Should I contact restaurant (overtipping with automatic gratuity)?

[MrsPete]

I wouldn't. The charge was on the bill you were given, so you should have known it was there.

Ultimately, yeah. They presented you with a bill. You should have read it more carefully /asked while you were still at the restaurant. Maybe they put one over on you, but you did have the materials /opportunity to catch it.

None of us know for sure why the "service charge" was on the bill. It could've been another word for "tip", or it could have actually been some sort of extra charge for the tasting menu. Cynical me kinda thinks it was a way to try to get additional tip money, but that may be wrong.

If they are being sneaky about adding in hidden charges, I would choose someplace else to eat next time.

Absolutely -- if you weren't happy, vote with your dollar.

Annoying, but I would feel too guilty about snatching a tip back from the workers, especially in these times. Probably most of us have made this mistake in the past; I certainly have, and ever since I keep a sharp eye out for automatic gratuities on checks. So think of it as a life lesson and a little extra bonus for some low-paid workers.

Agree that I wouldn't want to "snatch back" a tip, but don't assume that all servers are low-paid. Depending upon the venue, some of them do quite well financially.

 

[VictoriaT]

OP here, I did end up emailing the manager, explained the situation, and requested in the future to let guests know of automatic service charge. She thanked me for contacting them, apologized, responded that our server was VERY new (she emphasized very), and said she would speak with them. She did offer to refund the extra, which I declined. I told them we did have a wonderful dinner and would be back. Communication is always good.

Curious, but since it was a birthday dinner, did the staff do anything special for the occasion?

I did get a candle in my dessert.

 

[Mysterian]

I did get a candle in my dessert.

That's cool. For a fancy restaurant, I was hoping the chef would have stepped out to sing you some Shakira or Beyoncé or something.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Isn't a tip supposed to be a reflection of the service you receive? IN my opinion if the server knows in advance that a gratuity is a given then some people will not even try. I have been to a couple of restaurants where this was the case and it was the last time I went to either. I am totally against a set gratuity anywhere.

I went to Chilis the other day because we had a gift card( I really hate it there!) to use up. We felt so bad for the poor waitress who was literally killing her self ordering, bussing, and delivering that we tipped 100% because it was our thought that we actually did not pay for the meal on the gift card. My only hope was that she did not need to tip share with those who were not hustling.

I am of the mind if you do a good job you should get the reward and if you are horrible, you get nothing, that is my understanding of a tip.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

OP here, I did end up emailing the manager, explained the situation, and requested in the future to let guests know of automatic service charge. She thanked me for contacting them, apologized, responded that our server was VERY new (she emphasized very), and said she would speak with them. She did offer to refund the extra, which I declined. I told them we did have a wonderful dinner and would be back. Communication is always good.


I did get a candle in my dessert.

Did they happen to say what the automatic service charge was for? I'm just curious what it was meant for.

Glad they were grateful for your contact

 

[RedAngie]

I’m also curious if the owner gave an explanation for the added service charge and when it should be applied.

Her only concern seemed to be that the very new waitress neglected to mention it.

 

[slo]

To be fair though, running credit cards and paying the fees is just the cost of doing business. Usually the merchant agreement prevents sellers from charging extra to cover that - I know it's a sticky issue for many though.

I couldn’t agree more with this, and I was a small business owner for custom picture framing. I’d swipe for the deposit, swipe for the balance and sometimes swipe more than one card when something was a gift and being paid for by more than one person. It stinks, but it’s a part of doing business. I would reward my customers by giving them a discount if they paid cash and not punish people by making them pay more if they used a credit card.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I never sign or pay anything unless I've looked it over...not even a dining check.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I never sign or pay anything unless I've looked it over...not even dining check.

Mistakes still happen though even if you did look it over.

One time I was at IHOP with a friend where I signed for the bill, input my tip amount and then copied the amount on the tip on the customer's copy. A few days later when the charge appeared on my account as pending (must have been when they closed out the bills at the restaurant) I noticed it was for a higher amount than I authorized. Turns out the waitress had run my amount on my friend's card and her amount on my card. They refunded me the difference.

It's not the same situation as the OP but sometimes even looking over things, signing off on things doesn't mean you won't be charged something you shouldn't have or something that you didn't know you would be charged for.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I once put in my pin instead of the tip amount. I wasn't watching and thought they just needed the pin. Turns out, it offered to add a tip first... this was in the days when that was all new. Anyway, luckily, they noticed and asked if I really wanted to give a 4 figure tip on a 2 figure take out order, lol. I was so embarrassed. I also changed my pin that day, just in case.

 

[Orion Nebula]

I once put in my pin instead of the tip amount. I wasn't watching and thought they just needed the pin. Turns out, it offered to add a tip first... this was in the days when that was all new. Anyway, luckily, they noticed and asked if I really wanted to give a 4 figure tip on a 2 figure take out order, lol. I was so embarrassed. I also changed my pin that day, just in case.

I accidentally tipped negative before, wrote down the tip and subtracted it from the bill.

 

[Moliphino]

I accidentally tipped negative before, wrote down the tip and subtracted it from the bill.

I added wrong once. They charged me the correct amount, not the bad math. Which is good, because otherwise I would've had to call them to correct it, because I didn't want to short change the waitress, and I hate making phone calls.

 

[Orion Nebula]

I added wrong once. They charged me the correct amount, not the bad math. Which is good, because otherwise I would've had to call them to correct it, because I didn't want to short change the waitress, and I hate making phone calls.

I went back inside as soon as I realized it and fixed it. It was a bit embarrassing though.

 

[Turn the Page]

Just to point out that tips in restaurants are usually pooled and shared with the busboy, the bartender, the sommelier (if there were wine pairings, there was probably one of these) and the rest of the kitchen staff. The server doesn't pocket the full tip amount.

This. Plus, you have to claim your tips for tax purposes. Back when I was waiting tables (which was several years ago now so things may have changed) the IRS assumed a minimum 9% of my sales ended up in my pocket at the end of the night. If I had a table with a larger bill who felt 20% was too much because it wasn't any more work to deliver a $10 sandwich than a $40 steak and then tipped lower there was a good chance I actually lost money waiting on them. Happened more than once.

 

[FigmentSpark]

This. Plus, you have to claim your tips for tax purposes. Back when I was waiting tables (which was several years ago now so things may have changed) the IRS assumed a minimum 9% of my sales ended up in my pocket at the end of the night. If I had a table with a larger bill who felt 20% was too much because it wasn't any more work to deliver a $10 sandwich than a $40 steak and then tipped lower there was a good chance I actually lost money waiting on them. Happened more than once.

So, the IRS assumes you're tip sharing or the restaurant is taking a portion? How much of that 20% tip actually ends up with the server, then?

 

[Turn the Page]

So, the IRS assumes you're tip sharing or the restaurant is taking a portion? How much of that 20% tip actually ends up with the server, then?

When I was waiting tables in Kentucky in the early 2000's the standard was 10%. I have no idea if that has changed or not. In Michigan it was, and is still, 20%. People say the standard nationwide is 20% but that varies a lot by location, restaurant type, and urban vs rural areas.