get charged for not paying tip...

[poolqjunkie]

http://money.aol.ca/article/couple-a...ub%2F742775%2F

A couple was being charged and put into the back of a polic car when refusing to pay a mandotory tip (22%) added to their bill for what they described as some very lousy service.

What do you think?

[andy carson]

if its on the menu or on a sign that the 22% "service charge" is not incluided then they have to pay it, if it says included then they dont have to give any extra.

[poolqjunkie]

According to the couple who were charged, the menu says an 18% tip will be added to their bill as there were 6 of them.
But she had to wait for over an hour for an order of wings, and she needed to serve herself while her server went on a break. She was very unhappy with the service.
When the bill came, rather than 18%, 22% were added to their bill. She decided not to pay the tip at all, but she did pay for all the food plus tax--the owner called the police and charge them for thief.

[jrc750]

I think the police should have refused to get involved - how can you have a "mandatory tip" ???? totally ridiculous - they deserve to lose all their customers - if i were to ever see a sign saying such drivel i would go elsewhere !

[andy carson]

I think the police should have refused to get involved - how can you have a "mandatory tip" ???? totally ridiculous - they deserve to lose all their customers - if i were to ever see a sign saying such drivel i would go elsewhere !

its same as in france, the service charge or glorified tip, is what they use to pay the waiters /esses wages from

i fully agree with the woman for not paying it but letter of the law states it must be paid for.... then you raise a complaint with the managment after you pay or do what any normal person does, dont go ther again and tell your mates not to go who in turn tell thier mates not to go.... (if it was me i wouldnt even have paid for the meal!!!)

if you raise a complaint officially with an establishment they do have to get back to you on it, this can be anything from a fob off - we have taken your comments on board and have issued extra training to our staff, no compensation / refund goodwill gesture to giving a refund / free meal / discount etc.....

thats the problem with restaurants they can charge what the hell they like, and if they have a clause on the menus or the bill when it comes - may be 22% for groups of more than 4 due to extra "service" for that table or something???? - if its on the bill you do have to settle that amount in full or query it before you pay and check it is right, not just refuse to pay it.

[poolqjunkie]

I can see both sides of the story.

The bill was somethign like $70 for six people, so the waitress probably felt that these big group was just wasting her time, and taking up her section. The place was busy and may be she really needed a break...etc

But I feel that just because the restaurant has put a certain amount on the bill, does that automaticall make it legal?

If the patrons have paid for all that they have ordered, why are they obligated to pay anything extra had they not feel inclined to even if that was added to the bill by the resturant. Have they given their explicite consent to such additional charges when they ordered? If not, then they are not legally obligated to do so.

Besides, it does not make much sense logicall to me anyway--what if that group of six wanted six seperate bills, does that make them each a group of one, which would have waived them of this mandatory tax?

Anyway, I just thought that this is rather an interest incident.

Personally, I probably would have tried to speak with the manager before the bill came, to see may be if they would comp anything on my bill or whatever to address my complaint.

I am very curious if they really have the legal right to enforce this tip on customers.