Unexpected charges in restaurants

[luvsJack]

None of the restaurants around here charge for extra sauces. There is a charge at SOME for certain sides (garden salad instead of fries) but its always on the menu.

I can't imagine shorting someone's tip because I ordered something without knowing what the cost is. That doesn't make sense to me. And I seriously doubt any server is trying to up your check by $1 to get, what? .20 more in tip at the most? Doesn't seem logical to me.

 

[elaine amj]

None of the restaurants around here charge for extra sauces. There is a charge at SOME for certain sides (garden salad instead of fries) but its always on the menu.

I can't imagine shorting someone's tip because I ordered something without knowing what the cost is. That doesn't make sense to me. And I seriously doubt any server is trying to up your check by $1 to get, what? .20 more in tip at the most? Doesn't seem logical to me.

I did it a couple of times because I always expected it to be the server's job to tell me the upcharge. When I was a server in a small restaurant, we were encouraged to upsell - but always told the customer the upcharge. So the first couple of times it happened to me, I understood it as the server not doing their job correctly - thus I docked the tip. Now I know better so while I still get annoyed a bit, I don't take it out on the server. Like someone else said, guess it is now my responsibility. I don't like it - but there it is. Then again, most places I eat don't charge extra for this stuff. If they do, its listed clearly in the menu.

 

[JanaDee]

True, but have you ever noticed that alot of times servers don't want to give you time to really look at that before asking for app orders? So they just ask if you want breadsticks before you open the menu and you do. So they ask if you want sauce you don't realize its an upcharge since you haven't opened the menu yet and now they just charged you $4. There was another place I knew that charged for bread and would do the same thing. Ask if you wanted it before you even open the menu and since at most places bread is free everyone assumed it would be and said yes.

Now at places I don't go to frequently I tend to say we want to look before we order... I have also noticed they are incredibly slow getting back to your table when you do that. So you have to wait 30 min before they come back take your order and you get a drink. Almost as if they want to punish you for actually looking first.

No way would I be waiting 30 mins for my server to return to our table.

 

[Laura66]

Is it becoming common now for waitstaff in restaurants not to warn you if there is an upcharge for something? I seem to remember a time (maybe wishful thinking?) when a waitstaff would warn you when you ordered something with an upcharge. e.g. "Can I have some extra sauce?" "Of course, it will be a $1 charge."

Lately I have noticed at quite a number of restaurants that they don't tell you and you get a wonderful surprise in your bill. My latest was at Applebees. I ordered a trio of appetizers. One of the 3, dry ribs - came with 2 types of sauces in the main description. When my trio arrived, there was only one thing of sauce - and I prefer the other flavor. So I asked for it, not really touching the first cup. When I got my bill, I was charged an extra $1.50.

Another local restaurant always charges a $1 for the 2nd cup of sauce for their sweet potato fries. They have never given me a heads up about the upcharge. It irked me so much the first 2-3 visits I would reduce the tip. Eventually, I accepted that's just how they are and resumed a normal tip. If one ever tells me about the upcharge, I will be so thrilled I would give them an extra large tip

I've had this happen in more and more places now. I understand why some places choose to upcharge - but I hate surprises in my bill as I always have it pre-calculated in my head when I order. Curious if other ppl are finding the same thing happening in their neck of the woods.

Well since it's happening a lot to you it's not uncommon is it.
I don't know why you would reduce the tip??

 

[Laura66]

I expect to pay for everything I order and I don't think it's necessary for the server to warn me that anything not included with the entrée is going to cost money. Of course it will, it's a separate item. Besides, I can't imagine any situation where I'd order extra sauce, be told it'll cost a dollar, then change my mind and say, "Whoa, never mind. I'll just choke my food down dry."

Servers don't care about trying to squeeze an extra dollar out of the customer so the company gets that much richer. They really don't. They're just trying to do their job and avoid management's BS. Giving away salable items without charging for them is considered stealing -- that will most definitely get them in trouble, if not fired. I don't understand why people would punish the server for doing his or her job properly by deducting from the tip. The server doesn't set the prices nor the rules, but they do have to follow them.

OP, it sounds like your meal was supposed to come with two sauces and you only got one. When you asked for the second, the server likely assumed you had already gotten the complete meal and were asking for extra. Surely it was an honest mistake. When the check came, if you were annoyed by the $1.50 charge, you would've been perfectly correct to say, "Hey, this is an overcharge" and explain what happened. I'm sure they would've apologized and taken it off the bill.

I used to be a bartender. One night I was talking to two customers when they saw someone walk by with a pretty pink drink in hand. "Oh, what's that? We want two of those!" This put me in a bit of an uncomfortable situation because the drink in question was pricey, so I wanted to tactfully let them know ahead of time instead of letting them get a nasty surprise when the check came. I said, "That's called a XX, it's made with YYY, and it's $21." The women reacted with an 'oh helllllll no' response, said no thanks, and laughed it off. The next day they posted a scathing online review blasting the restaurant and calling me out by name for treating them like they were too poor to afford the drink. If I hadn't given them a heads up they would've been pissed to find out their two little 8oz. drinks set them back nearly $50. People in the service industry can't win.

You just can't win can you! That was so rude - I'm sorry.