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When did waiters/waitresses start pocketing the change


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Ive recently started paying cash in restraunts and have noticed that almost all waiters/waitresses these days pocket the change portion of the check. For instance my lunch bill was just 26.78, I gave her $30 and was returned only $3.

this has happenned nearly everytime I've paid in cash recently. 22 cents is not a big deal but I'm just surprised that so many are doing this. I have to imagine someone older would lose thier mind at the assumption. I know my father would.

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Ive recently started paying cash in restraunts and have noticed that almost all waiters/waitresses these days pocket the change portion of the check. For instance my lunch bill was just 26.78, I gave her $30 and was returned only $3.

this has happenned nearly everytime I've paid in cash recently. 22 cents is not a big deal but I'm just surprised that so many are doing this. I have to imagine someone older would lose thier mind at the assumption. I know my father would.

I don't like that at all and many times it has kept me from giving a tip. I never had that situation at a restaurant, my experience has been with yellow cabs. I'll take a cab and if the ride for example was $27 and I pay $30 the driver will take the money and then look at me as if I just gave him $27 and not $30. I hate when people take what they want and not what I give them. 

 

Im a very good tipper, any of the girls at the bunny ranch can attest to this   :winking0001: but I would like to give the tip rather than someone just keeping my money. When it happens I immediately ask for the change and won't give them a tip. Then the cabby gives me that look through the mirror like "this is why I hate picking up black people" lol when in reality he was acting like a dumb ass and lost a $5 tip simply for trying to keep my $3 change without me offering. 

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It honestly depends. I agree that servers should carry change but unfortunately it doesn't always work like that and it's not always the servers fault. You can only walk around with so many coins on you, so if a bunch of people pay cash prior to you, then it comes down to shorting you 12 cents or keeping you at the restaurant an extra fifteen minutes because I now have to wait at the bar for coins. I think most servers would still opt for the latter, but I can't blame them for giving it a try. Getting bombarded by nonstop cash payments as a server absolutely ******* blows.

That said, I've worked in restaurants on and off my entire life. What you're describing isn't the norm.

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This reminds me of how I never use cash anymore. Scary but I debit everything.

Yep. Never pay cash, charge it all, get miles, never carry a balance.

I charge all utilities, daycare, all of it... Then use the miles for vacation every year. I haven't paid a penny of interest in 8 years. If you live within your means it's an easy path to free money.

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Yep. Never pay cash, charge it all, get miles, never carry a balance.

I charge all utilities, daycare, all of it... Then use the miles for vacation every year. I haven't paid a penny of interest in 8 years. If you live within your means it's an easy path to free money.

 

That is so good.  I wish I was doing that.....hopefully I can get to that point sometime soon.

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it's all about the dance.  in traffic, if someone is patiently waiting to come out from a parking lot, side street, I always slow down and let them merge.  If they are creeping out and trying to force their way in, FU, you wait

 

with servers, the dance was I give you the $20 bill, you put the change on the bar, I take the bills and leave the change and a single, and later in the night if you are cool, a $10 or all of it or whatever

 

if the server assumes the tip, and pockets the change, FU you are not dancing with me

 

 

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It honestly depends. I agree that servers should carry change but unfortunately it doesn't always work like that and it's not always the servers fault. You can only walk around with so many coins on you, so if a bunch of people pay cash prior to you, then it comes down to shorting you 12 cents or keeping you at the restaurant an extra fifteen minutes because I now have to wait at the bar for coins. I think most servers would still opt for the latter, but I can't blame them for giving it a try. Getting bombarded by nonstop cash payments as a server absolutely ******* blows.

That said, I've worked in restaurants on and off my entire life. What you're describing isn't the norm.

I've been in the business for 20 years. When I was still serving, and I didn't want to make change, I would at least tell the customer "I'm shorting you 22 cents, I hope you don't mind."

No one ever complained.

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Yep. Never pay cash, charge it all, get miles, never carry a balance.

I charge all utilities, daycare, all of it... Then use the miles for vacation every year. I haven't paid a penny of interest in 8 years. If you live within your means it's an easy path to free money.

 

 

Yes, that has always been my philosophy but I was racking up insane credit card bills every month. I always paid them off mind you, but I had no idea how I was spending the amount I was spending. So, as an experiment, I decided to try and live on cash for awhile and see if cut down the sickening amount I've been spending with nothing to show for it.

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It honestly depends. I agree that servers should carry change but unfortunately it doesn't always work like that and it's not always the servers fault. You can only walk around with so many coins on you, so if a bunch of people pay cash prior to you, then it comes down to shorting you 12 cents or keeping you at the restaurant an extra fifteen minutes because I now have to wait at the bar for coins. I think most servers would still opt for the latter, but I can't blame them for giving it a try. Getting bombarded by nonstop cash payments as a server absolutely ******* blows.

That said, I've worked in restaurants on and off my entire life. What you're describing isn't the norm.

 

 

A pragmatic view point I hadn't considered. And fair, I'd rather be shorted .22 cents then have to wait an extra 10 minutes. I always thought waitresses went to the cashier for every bill though. I hadn't realized they cashed it themselves.

 

That being said, don't waitresses prefer cash so it's not reported to IRS?

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I don't like that at all and many times it has kept me from giving a tip. I never had that situation at a restaurant, my experience has been with yellow cabs. I'll take a cab and if the ride for example was $27 and I pay $30 the driver will take the money and then look at me as if I just gave him $27 and not $30. I hate when people take what they want and not what I give them. 

 

Im a very good tipper, any of the girls at the bunny ranch can attest to this   :winking0001: but I would like to give the tip rather than someone just keeping my money. When it happens I immediately ask for the change and won't give them a tip. Then the cabby gives me that look through the mirror like "this is why I hate picking up black people" lol when in reality he was acting like a dumb ass and lost a $5 tip simply for trying to keep my $3 change without me offering. 

 

yes, I am also a good tipper, usually 30-40% depending on hotness lol ;) . You get better service, particularly in places you visit a lot.  That being said, I do tip less (20%) when they just keep the change without saying anything.. it just rubs me the wrong way. 

 

I actually had a home inspector do it to me a few months ago. The bill for the inspection and several septic/mold tests was $1090, I gave him $1100 and he just took it. and didn't give me change.  The SOB. The deal fell through and now I need another one and won't be using him. Enjoy the $10 bucks

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A pragmatic view point I hadn't considered. And fair, I'd rather be shorted .22 cents then have to wait an extra 10 minutes. I always thought waitresses went to the cashier for every bill though. I hadn't realized they cashed it themselves.

 

That being said, don't waitresses prefer cash so it's not reported to IRS?

 

In most restaurants above the level of a diner, the bar is the cashier. (Nothing against diners btw).

 

For tax purposes, sure, cash always makes things easier on my pocket in the Spring. Best case scenario is pay by credit and tip by cash.

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I've been in the business for 20 years. When I was still serving, and I didn't want to make change, I would at least tell the customer "I'm shorting you 22 cents, I hope you don't mind."

No one ever complained.

 

This. I've found that in any instance, good or bad, honesty is always the best policy. Even in the instance of someone's meal being completely ruined and it being my fault (screwing up the order, relaying misinformation...etc), I always found that if I told them 100% of what happened it resolved everything immediately.

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In most restaurants above the level of a diner, the bar is the cashier. (Nothing against diners btw).

 

 

 

Heh.. makes sense. I've actually never worked in a non fast food restaurant, Other then 4 hours at sizzler as a dish washer. 

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yes, I am also a good tipper, usually 30-40% depending on hotness lol ;) . You get better service, particularly in places you visit a lot.  That being said, I do tip less (20%) when they just keep the change without saying anything.. it just rubs me the wrong way. 

 

I actually had a home inspector do it to me a few months ago. The bill for the inspection and several septic/mold tests was $1090, I gave him $1100 and he just took it. and didn't give me change.  The SOB. The deal fell through and now I need another one and won't be using him. Enjoy the $10 bucks

Im at the wrong place then. If you're willing to tip almost half of what you already paid then I need to go where you're going! Sounds like the cream of the crop! lol. 

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yes, I am also a good tipper, usually 30-40% depending on hotness lol ;) . You get better service, particularly in places you visit a lot. That being said, I do tip less (20%) when they just keep the change without saying anything.. it just rubs me the wrong way.

I actually had a home inspector do it to me a few months ago. The bill for the inspection and several septic/mold tests was $1090, I gave him $1100 and he just took it. and didn't give me change. The SOB. The deal fell through and now I need another one and won't be using him. Enjoy the $10 bucks

I just told my landlord to get a mold inspector as a condition of my renewal... I pay 3k a month so it shouldn't be an issue but I still think I just handed in my notice

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Heh.. makes sense. I've actually never worked in a non fast food restaurant, Other then 4 hours at sizzler as a dish washer. 

 

I don't blame you for not lasting long. Dish washers always seem to turn over the most. Such a brutal grind, nothing but respect for the guys who make their living that way.

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I don't blame you for not lasting long. Dish washers always seem to turn over the most. Such a brutal grind, nothing but respect for the guys who make their living that way.

I tried hosting at Bennigans. Servers wanted to kill me. I tried serving. They told me i sucked and put me back to hosting. I ended up ordering a ton of apps, smoking a bowl in the bathroom, picked up my food at the bar and then didn't return for my next shift. I have a lot of respect for the service industry. sh*t s hard and I couldn't cut it.
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I tried hosting at Bennigans. Servers wanted to kill me. I tried serving. They told me i sucked and put me back to hosting. I ended up ordering a ton of apps, smoking a bowl in the bathroom, picked up my food at the bar and then didn't return for my next shift. I have a lot of respect for the service industry. sh*t s hard and I couldn't cut it.

After a little bit you learn how to just hit the mute button with people. A skill which has served me pretty well in other areas of life too.

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I don't blame you for not lasting long. Dish washers always seem to turn over the most. Such a brutal grind, nothing but respect for the guys who make their living that way.

I love when my dishwasher calls out. I don't have to deal with any sh*tty customers. The job itself sucks, but it's by far the least stressful job in the restaurant.

I guess it's great for one night, but 40 hours a week would get old real quick.

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I love when my dishwasher calls out. I don't have to deal with any sh*tty customers. The job itself sucks, but it's by far the least stressful job in the restaurant.

I guess it's great for one night, but 40 hours a week would get old real quick.

I kind of enjoy doing them in our house for the same reason, but as a full time job, yeah that's tough.
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I also always pay in cash. I leave the tip at the same time I pay the bill. The waitress asks if I need change, I say no, we both smile and I leave.

 

My father-in-law used to pay in cash, then when asked if he wanted change, he'd flash a mischievous smile and say, "only bring back what you don't want".

 

I always got a kick out of the puzzled look on the waiter or waitresses face until what he meant clicked. 

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