Solve a debate in my home...

[Scurvy]

I absolutely would not have left a tip. Aside from everything else, his lie about talking to the manager cost you 20 minutes and my time is worth enough to me that he would have lost the tip based on that alone. The pushiness and idiocy with the drink could possibly have been a mistake or misunderstanding (though I definitely don't believe it was in this case) but clearly the lie was not. I'm not going to reward that sort of behavior at all - not even with a few cents.

I disagree with the idea of leaving a minimal tip so the server won't think you forgot. It always strikes me as childish when people do that. The vast majority of servers are smart enough to figure out why they aren't getting a tip; they aren't going to have a situation like this and then think you would have tipped them if only you hadn't forgotten. The ones who don't understand why you didn't tip probably wouldn't see the pennies and suddenly realize what was wrong with their behavior. They are more likely to think you are just cheap. The tiny tip does nothing to communicate what the problem was. If the only reason for leaving a tiny tip is so the server knows you were displeased with the poor service, a better choice is to speak with the manager about your complaint. After you've done that, no other message is necessary.

 

[sug78]

I enter a restaurant with my server getting a 18% tip- depending on how good or bad they are that number goes up or down. I have left a penny twice in my life...Bad service= bad tip. IMHO

 

[dixonismydog]

No tip......no way......no how!!!!!!

 

[Judique]

Yiii....I am a tipper. I would have a difficult time not tipping.

But, I agree with you.

 

[EKW]

I would have left a note: "Dear Server; You are, by far, the worst server we have ever encountered. Best wishes on finding your calling, as it is clear that you are not fit for your current job. Sincerely, A Customer Who Will Happily Spread the News About You!"

 

[dzorn]

My tip would have been a slip of paper with the following:

Tip: DO NOT charge customers for items they did not order

DO NOT LIE and say you have called a manager.

Denise in MI

 

[Vijoge]

My tip would have been a slip of paper with the following:

Tip: DO NOT charge customers for items they did not order

DO NOT LIE and say you have called a manager

Denise in MI

 

[klacey1]

I've served before and know what it's like-- there is no way in HELL I would have left him anything. I would have spoken to him and explained exactly why I was leaving nothing. And, like PP's have said, if it was a chain, I would call the corporate office and complain.

 

[palavra]

Nope. I am with you. Let the little twerp learn his lesson.

A tip? He should have been grateful that you didn't demand that he be fired!

 

[TifffanyD]

We went out to dinner to celebrate my new job. I wanted to order a drink. The server was a bit pushy and obviously in a hurry. I told him I needed a minute to look over the drink menu, he huffed a little. He ran off and came back with a drink that he said he knew I would love. I never ordered it, I told him no thank you (I dont drink tequila) and told him what I wanted. He left his drink suggestion on the table, but did go get what I ordered. I told him we didnt want the suggested drink & he could take it away. He just left it and said not to worry about it. It sat there for the whole meal, untouched.

Anyway when the bill arrived we were charged 12 bucks for his suggested drink, which was still sitting on the table. I called him over & thought it was a mistake since we obviously didnt order or drink it. He said drinks were not returnable and he could NOT take it off. He said it is not his fault I didnt drink it, and someone had to pay for it.This really ticked me off, since I didnt order it and didnt want it. I asked to speak to the manager. We waited over 20 minutes and the server came back and told us the manager was too busy. At this point I was getting more angry.

I went to the hostess & asked for the manager. The manager came right over, advised he was not asked to come see us by our server. I showed him the full drink and explained what had happened. He took it off the bill and apologized for the mix up. He didnt really seem to care all that much.

Now here is the debate. I did not leave a tip. My other half thought I should have left something. I was so angry I didnt even want to pay for dinner, but obviously I did.

First time I have ever not tipped in my life. Would you have tipped this little twerp?

I would have left no tip, would not go back to the restaurant, AND would call corporate if it was a chain! UGH!

 

[bwilcox]

Add me to the NO TIP side!

 

[smokeyblue]

No!
I would not tip

And if you paid with a credit card I'd keep an eye on the account and make sure he didn't add a tip himself. He's already proven himself to be dishonest - I wouldn't put it past him.

I would highly suggest you look at your credit card statement as well if that was the payment method. My brother had an occasion at Applebee's that was just as bad as this server and the girl wrote in her own tip! They investigated it and sure enough she wrote in her own tip. She was fired and my bother was given a very large gift card.

 

[*Seanaci*]

When we get poor service dining out, I leave very little (if any) tip.

You were perfectly in your right to NOT tip this twerp of a server. You NEVER asked for a drink suggestion...simply asked him to give you time to decide on the drink of YOUR choosing. Not to mention his not taking it away at your request...and not getting the manager for you promptly. My guess would be he would have had to pay for the returned drink and by leaving it on your table until after giving you the check made it your responsibility to pay for it (even though you never asked for it OR drank it).

I am glad the manager took it off your bill. And I would suggest a call to corporate (if possible as I don't know the restaraunt you dined at) to report this situation.

 

[Mickeyorbust]

I waitressed while in college so it takes a lot for me to not leave a tip, infact I've only not left a tip once. I think in this case you were right in not leaving a tip.

 

[Donna M]

No tip here

 

[DisneyScraps]

I wouldn't leave a tip either.

I am going to get ambushed for this but I am standing up to bad service. If it's bad I am taking that into consideration in my tip.

I say this as a former bartender and waitress. i do know how little they make an hour and how hard they work.

Lisa

 

[cheshireqt]

We went out to dinner to celebrate my new job. I wanted to order a drink. The server was a bit pushy and obviously in a hurry. I told him I needed a minute to look over the drink menu, he huffed a little. He ran off and came back with a drink that he said he knew I would love. I never ordered it, I told him no thank you (I dont drink tequila) and told him what I wanted. He left his drink suggestion on the table, but did go get what I ordered. I told him we didnt want the suggested drink & he could take it away. He just left it and said not to worry about it. It sat there for the whole meal, untouched.

Anyway when the bill arrived we were charged 12 bucks for his suggested drink, which was still sitting on the table. I called him over & thought it was a mistake since we obviously didnt order or drink it. He said drinks were not returnable and he could NOT take it off. He said it is not his fault I didnt drink it, and someone had to pay for it.This really ticked me off, since I didnt order it and didnt want it. I asked to speak to the manager. We waited over 20 minutes and the server came back and told us the manager was too busy. At this point I was getting more angry.

I went to the hostess & asked for the manager. The manager came right over, advised he was not asked to come see us by our server. I showed him the full drink and explained what had happened. He took it off the bill and apologized for the mix up. He didnt really seem to care all that much.

Now here is the debate. I did not leave a tip. My other half thought I should have left something. I was so angry I didnt even want to pay for dinner, but obviously I did.

First time I have ever not tipped in my life. Would you have tipped this little twerp?

You should not feel guilty. The guy tried to scam you into an expensive drink to pad the bill, and probably his tip. He also caused you a lot of frustration. He lied to you and he cost you 20+ minutes of your time. He should be fired for not getting the manager and lying about it. The manager should have comped all your drinks, if not your bill for the aggravation of it all, offered you coupons for a free dessert...something!

 

[Colleen27]

As others have said, I'd leave a penny or whatever single coin I happen to have on me. That leaves no doubt that the lack of a tip was deliberate.

 

[roadtripper]

I was a server for years, and usually side with servers in these budget board cases. But not only would I have NOT left a tip, I would write a letter to corporate (if it was a chain) re: the manager's tepid response. I would write to the owner if it is a mom and pop place. Not OK.

 

[pearlieq]

Now why in the world would you write to corporate? All you would do is get the manager in trouble, who actually took care of it as soon as they knew about it.

To my way of thinking, the manager did not take care of it.

If it had just been a mix-up (someone else's drink on their bill) and it was handled quickly, fine. No harm no foul. The OP's situation went way beyond that.

The customer should have been offered an apology and some kind of compensation. Just taking the drink off the bill would not be enough for me in that situation.

When I go out for a meal I'm expecting a pleasant experience along with my good food. The OP did not have a pleasant experience, and then not only had to wait a long time for help but had to go tracking the manager down on their own.

I would expect something in exchange for the unpleasantness and my wasted time. A decent restaurant would have comped the bill. Even an average one should have offered a partial discount or a coupon for the next visit.