WWYD: How do you handle server errors on restaurant bill?
‘œWhen you make a mistake, admit it. If you don’t, you only make matters worse.’ ‘“ Ward Cleaver
Last night, Jeanine and I ran a quick errand at South Coast Plaza and as we were leaving we stumbled upon the new Charlie Palmer restaurant. We sat at the bar and ordered two glasses of wine, the cheese plate and a salad. The couple on our left and the woman on our right even offered a taste off their dishes’¦ how friendly is that for Southern California? It turned into a little food fest on a Tuesday night.
Eventually though, I had enough of the impromptu party and placed my credit card where the bartender would notice I was ready to cash out. He took the card and returned with the bill for my signature. I was still talking to the woman who had shared her SHRIMP KABOBS A LA PLANCHA TAMARIND CHIVE GLAZE, CAPONATA SALAD (fantastic, by the way!), so Jeanine opened the bill presenter. After reviewing the line items she said in a soft voice, ‘œHe charged you for the $40 Cabernet’¦ what do you want to do?’
‘œUmm’¦ I’m going to tell him that I didn’t order the $40 glass of Cabernet.’
I’m sure Jeanine thought it would turn into an awkward scene, but there was no way I was going to pay forty bucks for a glass of wine. Earlier, I had even vacillated about the $15 option. Most of their reds were in the $12 range and typically, I’m hesitant to select from the higher priced tier’¦ but it was a Tuesday night and I was only going to have one glass of wine so what’s $3 in the big scheme of things?
I ordered it by name. It was something, something Conn. I assume as in Conn Valley, but regardless I remember saying, ‘œI want the Conn Cab.’ This was my way to make sure he knew I wasn’t ordering the $40 option.
When I brought it to the bartender’s attention, he seemed surprised and indicated it was his mistake. He immediately swapped it out for the $15 item and re-presented the bill. No scene. But I suspect there are some people that might feel timid about addressing an error on their dining bill.
Unlike other transactions, diners are in a unique social setting putting them at a disadvantage to examine the bill. Do you think this bartender knew this and took advantage of the situation? After all, I was busy talking and never even saw the bill before handing him my credit card. If Jeanine hadn’t scrutinized the bill for me, I would have likely signed and walked away, saying that was a fun night, but kind of expensive. Hello? A forty dollar glass of wine’¦ was he trying to pull a fast one on me or was it an honest mistake? I still tipped him just shy of 20 percent, but I wonder what Mike would say about the tipping etiquette in this situation.
Anyway, Paula covered this ‘œerror on the restaurant bill‘ topic over a year ago, but in light of my recent experience, it seems worth repeating her questions here:
- Do you review your dining check in detail?
- Would you bring it to the server’s attention if there were an error (especially if that error was in your favor)?
- Would the type of dining establishment, amount of the error, or personality of the server influence your actions?
- Would your actions change if the restaurant was gay owned and operated?
We’d love to hear your thoughts below.
I would have done the exact same thing. I almost always check the bill for errors. About 1 in 10 times, there’s an error, usually in the restaurant’s favor. It has nothing to do with the type of establishment it is, nor whether it’s a gay-owned establishment. What’s fair is fair, in my opinion.
When I read the title of this post I thought, “Oh no, server errors! I hope their website doesn’t crash.”
Sometimes I think I really need to take a break from the Internet for a while…
I review my restaurant bill generally. I have an idea how much the bills should be and if I pick it up and it’s totally off, then I look at more detail. If it’s something really small, I’ll blow it off but if it’s big, I definitely mention it.
I pretty much always review my bill and if I see something off, I ask about it. Dollar amount and personality of server don’t have any impact for me. Not really sure why this would be something awkward, or how the social setting influences being able to review the bill. (Honestly, if you’re hanging out with people who’d think less of you for reviewing the bill, you’re hanging out with the wrong people. Simple distraction is something else again – wasn’t sure what aspect of the social situation you were thinking of.) It wouldn’t make any difference to me if it was a gay owned/operated place – the issue is the amount of my bill, not who runs things.
Actually, I’m a server and I use this tactic all the time. It helps me get better tips, I know it’s dishonest, but you have to realize we don’t get paid that much from restaurants…I usually put something “extra” on the bill, but not anything more than $20 beyond what was actually ordered…
Wow, Jim! Thanks for being honest but that is sneaky…
This actually just happened to me. My friend and I were splitting the bill, both on cards. We wrote down our last names and the amounts for each. His came out correctly, mine did not. Mine had change in it – something like $21.14 but came back as $28.00. Very weird. I showed it to the waitress and let her know that it was wrong but I was leaving it – making it clear that the amount included her tip. I probably would have made the amount about $26 with tip, normally, so I let it be (she was a very attentive diner waitress so I didn’t mind). I got the tickle in the back of my mind that maybe it had been intentional but let it go.
In general, I always check the bill and have no problem addressing issues. I am comfortable doing this politely in front of friends – if they’re really my friends and share my values, it shouldn’t make any difference. I’m not out to “impress†anyone with my inattentiveness to finances!
Nina – good question. I had a similar scenario happen on the night of the “Sex and the City” premiere. There were 10 of us who had met up for cocktails and apps before the show (chez Carrie and the gals). We were told when we made the reservation that there would be an 18% gratuity automatically tacked onto the bill and that they wouldn’t split the check. Fine. However, when the check came, it was WAAAAY over what we were expecting. The server had tacked on a 22% tip (after ignoring us all night), and we had been charged for more cocktails than we had ordered. If I hadn’t gone over the check in line item detail, I’m sure no one would have thought anything about it, even though the check was almost $60 off. How did the server think we wouldn’t notice?
I asked to speak to a manager, had the extra cockatils deleted from the ticket, and asked that the tip be removed entirely. The manager actually put up a fight about it, but ended up conceding. As a result, I will no longer be going to the Bamboo Club because of their dishonesty.
Last night I was charged $300 for a bottle of Monogram pinot noir that we were told was only going to be $250. The service however was exceptional and it was almost a non issue at the end of the evening.
Still there’s no reason to be bashful in restaurants when questions arise as mistakes are made all the time. Something that’s improperly coded in the computers can ring up as a different type of sale and inexperienced servers might not know the differences in wines (I got an $8 zin vs a $5 house wine for exacly that reason earlier).
A.J.: Umm, not those servers, but thanks for playing!
Kalieris: By “unique social setting” I meant to imply that it’s a distracting setting for people to review anything in detail. Also, when it comes to business dinners, I’m cautious about looking at the bill too long. I think it makes clients uncomfortable… like I’m scrutinizing the cost of the evening or waiting/expecting them to pony up their share.
Jim: Were you my bartender last night?
Serena: You go girl!
Mike: I want your drinking budget. $300 bottles, $600 bottles… what am I doing wrong? They can’t even upsell me on a $40 glass of wine which is why I knew for sure that I didn’t order it by mistake.
Jim
“Actually, I’m a server and I use this tactic all the time. It helps me get better tips, I know it’s dishonest, but you have to realize we don’t get paid that much from restaurants…I usually put something “extra†on the bill, but not anything more than $20 beyond what was actually ordered…â€
My husband and I ALWAYS CATCH the ERRORS and STIFF the server if it’s an extra item. We have tipped 8% at the most for price overcharges unless it was under 5 cents.
If you STEAL, WE STEAL. That’s the way it works. If you get stiffed, well you deserve it because you are INTENTIONALLY do this. You should GO TO JAIL AND GET FIRED for OVERCHARGING CUSTOMERS ON PURPOSE. You end up getting a higher tip from the higher check amount.
Here’s the list of overcharges over the years:
List of overcharges since 2001
$0.04-Cucos Rita $4.95 menu price, charged $4.99-Waitress at Cuco’s Mexican Restaurant.
$0.04-Cucos Rita $4.95 menu price, charged $4.99-Waiter at Cuco’s Mexican Restaurant.
$0.50-Chili’s Ribs that had on an old menu that was given to me when I ordered which had $13.99 and we were charged $14.49 from the waitress we had. My husband received the newer menu.
$0.30-Ribs at Outback-$17.29 was charged, but on the menu had $16.99from the waitress we had.
$0.30- Fox and Hound had $6.99 on their menu for a sandwich my husband ordered and we were charged $7.29 from the waitress we had.
$1.50-Wrong price from menu at Copeland’s. The menu had $21.99 for the main item and if you wanted to add crawfish, it was $4.99(was supposed to be $26.98), was charged($28.48)
$1.38 – Wrong price from menu for soft drinks($1.99 was charged, but the menu stated $1.30 for each soft drink at a Mexican restaurant called Mi Mamacitas.
$0.75 – Charged for extra cheese when I ordered extra onions, not extra cheese-Corky’s Bbq
$0.50-$0.25 on a margarita listed as a price on the menu that the server charged me for the wrong margarita due to I ordered a margarita that was on their menu that had blue curacao, but they were out, so I ordered one of their regular margarita’s on their menu, which I was charged for the one with blue curacao which was 25 cents more. 25 cents I more I was overcharged for extra bbq sauce, even though we had gone there MANY, MANY times at O’Henry’s Food & Sprits, I was NEVER charged extra before for bbq sauce, which they took off both 25 cent issues off the check.
$1.51 – House Salad charged without an entrée, but I ordered an entrée at a restaurant that is no longer in business which was called Maxim.
$11.00-Waiter rung up wrong table on my credit card at Applebee’s
$21.50-Waiter at Chili’s rung up wrong table on my husband’s credit card
$4.50-Estimating the wrong amount rung up on my credit card which was $23 and something cents and I was rung up $27 and something cents, which is $4 and something cents overcharge at Bennigan’s.
$3.00-Grand Mariner shot I NEVER ordered that was for the table behind us at Outback.
$15.00- Estimating 3 free wines that were supposed to be taken off with a purchase of an entrée for each person at the table at Zea Rotisserie & Grill Restaurant.
$0.31-Waiter not giving back my FULL AMOUNT of change from $34.69. He only gave a $5 bill back, but NO COIN CHANGE at local seafood and Italian restaurant called Tecoro’s.
$4.91- This is adding up an over and an undercharge at Chili’s from the waiter we had. Was actually charged $6.50 for a drink I NEVER ordered, but wasn’t charged for a $1.99 coke. I figured out tax and that is the price with tax I was overcharged.
$1.50-Bennigan’s waitress took my $20 off comp paper for a previous bad service experience and gave it to the manager to fix, but still handed us the bill with $18 and about fifty cents off instead of $20 off the bill as she could SEE it should have been.
$5.25- Charged for a drink I NEVER ordered at Chili’s from the waiter we had.
$4.00-Charged an extra $4 for Bacardi just because I ordered a pina colada with Bacardi rum, which I was charged altogether $8 for a pina colada that I was charged for lots of times in the past at that restaurant only $4. The waitress admitted it was a mistake.
$7.00- At Chevy’s Fresh Mex, the waitress actual charged us $9.95 for both my husband and I’s margaritas which one was $5.95, the other was $6.95.
$4.75-I, the week before, had gotten a margarita made with Jose Cuervo at this seafood and Italian restaurant called Tecoro’s for $4.50. A week later, a waitress charged me $9.25 for the same exact margarita, same exact size glass. They fixed it, so I was correct. The next times I went in there, still only charged $4.50.
$0.25-Waitress not only got my drink order wrong, but also charged me for the wrong drink which was a 25 cent difference in the drinks at Serrano’s Salsa Company.
$2.00- Burger that was $6.99, but charged me for a burger that was $8.99
0.50-Bacardi Never Ordered for a Pina Colada
$92.29 TOTAL
It is also not counting when my mom in 1996 or 1997 was charged for eggs she didn’t order at a restaurant called Russel’s Grill when I had gone to college back then. Things like getting the wrong check at Corky’s BBQ in 2001 could have possibly been an undercharge, which I have no idea what the check total was that we had received back then. Another thing was getting a wrong check at a restaurant called Lager’s. Another thing was getting charged for something, when my husband had ordered something else at a Mexican restaurant. That’s 4 more times who KNOWS what amount were overcharged in those situations. These I listed are the situations I can remember, which possibly there might be more, I don’t remember right now. We were billed for a beer, but my husband ordered another drink, not a beer, so it was more expensive at a Mexican restaurant years ago.
This also NOT includes 3 TIMES THIS YEAR ALONE(2 FUCKING TIMES THE SAME FUCKING DRINK, because of LAZY ASS BARTENDERS THAT DON’T WANT TO VERIFY THE CHECK WITH THE DRINK MENU) $1.00 overcharge on certain martinis at Copeland’s even though we were not charged for soft drinks at the bar. I don’t care that they DON’T charge us for the soft drinks, that’s STILL OUR DOLLARS EACH TIME we ordered those drinks. It also doesn’t include Saturday a few weeks ago at Lager’s $0.27 overcharge due to $1.98 coke on the menu, but was undercharged $2.98. It also doesn’t include 0.08 overcharge for 2 soft drinks, which we were undercharged a long island iced tea. It doesn’t include extra cheese $0.49 when we were undercharged for a soft drink. Those soft drinks are undercharged on PURPOSE to get a HIGHER TIP BY THE WAY. These things happened THIS YEAR BTW. We also weren’t charged a salad without an entrée due to me ordering an appetizer and my husband getting a salad with an entrée, so we couldn’t use his entrée as add a salad to an entrée price, but we were charged for kettle one vodka, but was charged for that even though he said “They were out, so is absolute ok†which I said yes, because he came with it already made, but I would have preferred grey goose instead as a choice instead of him deciding for me what was ok as a second choice, but the point is, he billed us as if we got the HIGHER grade vodka, but didn’t charge us for the salad without the entrée, so instead of getting it fixed, we decide to just pay the bill, but we were OVERCHARGED on the drink itself, just not the salad. Absolute white Russians at Chili’s have been billed at that time $5 and something cents, but when I ordered it with grey goose or kettle one vodka, it was $7.25. So, since we didn’t want to wait to get things fixed, we just paid as it was. Thinking back on it, I wish we would have gotten it fixed, because we didn’t actually RECEIVE kettle one, because they were out, but I figured it evened out by charging the†add a salad to an entrée†even though I had ordered an appetizer as my meal. This was last year this happened. See, not all the time do we want the HASSLE of them FIXING the check if one thing is wrong, but another thing isn’t wrong.
Nina
“I still tipped him just shy of 20 percentâ€
You are a SUCKER. You DON’T tip more than 10% for that type of situation. If the server doesn’t apologize, they should receive a ZERO tip, because they are ADMITTING they did it ON PURPOSE to STEAL. We have been through SO MANY TIMES being overcharged, especially this year. I cannot believe you actually tipped the server UNLESS he apologized PROFUSELY for such a LARGE overcharge. A little one sorry wouldn’t cut it and honestly, for your inconvenience, you should have had something taken OFF the bill. See, if a server would profusely apologize and get something comped, they’d get at least 14%-15% for an overcharge, but a lot of servers don’t even say ONE sorry. I feel customers aren’t the servers or bartenders babysitter’s. WE shouldn’t have to go line by line to make sure everything is correct. If there really is a true mistake that was overlooked, the server should say “I’m SO SORRY about that†and get their manager to comp at LEAST a SOFT DRINK or a couple of bucks if the customer didn’t order a soft drink or tea or lemonade. Making the customer “WAIT†to GET THE CHECK FIXED is such a HASSLE. That’s why when we get undercharged(which we HAVE MANY of times(usually intentionally leaving soft drinks off the bill to get a larger tip, but we have had $6-$7 drinks left off the bill probably by accident), we don’t say anything. We tip higher than we would have to thank the server for giving us a free item ONLY if the service was not horrible of course. If the server would make us wait to get the check fixed over an undercharge, the server would be receiving a tip as if it were an overcharge, because of having to WAIT to get the check fixed. WHO really goes out to eat to have HASSLES and LONG WAITS? If the server didn’t notice, well WHY should the CUSTOMER get PUNISHED in their TIME if it’s in the customer’s favor? We have ENOUGH times when the check is overcharged to even fathom telling the server of any undercharges. NO HASSLES or inconveniences is what we want. If they punish our time and happiness, we punish their tip. What goes around, comes around.
You haven’t been through this a lot, but to ALL DINERS, check the MENU PRICES with your check. We have had several between last year and this year. One restaurant, the manager said he couldn’t fix the computer system due to that CORPORATE. Well, the manager wasn’t CARING about the situation. If he was, he would have told ALL of his staff of the $1 more martinis(which there were at least 2) that were billed $9.99 instead of $8.99, all because it took corporate a little over a month to get new menus. See, that manager was UNWILLING to train his staff to make sure the customer’s were being charged correctly by refusing to tell them about it, so even the MANAGER was in on the stealing, because he KNEW the price that’s IN THE MENU is the “ADVERTISED†price that they can ONLY GO BY when you order unless you happen to order a higher grade alcohol of course by changing the drink. My point is, it happened 3 times, 2 times the SAME DAMN DRINK. So PLEASE, to ALL DINERS, VERIFY that menu. It’s a hassle, but blame the server for not checking it for you, because their job is to CHARGE you correctly. The customers shouldn’t have to check each price, because aren’t getting PAID to do that, the SERVERS are. If the customer can find an error on their check and they don’t even WORK THERE, the server sure can. They should know a little more about the menu than the customer anyways. No, they shouldn’t have the prices memorized, but they can easily compare the menu prices with the check prices just like the customer can.
Also, 3 times we have had our credit card RUNG UP with WRONG AMOUNTS. 2 times it was the wrong tables. One time, the time that my credit card was overcharged almost $11 at Applebee’s, the waiter conveniently didn’t return the original bill, just the credit card receipt. He thought he would be sneaky. Instead of getting a decent tip, he got completely stiffed. He NEVER ONCE SAID HE WAS SORRY EVEN and COMPLETELY IGNORED me when I told him about the situation. The manager didn’t comp anything and didn’t believe me that he did it on purpose, which I felt like what an IDIOT manager to not see he did it intentionally to charge us a bigger amount and a friend’s table our lower bill, along with at least $2 extra tip he would have made also from being a higher check amount.
Most of the times, the overcharges were EXTRA ITEMS, but there was one time at least I had an item that was wrongly rung up. I was billed for a salad without an entree, even though I ordered an entree. When I went up to the waitress and asked “So why is the salad “$3.50″, instead of looking at the check or even TRYING to read the menu, she blames the COMPUTER saying “It’s what’s in the computer†as if that matters. Anyway, I grab and menu to show her where the menu stated “Add a soup or house salad for $1.99 to any entree†above the list of entrees I had ordered from. BTW, we only were there about an hour and had NEVER been to that restaurant. She didn’t say she was sorry right after and just went to the back to the manager. She came back and ONLY got the mistake FIXED, NO COMP as what it SHOULD HAVE BEEN since SHE PRESSED THE WRONG button and it WASN’T the COMPUTER as she claimed. Even if it was the wrong price, it’s STILL NOT THE COMPUTER CHARGING ME, that’s the SERVER to take notice it’s wrong and TELL THEIR MANAGER to fix it BEFORE they bring me the bill. Anyway, when she handed the corrected check, she said “Sorry about the mistake.†With her blameless attitude, she got stiffed. It wasn’t for the overcharge, but for her ATTITUDE that a COMPUTER charges customers instead of a HUMAN BEING(the server). My revised check had “Add house salad to entree†instead of just “house salad†as it originally did. The waitress was SO UNCARING as if $1.50 is meaningless and she only was serving one other couple to boot, so it wasn’t even busy even. If she would have gotten even just a coke off the bill and said “I’m so sorryâ€, she would have gotten 13% instead of stiffed. It’s not all about the mistake, but more about the WAY YOU HANDLE IT. If she would have just said “I’m so sorry†but no comp(which I feel if the manager doesn’t do it, the server should since that was really HER that pressed the wrong button), she would have received 8% at the most. When you deal with money, the CUSTOMER’S MONEY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE SERVER’S MONEY. WHY CAN’T SERVERS ACT LIKE IT’S THEIR MONEY? I know they are busy, but the check is really an important part of the service as well as the food & drinks. I feel you want payment, you better charge me correctly or if you make a mistake, MAKE-UP for it monitarly and by apologizing. Sorrys are easy to say and can be easily done just to save the tip, but giving something for free makes up for the mistake a lot more, because it SHOWS through ACTIONS that you are sorry. Actions do speak louder than words.
Anyway, my point is, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS VERIFY YOUR ENTIRE BILL FOR ANY WRONG PRICES. Some of these stupid restaurants that put soft drink prices are stupid, because soft drink prices seem to change a lot and I seem to catch the errors when they do. I don’t care if it’s cents, the next times you go, it all adds up. The SERVER should have CAUGHT the situation BEFORE handing you the check. I feel if they have the time to write “Thank you†with their signature on the check, they have enough time to verify the check for wrong prices.
ANY customer would be INSANE to give 20% to ANY overcharge unless a huge amount is comped like $5 or above.
Jim
“I usually put something “extra†on the bill, but not anything more than $20 beyond what was actually ordered…”
Have you EVER gotten caught? If you have, HOW did you handle it? If you have, did you APOLOGIZE? If you did, did you get a tip of any kind? Do any of your co-workers know you do this? Do other co-workers of yours do this as well? Do you really think customers are that stupid and trusting? You don’t feel any remorse for stealing? Have you ever been stiffed in an overcharge situation? Do you feel you deserved it if you have? Did you ever give something for free from the manager when you overcharged a customer on purpose if they caught the error that is?
Springs1: Wow, that’s some comment! Maybe you should be writing for Nation’s Restaurant News.
As an unrelated side, we’re part of this week’s Carnival of the Insanities.
As a former server, there were definitely busy, busy nights when I made mistakes with my tables’ checks. 99% of the time I was able to catch it as I reviewed the checks before dropping them on the table, but luckily the customers were extremely understanding the other 1% of the time. Unless you’re certain that it was done on purpose or your service was terrible, I think that it’s extremely tacky to drop the tip in the single percentage points for an error.
Sloan
“Unless you’re certain that it was done on purpose or your service was terrible, I think that it’s extremely tacky to drop the tip in the single percentage points for an error.”
WHY? If they try to make up for it by COMPING something off the bill, that’s different. It’s “TACKY” to make the CUSTOMER do the checking over their check. It’s LAZY of them they didn’t do it. If they overlooked a mistake, it’s up to them on how to solve it. They could take money out of THEIR OWN POCKET if they truly wanted to. I have had times where I was overcharged CENTS like 30 cents and I never once saw a server take 50 cents out of their pocket to not make ME have a wait to get the check fixed. 50 cents would be for the extra taxes and tip as well as the inconvenience of WAITING to get the check fixed by their managers. See, even some don’t apologize. When you don’t apologize, you get ZERO tip for being mean. Even if YOU didn’t do it on purpose, to not say “Sorry” is tacky and INHUMANE. I treat you the EXACT way you treat me. My money should be just as important as your money.
“but luckily the customers were extremely understanding the other 1% of the time.”
They probably haven’t been overcharged much or maybe it wasn’t dollars worth. Getting overcharged $5 or more is much more irriating than to get charged 50 cents. My husband and I have been through it so much so it gets irriating that the server wants the tip, but cares less about our money. My server should act like it’s THEIR MONEY, but they don’t.
We have gotten one or 2 comps for overcharges from the MANAGERS. The server should be the one to ask the managers for the comp, but they don’t. I have had a waitress ring up a side salad without an entree when I had ordered an entree. The thing was, her ATTITUDE got her the stiff. When I went up to her to ask “Why is the side salad $3.50”, she was like “It’s whatever is in the computer.” So basically blaming a MACHINE for her carelessness. That was the first and only time at that restaurant. There was only 1 other table she had with a couple at it and one person at the bar, so it wasn’t even busy. I had to PROVE to her with the menu that the side salad added to an entree was $1.99. Instead of saying she was sorry right, then, and there, that I had PROVED her WRONG, she just went to the back to see the manager. When she came back, she said “Sorry about the mistake” with NO COMP, NOT even a coke off the bill for my inconvenience. Anyway, that sorry came too little, too late. I mean seriously, she was MEAN and blaming a machine for something she could catch even if the situation was a wrong price, but it wasn’t, it was HER that PRESSED THE WRONG BUTTON(add salad to an entree button was supposed to be rung up instead of just “House salad.”) I just couldn’t believe I had to pull a menu out to PROVE to her when I had been there about an hour, that’s it, but *I* knew the menu BETTER than she did. I wouldn’t have expected her to memorize the price $1.99, but I would have expected her to know there was a special price if you add a salad to an entree or if she didn’t know it by memory, she could have easliy compared the menu with the check to make sure she rung everything up correctly.
If I would have been the server in that situation, I would have immediately grabbed a menu to see WHY the price was the price and I couldn’t FATHOM telling a customer such a rude thing that “It’s whatever is in the computer.” I would have gone to the back to get the check fixed by the manager and asked the manager to comp something. I would have PAID for a soft drink MYSELF out of MY OWN MONEY if the manager wouldn’t have let me comp something. I would have said I was “SO SORRY” RIGHT AWAY when I realized what I had done and I would have said I was “SO SORRY” AFTER I would have brought the revised check out. $1.51 was the overcharge btw. Anyway, I feel they should have comped the darn salad for all the mess I went through.
I have had many of times where servers never once said they were sorry for the overcharges. They got themselves nothing for being mean. You be nice, I’ll be nice back. What goes around, comes around. You give me zero respect, I give you zero tip.
You really need to check over the checks more often, because the customer’s money should be just as important as the tip you want to receive.
It doesn’t matter how busy it is, because it all boils down to MONEY. YOU want your customer’s money, well you have to CARE about their money in order for them to care about yours.
“99% of the time I was able to catch it as I reviewed the checks before dropping them on the table”
You don’t seem to understand that you can review the check WAY BEFORE the end. Let’s say if the customer’s are eating their entrees, you can review THOSE PARTS that are on the check already and then you can give a total review at the end. You may catch wrong prices while you review the check in the computer. I am just REALLY TIRED of catching the server’s overcharges and them acting like they could care less. You can be as nice as you can be and STILL get no apology as if it’s not their fault, when they are the last person to hand me the check, so how can it not be their fault regardless of if the price on the menu doesn’t match what I am being charged. If the menu states $6.99 and I am charged $7.29(This really happened), the server should have had enough common sense and willingness to review the check beforehand. If she didn’t catch the error, I should hear an apology of some sort. I didn’t here one sorry, all because some servers feel that they can’t help a wrong price, but they can get it fixed BEFORE handing it to me with the wrong price. It’s all up to them. If I were the server, let’s say I caught the wrong price, I could go to the manager to get it fixed and the customer wouldn’t receive that overcharge, because I would have PREVENTED the situation from GETTING to the customer, which should be the GOAL.
I am just EXTREMELY TIRED of FINDING the errors, when most of the time, the servers DID have the time, but were too lazy to verify our money.
I think it teaches the server a lesson they have to check over the check if they get hit with a crappy tip or a non-existant tip for an overcharge. WHY pay someone well to be lazy or not care about your money? If they missed it, they should have the DECENCY to make up for the mistake MONETARILY, even if it ends up being their own money. I have NEVER seen a server take money out of their own pocket to not inconvenience the customer. I have NEVER seen a server ask for a comp for billing mistake either. I think the servers that had overcharged me without getting a comp or giving me a comp are selfish. They were ONLY thinking about THEIR OWN MONEY. That’s the truth.
Wow, Springs1 you are apparently very upset by this issue. You really sound like you are just trying to get something for free. Why would a server overcharge you on purpose for 4 cents? Is that really going to increase their tip??? As a former server, I recognize that these things happen most of the time on accident. You should keep in mind that the computer where the servers input their orders don’t list the prices. And, it’s difficult to memorize the prices of everything especially when they change frequently and if the restaraunt has a large menu. It’s unfair to say the servers are to lazy to verify your money. That is the whole reason you are given an itemized bill.
I hope you are never a repeat customer to servers you have stiffed. You will probably get a little something extra in your food.
Lith
“Why would a server overcharge you on purpose for 4 cents?”
Because they were TOO LAZY to ***COMPARE THE MENU WITH THE CHECK**** just as I had to. That’s why it’s “ON PURPOSE”, because the servers made ME, the CUSTOMER, FIND IT instead of THEMSELVES. If you don’t “TRY”, then it’s “ON PURPOSE” YOU DECIDED ALL ON YOUR OWN NOT TO COMPARE THE MENU WITH THE CHECK. It’s kind of like handing in a report at school and not PROOFREADING it before handing it in. If you don’t TRY, it would be YOUR FAULT you had some errors. If you would have proofread it, you most likely wouldn’t have had those particular errors. Get my drift?
“You should keep in mind that the computer where the servers input their orders don’t list the prices.”
The computer prices mean NOTHING. You should keep in mind that what’s in the computer is NOT, NOT, NOT where we order from. It’s the MENU that means EVERYTHING. Those are the ONLY PRICES THAT COUNT, otherwise it’s called FALSE ADVERTISING. When you go to a store, don’t you feel the ADVERTISTED PRICE on the shelf is the ONLY ONE that counts, NOT what the COMPUTER PRICE HAS? Well then, if you feel that the price on the shelf is the price the item should be, well HOW IS A MENU PRICE at a restaurant ANY DIFFERENT?
“And, it’s difficult to memorize the prices of everything especially when they change frequently and if the restaraunt has a large menu.”
WHO in the world said ANYTHING about “MEMORIZING?” I didn’t memorize the prices either. All I did was take A MENU and COMPARE that menu with the prices listed on the check. HOW HARD IS THAT? If the CUSTOMER can do it, there’s NO EXCUSE IN THE WORLD BESIDES “LAZINESS” and being “UNCARING” not to do it. If you have time to write “Thank you” and sign your name on the check which wastes time, you have the time to do that.
I would NEVER, EVER, suggest a server to memorize prices. That would be INSANE since prices change every so often. All the server has to do is take a menu(a to-go menu if possible in their APRON, so they can CARRY one with them at ALL times if the restaurant has to-go menus) and compare the prices on the check with the prices being charged. If I can find the error, SO CAN YOU!! NO EXCUSE IN THE WORLD TO BE LAZY AND UNCARING ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMER’S MONEY!! You should act like it’s YOUR MONEY at stake.
In a store situation, the prices change every week, which in restaurants they don’t change prices every week. Secondly, the cashier doesn’t have a booklet to check the prices and even if they did, a store has thousands of items, where as a restaurant doesn’t. A typical restaurant menu has 100-200 items. A cashier doesn’t get tipped, so they shouldn’t care if they charge you correctly, because they are getting paid no matter what. A cashier would have to go to the physical shelf to know if they were overcharging someone whereas a server just has to grab a menu to compare the check to.
The server is the LAST PERSON to SEE the check in 99.9% of the times, so that person can easily PREVENT a price overcharge. I took a menu at Outback that was at our table and saw the baby back ribs were $16.99, but on our check, it was $17.29 we were charged. If I can notice that, my waitress COULD have as well. Don’t give me this crap about that “We don’t have the time”, because you MAKE the time to CARE about your customer’s money, that’s YOUR JOB!! You want us to tip you well, so treat our money as if it were YOUR MONEY!!
“It’s unfair to say the servers are to lazy to verify your money.”
It’s VERY FAIR. A server can take a menu and compare it to the check. They are TOO LAZY to do that, YES THEY ARE 100% WORTH!! There’s NO REASON EVER to hand a customer their check with an overcharge of any kind, even a price difference.
Example:
http://www.outback.com/foodandmenus/pdf/C236.pdf
Let’s say if I order the Bloomin Onion which is $5.99 on the menu, but when you print out the check the price states $6.50. You grab a menu and before you hand me my check, you notice the price is $5.99 NOT $6.50, GUESS WHAT? It’s YOUR JOB to notify the manager BEFORE, that’s right, BEFORE you hand that customer their check with the price wrong. YOU have the 100% POWER to make the customer not receive the overcharge. YOU are making the TIP FROM THE CUSTOMER, so it’s up to YOU to not be SO LAZY to not verify the menu with the check to make 100% sure you charged the customer correctly. There’s no memorizing I did when I caught the errors I caught unless I got that particular item a lot. Normally though, I didn’t know the price until the check came and I LOOKED at the MENU MYSELF, which that shouldn’t have had to happen, because MY SERVER should have done that for me as GOOD SERVICE is SUPPOSED TO BE. TIPS ARE EARNED, NOT A RIGHT!!
“I hope you are never a repeat customer to servers you have stiffed.”
I actually request NOT to get certain servers to prevent bad service as well as any retailiation.
Lith
“You really sound like you are just trying to get something for free.”
WHY would ANYONE in the right mind rather have something for free than to not go through crap? All I want is “PERFECT SERVICE” with NO PROBLEMS, NOT free whatever. I would take ANYDAY to pay for a meal with me and my husband let’s say around $60 than to get that comped to go through bad service or to get an entree comped to go through an overcharge again, so I end up having to WAIT LONGER TO LEAVE. I have NO CLUE WHERE you get that I’d want something for free? All I want is a server to CARE about MY MONEY if they want MY MONEY. It’s all about not being lazy and to CARE about your customer’s money as if it were your own money. I am sick of finding the errors when THEY are VERY ABLE TO FIND THE WRONG PRICES, EXTRA ITEMS, WRONG ITEMS, ETC. There’s no reason not to verify the check BEFORE giving it to the customer. We have had times where servers forgot to ring up things. Sorry, but don’t punish MY TIME to get the check fixed or your tip will be like an overcharge. I have enough with waiting to get overcharges fixed, so when an undercharge happens, they get a bigger tip. What I am saying is, money situations go both ways that the SERVER could be undercharging the customer, so it’s in their best interest to make sure they charged the customer correctly for their own money.
It’s all about not wanting the inconvenience of waiting to get the check fixed, NOT at ALL about getting something for free. I do think the server SHOULD comp something for our inconvenience considering they made US find the error instead of their lazy self.
Do you review your dining check in detail? In detail, no, but I do look at it first.
Would you bring it to the server’s attention if there were an error (especially if that error was in your favor)? Yes, even if it were in my favor.
Would the type of dining establishment, amount of the error, or personality of the server influence your actions? No.
Would your actions change if the restaurant was gay owned and operated? No.
Springs1 you bring up some valid points but you clearly have some issues. How in THE WORLD are you able to have a count of the times you were overcharged 4 cents?? Are you keeping a log?
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I think this is very telling. I think I would hate to have you as a customer in any type of business.
The above comment left out this quote:
‘I actually request NOT to get certain servers to prevent bad service as well as any retailiation.’
dvdchris
“How in THE WORLD are you able to have a count of the times you were overcharged 4 cents?? Are you keeping a log?”
I actually REMEMBER them just as it were YESTERDAY.
“I think I would hate to have you as a customer in any type of business.”
WHY? Because I would treat people the EXACT WAY they treated me and I wouldn’t let them RIDE ALL OVER ME? If you want a good tip or a tip at all, don’t STEAL and I won’t STEAL from you. A customer’s change is just as important as the server’s tip. WHY the customer’s money is not as important as the server’s money? That is the way you are acting.
Springsy, speaking of “ride all over you” (and even though you probably do remember this crap like it was yesterday, I’ve seen you copy and paste the exact list of overcharges on Tipping.org, the Dallas Cowboys forum, Bitter Waitress, and several parenting sites, for starters), does your husband — sorry, ***HUSBAND*** — know that you are on a site for GAY, LESBIAN, and BISEXUAL PEOPLE? How can you be so MEAN, COLD, and UNCARING as to join a site for NICE NORMAL QUEER PEOPLE LIKE ME under FALSE PRETENSES? I would never pretend to be something I wasn’t if I commented to your Livejournal or any of your other Blogger, Blogspot, etc. BLOGS. What do you hope to accomplish HERE that you haven’t when posting the same rant all over the interwebs for the LAST ***LITERALLY*** TEN YEARS, HUH?