycott them. Servers should be allowed to explain why they don't have coins, at least.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

There is a little place to get lunch in my office building that will round bills down or up to the nearest 5 cents. Like 5.42 would be 5.40, or 3.98 would be 4 dollars.

But I've never heard of this.

 

[scrapquitler]

I could see that sometimes the server doesn't have anywhere near the right amount, and maybe that is why the customer gets shorted. Say most of my customers paid with credit cards that evening. If someone's change is $5.32 and all I have in my bank is a $5 and a $20, then I would probably have to bring you back the $5.

My point is, it may be the restaurant's poor policy, not the server's.
If the restaurant provides a cash drawer that the servers can access, then there is no excuse for not returning exact change.

Never an excuse for not giving the customer the proper change. In your example of the $5.32, you should simply go to the bar and have the bartender (or the cashier on the TOGO counter) make the change for you. I would NOT be happy to be shorted on my change, and your tip would reflect that AND I would tell the manager.

 

[sparklynails23]

A lot of restaurants have the awful practice of making servers carry their own bank of change. I worked at one where that was the case and it made all the server's jobs a lot more difficult since we'd have to be running around all night asking one another for the right change.

I think all the Darden restaurants do that (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze, Smokey Bones, and Seasons 52).

If I didn't have the exact amount of change, then I would return the change in the customer's favor, hoping it would then turn around in my favor (Your change is $5.64, so I bring you back $6 since I don't have the coins).

I could see that sometimes the server doesn't have anywhere near the right amount, and maybe that is why the customer gets shorted. Say most of my customers paid with credit cards that evening. If someone's change is $5.32 and all I have in my bank is a $5 and a $20, then I would probably have to bring you back the $5.

My point is, it may be the restaurant's poor policy, not the server's.
If the restaurant provides a cash drawer that the servers can access, then there is no excuse for not returning exact change.

That's a bizarre policy. I wonder if anyone has tried to determine how it affects their bottomline and repeat business. If you wait person is more likely to stiff you change under that policy, and by this thread it obviously rubs people the wrong way, it can't be good for business.

 

[desamnik]

restaurants, although I would normally use a CC for that. However, at the local coffe shop, chain, if you run through and order a coffee at the drive up, they almost always assume they can keep the change. They keep a big cup right at the window and hold their hand over the cup as they are handing you the coffee w/ the other....

 

[sparklynails23]

restaurants, although I would normally use a CC for that. However, at the local coffe shop, chain, if you run through and order a coffee at the drive up, they almost always assume they can keep the change. They keep a big cup right at the window and hold their hand over the cup as they are handing you the coffee w/ the other....

That isn't right. It's like paying an extra tax.

 

[C.Ann]

Ever hear that saying - "If you don't save dimes, you'll never have dollars"?

I would never leave any kind of tip for a thief.. Although I don't go out to eat much, if I get my hair cut or some other sort of service (and I'm happy with it), I will hand the person "XX" amount of money and specifically say, "Keep the change.." Other than that, my money is my money - not the servers..

 

[World Showcaser]

I have never heard tell of this practice before and hope that I never encounter change-stealing servers. I do notice that servers look at you funny when you put the change you get back in your wallet instead of the tip or charity jar. If I didn't need my pennies I'd give them away, but right now, as a single mom, I need them. I do tip at table service restaurants and am generous but I would speak up if they didn't bring me the correct change.

 

[stargazer2892]

I work at a very busy neighborhood bar and none of my co workers give change back. I always round down to the nearest quarter. So if the bill is 10.34 I take 10.25. I will not ever round up, It's not my money to take. When I get change for a costumer I normally have to remind them ( we have one register behind the bar so we have to wait for a bartender to give us change) to give me quarters let alone smaller coins. The only time I don't round down to the nearest quarter is If I'm trying to close a 10 top with separate checks and have 4 other tables waiting to order, then it's the dollar down. So a 11.98 tab, I take 11. However 99% of the time the change is left as part of my tip and I've actually heard people complain that I left them change.

 

[castmember19]

I've had it happen once.

Truly, if it's just a few cents as opposed to a dollar or two (or more), I don't really care. Sorry, I know I'm on the opposite side of the fence here. And if I find that I did care, I would just deduct it from their tip- I wouldn't stiff the server entirely.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Frankly, I really don't see what the big deal is.

If the server just brings back bills and leaves off the coinage, just deduct from what you would have left as a tip.

You have to consider that most of these kids are only making an average of $2.13 per hour as a server and rely on the tips to make their ends meet.

Some restaurant chains like Darden (which they no longer own Smokey Bones and have added Longhorn Steakhouse to their family of chains)

Anyhow, when the server has to carry a bank around with them and its a Friday night and the joint is jumpin', people are waiting in the lobby for a table with a average of 30 min wait, the kitchen is backed up, the server may have been triple seated, etc. ...and here they are trying to count exact change down to the penny: all the while trying to keep an eye on 4-5 other tables to avoid walk outs or people upset they didn't get their umpteenth refill of sweet tea.....

So I take all this into account and don't sweat the small stuff.
I also don't think that the server is trying to "steal" a whole 27 cents from me either.

But to go out to dinner, run the server for the better part of an hour and not to leave a tip because she left off my few cents of change for whatever reason is pathetic on me if I were not to leave a tip IMO.

 

[CathrynRose]

When I served, I *never* carried coins, ever. It jingled, it rattled, it was heavy and 9 times out of 10, I ended up getting it back (which is why one of the places I worked, had a "change jar" in the back, filled with a few bucks in change. You need 73 cents, you take it out, then you end up tossing it back in the jar, when it's left at your table.)

Now, the rest of the places that didn't have the jar, it always worked in your benefit. Your change is $25.06 - you got $26 from me. Your change is $25.96 - you got $26 from me.

Coins are a pain in the butt to haul around.

 

[CathrynRose]

After reading these responses, I have to say noever, not once, did anyone ever complain to the manager, that I gave them too much. Or even correct me.

Interesting.

 

[Lady Godiva]

When I served, I *never* carried coins, ever. It jingled, it rattled, it was heavy and 9 times out of 10, I ended up getting it back (which is why one of the places I worked, had a "change jar" in the back, filled with a few bucks in change. You need 73 cents, you take it out, then you end up tossing it back in the jar, when it's left at your table.)

Now, the rest of the places that didn't have the jar, it always worked in your benefit. Your change is $25.06 - you got $26 from me. Your change is $25.96 - you got $26 from me.

Coins are a pain in the butt to haul around.

I'm sorry, I just don't get this. I'm sorry if coins are a pain for you to lugg around but COME ON..it's MY change So what if the stores decide that it's too much of a pain to keep the tills filled with coins and they just start rounding at giving you your change...you ok with that?

 

[C.Ann]

If this was over on the BB - with the folks clipping coupons and stuffing their pennies in their "Disney Change Jars" there would be a mass riot over "only" 27 cents or whatever..

Ever seen the amounts of change those folks sock away?