Restaurant Customer Arrested For Tipping Under 18%

[Siji]

http://www.wnbc.com/money/3725266/detail.html

Being cheap and obnoxious can get you busted.

Humberto Taveras was arrested over Labor Day weekend and faces a misdemeanor theft of service charge after allegedly stiffing on the tip at an upstate New York pizza place.

He and his party of eight others recently ate at Soprano's Italian and American Grill in Lake George. Taveras said he didn't know about the mandatory 18 percent gratuity for parties of six or more and only left about 10 percent.

But restaurant owner Joe Soprano said all the menus have the notice and the waitress told them, too. Soprano said he's not pressing charges because of the money. He contends Taveras was rude. Taveras counters they weren't satisfied with the food or the service. He plans on fighting the tipping point in court.

The 41-year-old data center manager says he left what he thought was a 10 percent tip because they weren't happy with the food.

[Siji]

Follow-up

http://www.wnbc.com/money/3729682/detail.html

Charges Dropped After Man Arrested For Small Tip

Customer Says He Tipped 12 Percent

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. -- A man arrested in an upstate New York restaurant for not tipping enough is off the hook.

Local prosecutors said they won't charge Humberto Taveras for not leaving a big enough tip at Soprano's Italian and American Grill in Lake George.

The 41-year-old Long Island man was arrested Labor Day weekend when the restaurant owner accused him of not leaving an 18 percent gratuity required for large parties.

Taveras said he wasn't aware of the policy -- and wouldn't have left that much money anyway because he and his friends weren't happy with the service. He said he left about a 12 percent tip on a $71 bill. He added the service was slow and the food was not that good.

But restaurant owner Joe Soprano said all the menus have the notice and the waitress told them, too. Soprano said he did not press charges because of the money. He said Taveras was rude.

The restaurant owners had police catch the Taveras family outside the restaurant in another store along Lake George's tourist strip.

Taveras was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor theft of services. He said restaurants should not be forced to make a person tip. It's supposed to be a thank you for good service.

The Warren County District Attorney's Office said a restaurant patron can't be forced to leave a gratuity. Prosecutors said establishments have to call it a service charge -- not a tip -- in order to make it a mandatory add-on charge.

[Bubba Grizz]

I'd sue the owner. Wrongful arrest and embarrassment. Getting arrested in front of my kids would suck.

[masteen]

You would fuck with Joey Soprano? I see a shovel and the trunk of a Mercedes in your future...

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

I wouldn't eat at an establishment that had a mandatory tipping policy. If the service is good they get 15-20% tip. And that is whether the food is good or not. It's not the waiter/waitresses fault the food blew. But, if the service blows, they get 0-5% from me. That's just me two cents.

[Kelshara]

Pretty standard to have an automatic tip for larger parties.

[Trek]

Pretty standard to have an automatic tip for larger parties.

Yes it is, most places will attach it to the actual bill. This is acceptable and there are many good reasons for it

[Markulas]

Both parties seem a little fucked up.

[Sueven]

I wouldn't eat at an establishment that had a mandatory tipping policy. If the service is good they get 15-20% tip. And that is whether the food is good or not. It's not the waiter/waitresses fault the food blew. But, if the service blows, they get 0-5% from me. That's just me two cents.

Where do you eat? I'd say that about half of all restaurants that I've eaten in have had mandatory tipping policies for large groups, and I live in your state.

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

I wouldn't eat at an establishment that had a mandatory tipping policy. If the service is good they get 15-20% tip. And that is whether the food is good or not. It's not the waiter/waitresses fault the food blew. But, if the service blows, they get 0-5% from me. That's just me two cents.

Where do you eat? I'd say that about half of all restaurants that I've eaten in have had mandatory tipping policies for large groups, and I live in your state.

With two kids we don't get a chance to go to the kind of places that have mandatory tip requirements. Like I said, if I read there was, I would leave. I don't wish to be forced to pay someone a tip if they suck.

[Hesten]

I never really understood the US idea of tipping in restaurants.

In Denmark, the price you see at the menu ARE the price you pay, tipping are included in the price. If you then feel like it, youre free to leave a little extra, but thats not something expected.

[Kelshara]

Hesten,
The whole restaurant business is different from Scandinavia to here in the US. Back home the waiters actually get paid a good amount and tip is basically extra bonus. Here in the US the waiters barely get paid and pretty much live off of tips. Confused the hell out of me when I first moved over here heh.

[Winnow]

I never really understood the US idea of tipping in restaurants.

In Denmark, the price you see at the menu ARE the price you pay, tipping are included in the price. If you then feel like it, youre free to leave a little extra, but thats not something expected.

I'd much prefer that. I could care less if the prices are more expensive. include the tip in the price. It's just a cheesy way for owners to pay waiters and waitresses shit wages.

[Siji]

Hesten,
The whole restaurant business is different from Scandinavia to here in the US. Back home the waiters actually get paid a good amount and tip is basically extra bonus. Here in the US the waiters barely get paid and pretty much live off of tips. Confused the hell out of me when I first moved over here heh.

There's no pretty much about it.. waitresses/waiters do live off of tips. My mother did it for 11 friggin' years. After seeing how much she depended on tips (if I remember correctly, waitresses/waiters don't even make minimum wage base pay, due to the tips being figured in) and seeing that she's human and has bad days, it takes an extremely bad encounter for me not to leave at least some kind of tip.

As for mandatory tips - I wouldn't go to any place that had it (not including the ones for parties of 6 or more). There's a place called Berns that I go to that has a mandatory charge, but it's labeled a service charge of 12%. It's also one of those uppity places, so I know ahead of time what to expect, and if not, it's noted in the menu..

In respect to the story, being arrested for not paying a mandatory fee which should have been included in the final bill is crap. Especially if the restaraunt names it a tip.

[Zaelath]

Trouble with the American tip system is it forces the staff into providing pseudo service in an effort to increase their tip. Because the restraunt pays shit though, they can employ a lot of staff per restraunt, so they have plenty of time to hang around your table..

[Mak]

Trouble with the American tip system is it forces the staff into providing pseudo service in an effort to increase their tip. Because the restraunt pays shit though, they can employ a lot of staff per restraunt, so they have plenty of time to hang around your table..

That's "trouble"? Having to provide good service to earn your money?

[Zaelath]

Hassling me every 5 minutes while I'm trying to enjoy my meal and my date's company isn't good service.

There's a difference between being attentive and mindlessly asking if you can help every time you pass one of your tables because you have nothing better to do.

If you're attentive and pleasant in countries that don't have "compulsory" tipping you'll still get tipped, and it will be what the US would consider "heavy" tipping.

Anyway, we've been over this before, and all that was resolved is that Americans like having their asses kissed for 15%

[Deward]

Minimum wage for waitresses is something like $2.75 per hour. They live on tips. I always tip well, 20-25% if the service is good and timely. I like to keep my water filled all the time. Places that have a mandatory tip get the minimum from me. I hate being forced to tip. I have left change for bad service and I have left 100%+ tips for exceptionally good service.

[Spang]

a party of 8 is a large party?

[Siji]

a party of 8 is a large party?

When you're thinking of at least 8 drinks, appetizers, dinners, desserts, checking each one periodically, cleaning up, etc, yes. Most places draw the line at 6 people as a minimum tip line.

[masteen]

Bern's Steakhouse? Great place, at least the one in Tampa was. Their wine cellar was fucking EPIC. While the steak at Bern's is certainly premium, I preferred the Ruth's Chris a bit more.

[Winnow]

Bern's Steakhouse? Great place, at least the one in Tampa was. Their wine cellar was fucking EPIC. While the steak at Bern's is certainly premium, I preferred the Ruth's Chris a bit more.

Ruth's Chris is great for steak...but it does bring up a point. I had an absolutley shitty waiter at Ruth's Chris. He basically ruined the meal with his snobbery and ability to non stop nag. It's entirely possible for a waiter/waitress to be bothersom. The best ones are ones you don't remember because they do their jobs well without interfering.

[Aslanna]

Berns > Ruth's Chris

But there's only one Berns (as far as I'm aware) so unless you live in west central Florida you're out of luck.


(Have to have the obligatory RD quote!)

EDDIE
All right. Everybody cough up some green for the little lady.

Come on. Throw in a buck.

MR. PINK
Uh-uh. I don't tip.

EDDIE
You don't tip?

MR. PINK
No - I don't believe in it.

EDDIE
You don't believe in tipping?

MR. BLUE
You know what these chicks make? They make shit.

MR. PINK
Don't give me that. She don't make enough money, she can quit.

(Mr. Blonde laughs.)
EDDIE
I don't even know a fucking Jew who'd have the balls to say that. Let me just get this straight. You don't ever tip, huh?

MR. PINK
I don't tip because society says I have to. Alright, I mean I'll tip if somebody really deserves a tip, if they really put forth the effort, I'll give 'em something extra, but I mean this tipping automatically is for the birds.

(Eddie laughs.)
I mean as far as I'm concerned they're just doing their job.

MR. BLUE
Hey, this girl was nice.

MR. PINK
She was OK - but she wasn't anything special.

MR. BLUE
What's special, take you in the back and suck your dick?

(They laugh.)
EDDIE
I'd go over 12% for that.

MR. PINK
Hey Look, I ordered coffee, right? Now we've been here a long fuckin time, and she's only filled my cup three times. When I order coffee, I want it filled six times

MR. BLONDE
Six times? Well, you know, what if she's too fucking busy?

MR. PINK
Words "too fucking busy" shouldn't be in a waitress' vocabulary.

EDDIE
Excuse me, Mr. Pink - the last fucking thing you need's another cup of coffee.

MR. PINK
Jesus Christ - I mean these ladies aren't starving to death. They make minimum wage. You know, I used to work minimum wage. And when I did, I wasn't lucky enough to have a job society deemed tip-worthy.

MR. BLUE
You don't care they're counting on your tips to live?

(Mr. Pink rubs two of his fingers together.)
MR. PINK
You know what this is? It's the world's smallest violin playing just for the waitresses.

MR. WHITE
You don't have any idea what you're talking about. These people bust their ass. This is a hard job.

MR. PINK
So's working at McDonald's, but you don't feel the need to tip them, do you? Why not? They're servin ya food. But no, society says don't tip these guys over here, but tip these guys over here. That's bullshit.

MR. WHITE
Waitressing is the number one occupation for female noncollege graduates in this country. It's the one job basically any woman can get and make a living on. The reason is because of their tips.

MR. PINK
(pauses) Fuck all that.

(They all laugh.)
MR. BROWN
Jesus Christ!

MR. PINK
Hey, I'm very sorry that the government taxes their tips. That's fucked up. That ain't my fault. It would appear that waitresses are just one of the many groups the government fucks in the ass on a regular basis. You show me a paper says the government shouldn't do that, I'll sign it. Put it to a vote, I'll vote for it. But what I won't do is play ball. And this non-college bullshit you're giving me, I got two words for that: "Learn to fuckin type." Cause if you're expecting me to help out with the rent, you're in for a big fuckin' surprise.

MR. ORANGE
Hey - he's convinced me. Give me my dollar back.

EDDIE
Hey! Leave the dollars there.

JOE
All right, ramblers, let's get ramblin'. Wait a minute. Who didn't throw in?

MR. ORANGE
Mr. Pink.

JOE
Mr. Pink? Why not?

MR. ORANGE
He don't tip.

JOE
He don't tip? What do you mean you don't tip?

MR. ORANGE
He don't believe in it.

JOE
Shut up. What do you mean you don't believe in it? Come on, you, cough up a buck, you cheap bastard. I paid for your goddamn breakfast.

MR. PINK
Alright - since you paid for the breakfast, I'll put in, but normally I would never do this.

JOE
Never mind what you normally would do. Just cough in your goddamn buck like everybody else. Thank you.

[Lalanae]

I never really understood the US idea of tipping in restaurants.

In Denmark, the price you see at the menu ARE the price you pay, tipping are included in the price. If you then feel like it, youre free to leave a little extra, but thats not something expected.

I'd much prefer that. I could care less if the prices are more expensive. include the tip in the price. It's just a cheesy way for owners to pay waiters and waitresses shit wages.

You get MUCH better service when the wait staff relies on tips.

[Kelshara]

Never really had any problems with service back home.. since they still pocket the tip they still try to do good service. Best service I've ever had was in Greece heh, that was just insane.

[Winnow]

I never really understood the US idea of tipping in restaurants.

In Denmark, the price you see at the menu ARE the price you pay, tipping are included in the price. If you then feel like it, youre free to leave a little extra, but thats not something expected.

I'd much prefer that. I could care less if the prices are more expensive. include the tip in the price. It's just a cheesy way for owners to pay waiters and waitresses shit wages.

You get MUCH better service when the wait staff relies on tips.

Maybe in the United States but in other countries I've never had an issue with service and waiter/waitress pay included in the prices.

[Chidoro]

With two kids we don't get a chance to go to the kind of places that have mandatory tip requirements. Like I said, if I read there was, I would leave. I don't wish to be forced to pay someone a tip if they suck.

Can't really fault you there, but it's usually sttached to partys of six or more usually. It is pretty standard practice for a number of private establishments.

Win, I think that the service industry is viewed in much higher regard in european countries, much like the staff at higher establishment restaurants in this country.

8 people and $71, jesus christ, just give them the 11 bucks you cheap fuck. They didn't piss on your food and controlling the orders of 8 people is a bitch, anyone that's been a waiter or waitress can tell you that.

I uslly start at 20. If they aren't too good, it trims to 15, if they are outstanding, 25-30 isn't unheard of. In fact, at diners, I usually start around 25% since the bill can't be made up in alcohol

[Denadeb]

Most of the time I give 20% sometimes its alittle more sometimes alittle less just depends on the service.