Arrested for not paying tip

[Guest AmericanWorkMule]

This is getting crazy. Back in the day you heard of Dining and Dashing.

College students arrested for not paying tip

By Peter Mucha

Inquirer Staff Writer

It was an evening out that college students Leslie Pope and John Wagner will long remember. Not only did they get what they called lousy service, they got handcuffed and arrested.

All over a $16.35 tip.

They were with a half-dozen friends at the Lehigh Pub in Bethlehem last month, so the establishment tacked what it called a mandatory 18 percent gratuity onto the bill of about $73, according to reports. Pope and Wagner refused to pay.

"You can't give us terrible, terrible service and expect a tip," said Pope, a 22-year-old Moravian College senior who's a Pottsville native, according to the Lehigh Valley Express-Times.

They had to find their own napkins and cutlery while their waitress caught a smoke, had to ask the bar for soda refills, and had to wait over an hour for salad and wings, they told NBC10.

The pub, which was very busy that night, took the $73, but then called the cops, who treated the matter as a theft. The menu clearly states, "18 percent gratuity added to check of parties of 6 of more," and a similar message is printed on receipts, a pub employee said this morning.

A court date is scheduled for next month.

What would they do if it happened again? a reporter asked.

"Honestly, probably gonna pay the tip anyway," said Pope, prompting Wagner, 24, a Lehigh University grad student, to laugh.

College students arrested for not paying tip | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/19/2009

[poak]

Sucks they got lousy service, but the menu CLEARLY states there is an auto-grat on large parties.

[Guest Drewsett]

I must say that these students went about this all wrong. As someone who has managed, cooked, served, bartended...and done just about everything else in the restaurant, a simple conversation with the manager would have likely solved this.

Gratuity is always optional, even if it says that their policy is different for large parties. I can't imagine that any manager, when approached by an irate guest who had a bad experience, would refuse to remove the gratuity from the bill.

I'm pretty sure the law is on the side of the students in this one, but even if it isn't, this restaurant just bought themselves a ticket to bankruptcy. No one will go eat at a place where they have you arrested because you didn't tip your server.

[memphismason]

They should have asked to speak to the manager, explained the situation to said manager, and proceed from there.

More than likely the manager would have taken the tip off or given them the meal for free, just to save face.

[Luckyforward]

Gee . . . safer to eat at home . . .

[Motasyco]

As a business traveler, I have observed that restaurant service quality has declined dramatically in recent years. On the rare occasions that I receive excellent service, the server will receive an excellent tip, usually 20 to 25%. More often than not, the service is mediocre and so is the tip. 10 to 15%. I have on occasion put no tip on my credit card receipt and will write "Very poor service" instead. I do this expecting that someone in management will see it. There is a clear pattern to the quality of service I will receive. An older mature server typically provides far better service than a teen that is busy giggling with their co-workers. Certainly there are exceptions but they are rare.

This is evident in fast food restaurants as well. Where you used to get a cheerful "Hello, how can I help you?". You now typically get a sour "Can I take your order?" from someone that acts as though you are interrupting their nap. Again there certainly are exceptions. A few months ago I stopped at a fast food place off of I 40 and was pleased to be treated with courtesy and a smile. I took the time to seek out the manager to commend the young man that took my order. If I took the time to seek out a manager every time I experienced poor service, I'd have to adjust my daily schedule.

Giving a good tip for poor service is only encouraging the server to continue providing poor service. I don't give tips. The tip must be earned. I work hard for my compensation and expect those that I pay to do the same. Mediocrity has become far too acceptable in our society. I will not encourage it. I will reward excellence.

[Guest mustangdave]

I will reward excellence. Especially at HOOTERS

[Guest AmericanWorkMule]

Reminds me of the Reservoir Dogs tipping scene:

Mr. Pink: I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job.

Mr. Blue: Hey, our girl was nice.

Mr. Pink: She was okay. She wasn't anything special.

Mr. Blue: What's special? Take you in the back and "blank ity blank?"

Nice Guy Eddie: I'd go over twelve percent for that.

[Guest Muttling]

Really dumb on the part of the restraunt.

They will likely win and get their $17 dollars or so, but look at how much publicity has been made of their poor service.

Edited November 21, 2009 by Muttling

[Guest TurboniumOxide]

gratuity [grəˈtjuːɪtɪ]n pl -ties

1. (Business / Commerce) a gift or reward, usually of money, for services rendered; tip

2. something given without claim or obligation

3. (Military) Military a financial award granted for long or meritorious service

[strickj]

gratuity [grəˈtjuːɪtɪ]n pl -ties

1. (Business / Commerce) a gift or reward, usually of money, for services rendered; tip

2. something given without claim or obligation

3. (Military) Military a financial award granted for long or meritorious service

Yes,but I've never eaten at a restaurant where some amount of gratuity isn't mandatory,and included in your bill for large parties.

Like it or not,you agree to pay that when you eat there,and it's the restaurants decision on whether its mandatory or not,just like its their decision on whether to charge you $5 or $7 for a shot