The Fixe Is In: More Restaurants Adding Automatic Tip to Bill

::: A manager denies it, but it sounds like a case of tourist profiling by waiters, who always complain about paltry tips from foreigners. :::

NYC is full of Ugly Europeans who don't understand America's tipping culture when services are provided and when they do tip they are the worst cheapskates around. They apparently can't do simple math on their own so I don't blame restaurants for adding the 20% gratuity for them.

I've got to side with fellow waitstaff on this one. If the patrons are clearly from a country that is not known to tip, I have found that in spite of however much they smile at you, how well they speak English, or even if they've got a Lonely Planet guide sitting on the table with them, they're quite liable to stroll out of the restaurant on their merry way... while we have totally wasted our time bending over backwards for them.

Now, I don't know who is trying to use included gratuity in order to get double-tipped but that's just plain grimy. Anyone who doesn't make it overwhelmingly obvious by downright telling the customer or at the very least circling the auto-grat line in LARGE and NOTICEABLE ink deserves to get let go from their position.

Personally I've had so many meals out where even fellow Americans are totally unaware of how much they have to tip, that it's just ridiculous. (hello, eight dollars on a fifty dollar check? oh please). It's not written in stone, it's just part of our culture. I practice what I preach and as I expect to be paid well when I serve someone, so do I tip generously whenever I go out (baring any extraordinary circumstances like a downright rude and obnoxious waiter that forgot to put the order in then serves the wrong food). If I can't afford to leave a good tip for good service then clearly I cannot afford to be dining there, and I'll go somewhere that I can. Let's protect customers, sure. But let's protect waiters too.

Lastly, as far as being paid a -living wage- from the restaurant itself? Not likely.

Pay all service staff at least 12 dollars an hour provide health benefits, pension, vacation pay and then there will be more need for tips.

This has happened to me at Bay Leaf, Mojito and Bogota. In none of these instances did the staff alert us to the auto 20% gratuity. At Bogota, it was a party of 3! To their credit, they did take off the auto 20% when I alerted them to it.

Having worked as a waiter years ago, on principle, I always tip. Thankfully, I also always read the bill...

Nearly all restaurants have a policy where if there is an automatic gratuity added to the bill, the manager is required to drop the check off at the table and inform the party of the gratuity. I've NEVER seen it done any other way. If that is being done by the waiter it's outright criminal.

While I agree that adding a gratuity without notification is unethical (and, obviously wrong because it's illegal), I do find it funny that the person who saw a 20% auto-gratuity complained that they were trying to "double" the tip. You mean, you were only going to tip 10%?! Have a heart, a person's gotta live.

Also, that dude on the comments who was making fun of the person who ate at Olive Garden, so what? Just because you or I don't like it (or, if you're like me, any massive chain restaurant), doesn't mean anyone else can't. Let them eat what they want.

Woooosh. Having a slow monday?

In this context "double the tip" means that if you don't realize the bill already includes gratuity, you will end up leaving two tips, one that was tacked on and one you left yourself. Both can be 15-20%, meaning at the least you'll be leaving a 30% tip and at most a 40% tip.

Well technically, if you tip 20% on a bill that has a 20% included tip, you're actually leaving a 44% tip:

1.20 * 1.20 = 1.44

What a brilliant idea. This will sure make people want to keep going out to restaurants in these hard economic times. I know it makes me want to dine out. Maybe in 2014.

I used to work at the River Cafe and we would slap on the grat to any customer with the hint of an out of town accent. With so many tourists at a restaurant like that you end up getting stiffed if you don't. At the time we always pointed out the fact that the tip was added though. Big difference there. Not pointing it out is a real dick move. I really don't take offense to it if it happens to me, and I do see it happening a lot more. The reality is that if a waiter doesn't get at least 15 percent tip on a check then they're not gonna make a decent living.

who pays without checking the bill?

HA! This has been going on for awhile. Several Irish pubs in midtown do this and if you aren't paying attention.... you double tip. And most people don't pay attention

The reason foreigners don't tip is largely because in their society waiters/waitresses are ALREADY paid a real hourly wage unlike here where it $2-$4 an hour plus tips. The thing that really pisses me off about this automatic gratuity(it has happened to me several times in the past few months, on our party of 2)is they do NOT disclose it, which is unethical, we are forced to tip, which makes the entire staff unaccountable for their service, as opposed to earning it(which sucks if you're good because i probably would have left more). The last time this happened to us, i crossed it out and left a note that this was ridiculous and not previously communicated.

Why not ask if they include tips on the bill before being seated?

Because they like to play dumb and save money.

People feel cheated and taken advantage of when they find a gratuity was included on the bill. Somehow they have no problem paying absurd amounts for tiny portions of slop they can make at home for a fraction of the price. Go choke on your dinner you fucking cheapskates

Again with the carriage horses!

Many people overseas don't tip because they don't know they are supposed to. I have had to tell friends from Europe to tip when they've been visiting. They're not trying to rip anyone off, they simply aren't used to it.

Okay, I'm done now. Been waiting years to get that off my chest!

Well some of them that know and don't tip are clearly in the wrong. However, I do know some people, in my personal experience, that truly didn't know and they also didn't know that the pay is less because it is made up in tips. They are used to people being paid a higher wage and they think they are tipping on top of higher wages (which made them reluctant) until it's been explained that the hourly wage is low.

Bullshit. They all know and they make a game out of it to amuse themselves and their friends back home. I knew an Italian guy who laughed about it -but since he immigrated, guess what he does for a living?

And another thing. They get away with it because they know that they are in a country that champions choice and diversity and they get way with this bullshit because Americans are known for tip-toeing around potential discrimination issues.

So many waiters that I know have been run around like dogs by these tourist and then left 2 dollars for a tip. It's become so bad that I have known waiters to pay off hostesses to not seat Europeans at their tables.

Time for them to get with the program. I have waited tables every summer of my life and scores of European tourist are of of the "fuck you we're doing it my way" mentality. I have seen again and again, European tourists flat- out IGNORE tipping customs, leaving shitty 5% tips.

I can't tell you how many times I have been screwed over by cheap-o Europeans. They expect Americans to, fairly, follow with their customs, but never seem to want to participate in our tipping customs.

I worked in a five star restaurant and have seen it all. Believe me, they know better. I have seen tourists argue with the management (Rude!) and sometimes leave without paying anything. The truth? I wind up paying taxes for their meal at the end of the night . And, tipping out the bartender for their drinks. They get away with this all the time and you, the American are subsidizing their good time. I can't report taxes on tips that I never earned. Hope they enjoyed the free servioce at the expense of the American tax payer.

I don't think they are trying to steal, overseas tourists are known not to tip.. It is not the same fraud as the carriage drivers who charge sales taxes when there is no tax on these carriage rides.

I mean this cat is like Charles Bronson in the 'Great Escape', he's digging tunnels.

I got Madonna's big dick coming out of my left year and Toby Jap I-don't- know-what, outta my left.

It's about time this stupid system is done away with, and waitstaff are paid a real salary based on experience and the rigors of their particular job. It should be done here the same way it is in Europe, service included on every check, no tipping necessary.

I usually tip on the high side, but I'm not going to argue with them. 15% is what they want, 15% is what they're going to get.

Dad?

Both Olive Garden restaurants do this no matter how big the party is. I can understand the one in Times Square doing it because of tourists, but the one on Sixth Ave and 22nd St does it as well.

I've also seen the diner at the Edison Hotel do this and do it very randomly.

You realize your are actually admitting to eating at the Olive Garden? HAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!

I'm a sucker for a bargain. Every so often they have an "all you can eat pasta bowl" special and there I am slurping it up. Crikey, I feel so lower middle class.

Being a glutton, I was lured to the Olive Garden's all you can eat pasta scam...uh, special some years ago. They bring you a medium sized plate the first time. The consecutive plates are tiny and can be finished off with 3 or 4 bites. Good luck trying to flag down a waiter to bring you another plate within 15 minutes.

By the time you're on your 2nd mini plate, it's been an hour and you can't help but wonder - what the hell am I doing in here?

1lb of very good quality dried pasta is $2 tops. Make your own or buy boutique jarred sauce, $10 tops. Tip? What tip?

$12 for superior pasta that will have you eating leftovers for another meal.

It's not really a bargain when you're eating shit. Especially when it comes to pasta, just make it at home. Much cheaper AND much much higher quality. Save the money you spend on shit, and you can afford to eat out at real restaurants.

or pay the bill sans their added gratuity, and then add your own CASH tip.

just demand that it be taken off the bill

or walk out

Happened to a friend of mine last weekend.

He demanded they take it off, and they took it off.

i always thought that the auto-gratuity was a dis-service to the waitstaff, since they have to 1) declare all income for taxes and 2) they get limited at 15 or 18% where they almost always get more if they didn't.

i understand if they do this at times square restaurants. tourists are assholes.