10% Gratuity To Take Your Restaurant Food Home????????????

[kuntrygirl]

I was out this weekend with a friend and I wanted to stop at this diner that I have been eyeing for about 3 years. So, my friend said that he would treat me and I was excited. We ordered our food and the food was delicious. I had leftovers on my plate and I wanted to take the leftovers home to feed it to my chickens. Well, much to my surprise, I looked at the menu and the menu read, "10% gratuity included in final bill for all take out orders." I asked the waitress what did that mean (although I already knew). She said that when people call in an order and pick the order up, they charge them 10%. But if the food is eaten inside the diner, the customer is not charge 10%. And if someone wants to take home leftovers in a doggy bag, their ticket is charged 10%. I was like, "HUH - WHY." She just said it was their policy. The only hing that I can think of is that the 10% is possibly paying for the doggy bag "containers" that the food is put in.

Has anyone else heard of this? What are your thoughts?

 

[chickened]

I would have left it there or wrapped it in a napkin and put it in my pocket. That is absurd and a bad policy, gratuity is for the waitress, dishwasher, busboys etc. Most likely it is a policy to supplement the owners poor pay.

 

[ChickiKat]

But gratuities are supposed to go to the server aren't they? Why should the server or the restaurant get more money for me to take their garbage home? I wouldn't go back to that place. Or go back with my own container and pack my whole meal to go home and see what hey say.

 

[LizaBlue]

Well that sucks. Never heard of that kind of policy, but I live in the country and don't really eat out much.

Kinda figure a restaurant can choose to do whatever it wants charge-wise, because I can choose to eat wherever I want, and I wouldn't eat there again!!

I ate with a social group at a restaurant that automatically charged not only a percentage gratuity on large parties, but also a minimum gratuity. This fact was only posted in tiny print at the bottom of the menu. A few in our group were on tight budgets, so just to be social, came in, said, "I don't need a menu, I'll just have a beverage." Imagine their surprise when they had bills comparable to those of us who had meals!!! You want to talk about ticked off??? Some of them didn't even have money to pay for more than the drink, and some had bills who had just asked for water! 30 members of different families chose then and there not to eat at that restaurant again.

 

[Dar]

Quote:

tupperware (i think) has these great little collapsible bowls I would bring that...IF I ever went back... or I would let them add their 10% and not leave a tip... you got your tip see what being greedy gets you... no where... and lets face it.. the server would have to ADD that to the bill because there is not a computer that will tell if you took your left overs or not. ... but can be a "B" with an itch too

 

[fuzziebutt]

There is work done by the servers for to-go orders, also. And if that server is bagging your to-go order with everything to make your meal great, then she is taking time away from dine in customers.

 

[OldGuy43]

Quote:
I'm with you Liza. Vote with your wallet.

 

[sourland]

Quote:
I'm with you Liza. Vote with your wallet.

X 3

 

[sonew123]

I believe take out orders charging you more is ok-the containers are very expensive. Ill be danged though if I want tot taake my leftovers home and I get charged for 1 piddly container! nope wouldnt go back!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I hate the way tipping has gone in this country. It's ridiculous - now the fast food chains think they should get a tip? Really? And we have to tip the hairdresser - c'mon, she makes $35 an hour to cut my hair, she doesn't need a tip. When we went to Australia, you don't tip anyone, not even the waitress - and we got much better service than we ever get here.

I wouldn't eat at that restaurant again - containers to take home are part of a restaurants costs of doing business. And most restaurants charge a pretty penny for their food, enough to cover a take out container.

DH and I went to a restaurant once that rounded your change - he refuses to go back, he thinks it's ridiculous to assume he doesn't want the exact amount he's supposed to get back.