Servers elevating Tips at HQ Restaurants in the Valley - Be sure to check your Credit Card Statements! (sales, transfer)

[stevek64]

We always tip on a CC here and while traveling(we eat out at least once a week/more when traveling), check the statements on-line/such charges, and never had the "markup" issue over decades. Maybe I've defied the odds/been ultra lucky but I think the advice of checking one's charges is always a good one.

Here's a way of using a checksum technique to add another layer of security. Not perfect/100% of course but helps looking over the statements every month:

http://www.punny.org/money/fight-thi...checksum-tips/

Hopefully those getting scammed kept their receipt copy that clearly shows the tip amount they left as proof as if there's a discrepancy/a change was made afterwards, that's proof there's some sleazy nonsense going on. It can be a serious charge for those doing this kind of thing if they get caught:

https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/ar...it-card-fraud/

[DetroitN8V]

What are HQ restaurants??

[jamiedan]

HQ = High Quality

[jamiedan]

Update:
So the restaurant just sent me a copy of the receipt, and the deceit from the server was even worse than I imagined.
The server has physically written in a 1 ahead of the 8.24 (making 18.24), not touching the 100.00 on the bottom line. So when I spoke to the General manager on the phone, he said the server brought the receipt to him claiming the maths does not add up and that in those cases AMEX tell them to charge the gratuity line, hence why they charged $110. Totally unethical and fraudulent behavior by this server.

I will be contacting AMEX as well as the corporate leadership of the parent company of this restaurant. Is there anyone else I should be contacting?

[Minntoaz]

Originally Posted by jamiedan

Update:
So the restaurant just sent me a copy of the receipt, and the deceit from the server was even worse than I imagined.
The server has physically written in a 1 ahead of the 8.24 (making 18.24), not touching the 100.00 on the bottom line. So when I spoke to the General manager on the phone, he said the server brought the receipt to him claiming the maths does not add up and that in those cases AMEX tell them to charge the gratuity line, hence why they charged $110. Totally unethical and fraudulent behavior by this server.

I will be contacting AMEX as well as the corporate leadership of the parent company of this restaurant. Is there anyone else I should be contacting?

Ick. I'm hoping the manager believes you and is at least giving you a gift card or some other compensation.

If you knew the server name and/or if they don't do anything about it- i'd take it to yelp and lay it out. As a person who looks at yelp that would definitely deter me from a restaurant.

I'll never pay cash purely due to the amazing credit card perks but you better rest assured I'll be making note of the server name and taking a picture of the receipt.

[miltner]

So you left a $8.24 tip on a $91.76 bill?

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by miltner

So you left a $8.24 tip on a $91.76 bill?

Yeah, I was wondering the same. Something about this doesn't seem right.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

Yeah, I was wondering the same. Something about this doesn't seem right.

If it was a "HQ", full service restaurant, the OP committed "theft" too. But Two wrongs don't make a right.

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

If it was a "HQ", full service restaurant, the OP committed "theft" too. But Two wrongs don't make a right.

Haha, no doubt. Citizens Public House is definitely full service. I've always had good service there too; certainly nothing that would justify a 9% tip. I'd be embarrassed to contact them after that.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

Haha, no doubt. Citizens Public House is definitely full service. I've always had good service there too; certainly nothing that would justify a 9% tip. I'd be embarrassed to contact them after that.

NORMALLY, great restaurants have the luxury of hiring amazing staff. By no means should a server doctor a receipt. As I said, two wrongs don't make a right.

As I have mentioned before, because I work out of the home, I eat out every day. Sometimes twice a day. My wife checks my receipts to the credit card (I log everything in Quickbooks). With several thousand data points, I think rounding up a tip has happened twice. Maybe 3 times tops. Each time, I had a messy total or poor penmanship.

I admit, I capture the deals. Last night, we were at Postinos for some Bruschetta (if you haven't gone there it's a MUST) Location | Postino . It kicks butt (especially the Smoked Salmon with Pesto and Brie & Apples with Fig Spread! $20 bucks for a board and a bottle of wine. Before them, we had a couple of tacos at Joyride Taco House ($2 for an incredible taco on Tuesday and wonderful cucumber margaritas on special for $5). I tipped $10 each $25 tabs. But the service was great (not "HQ" dining) but the service, atmosphere, and food was worth it.

So if I have thousands of datapoints with a few wrong totals because of confusion that I caused and the OP has had 3 problems with barely going out. I think there is something we are missing about why the OP is a target. AGAIN, it's never o.k. to modify a receipt. But servers are rationalizing it against the OP.