Restaurant credit card charge snafu, what to do?

[kaneohe]

Love to have opinions from this forum on the following:

I was one of five friends who enjoyed a nice dinner together at a fairly nice restaurant. Unfortunately there was a major snafu with the bill as follows:

Bill was $365. We decided to leave $420, i.e $84 each.

Persons A,B,C each left $84 cash, total $252.

Persons D and E each submitted credit cards and told the busboy to charge each card $84.

...........................................................

Next day Person E realized his card had been charged $281, instead of $84. Apparently the busboy had not transmitted our instructions correctly to the cashier, who had charged the bill of $365 to person D $84 and Person E $281. The $252 cash was apparently assumed to be a tip. Person E unfortunately did not check the amount charged before signing.

........................................................

This will be an interesting test for the restaurant management if you can arrange to talk to them in person. The numbers look reasonable with conventional 15% or so tip and should show in their records. The sticky part is the cash part where you need to rely on the busboy so a good test for him too...........probably no record of that? but because it was so large, it should have stuck in his mind or maybe it is recorded.....but it is certainly not a normal tip. A sympathetic management and an honest busboy (or good restaurant records) would certainly help your case. Good luck!

If no luck, hopefully you guys fight over it as Bestwife suggests but I would think you pay in proportion to your contributory negligence so perhaps E pays 2 shares worth so you split the pain 6 ways and E pays 2 shares worth
and the rest pay $33 each

 

[Aerides]

If you all storm the restaurant they'll take it out of servers pay. Then instead of him thinking / posting: "wow look what these great guys did! Now I can pay utilities / rent / kidd shoes" he's thinking "does fired get unemployment " after all he did ask if your tab was correct

That's a really good point. So I went back to the OP, and I'm changing my mind on this one:

You (collective you, the party) had a nice enjoyable dinner at an upscale restaurant. And yet your original calculation was EXACTLY a 15% tip. That seems....slim?

You then asked the bus boy - not the server - to relay a somewhat non-standard financial bill-handling request.

Your server sought to confirm what was then (in his mind) a VERY good tip, but still not one that's unheard of for a higher end place if he thinks he's done a great job, and asks you if anyone needs change. That is the polite way of saying "wow, I'm thrilled, but did you make a mistake?".

Everyone said it was fine. (not knowing the error that was made because E forgot his glasses that night).

So... yeah, <$50 each to chalk this one up and not run the risk that waiter and bus boy get fired or docked pay? Worth it.

 

[Texas Proud]

Sorry, but I do not think that many people leave a 70% tip!!! So this IS an error that even mgmt can grasp...


Sure, a 15% tip at a high end place might be a bit slim, but no unheard of...


I would be on the establishment to make it right... let them deal with their server/busboy if they do not tell the truth... but mgmt should refund the money without question even if they have to take the hit...


As for making E whole, I am mixed about this... he created the problem by not looking at what he signed... as someone else said, if you gave money to him and let him decide how much cash he wanted to pay and how much to put on the card and he messed up would you reimburse him? I doubt it...


BUT, I would also take a look at how easy it is for E to absorb the loss (if it comes to that)... IOW, some friends can absorb it easily, some cannot... if this would be a strain on E I would chip in after hitting establishment and mgmt hard to get the money back...



If I made that same mistake I would not be expecting any of the other parties to chip in for my error...

 

[gayl]

Yeah ... happens in California ... sometimes 100%

 

[aja8888]

Yeah ... happens in California ... sometimes 100%

What does?

 

[gayl]

What does?

Heavy tippers .... but I only tip 50c on my daily $2.05 at Sbux so I guess I'm not in that category? My usual is between 2×tax to 50% depending on waiter. Teaching grands that MINIMUM is 2×tax (8.75% here so 17.5%)


DD doubles, moves decimal 1
DS same buy rounds up to even $

 

[gayl]

Heavy tippers

Op / Op friend made an error by not looking at what he was signing, server asked him to dbl check, he said it was right, server did mental happy dance. Servers work for tips as pay sucks. Made the guy's night.

Laugh about it at next meet up but LOOK AT RECEIPT B4 SIGNING [emoji48]

 

[DFDubb]

You guys made a mistake. Specifically the guy signing a bill w/o looking at it. The server, being the honest guy that he is, brought it to your attention and you still didn't bother to double check. Going back to the establishment would be in extremely poor taste.

 

[ChiliPepr]

Sorry, but I do not think that many people leave a 70% tip!!! So this IS an error that even mgmt can grasp...

Check out #TipTheBill. There are people that will tip 70% or even tip 100%. I will tell you I have tipped 70% many times, and I have only on very rare occasions tipped 15%.

Sure, a 15% tip at a high end place might be a bit slim, but no unheard of...

The bill was for $365 and the restaurant got paid $365 ($84 + $281). I do not think the CC company will give you much help since the cc's paid the correct amount for the services rendered.

The restaurant may give you a refund because they want to be nice. But, the bill was for $365, you left $365 on credit cards, and $240 in cash. The waiter came over an asked if you needed change and you said no (basically saying everyone paid the correct amount).

YOU made the mistake, not the restaurant. And who should you get the money back from? The restaurant got paid what the bill was, the server got the $240 (He asked and you all confirmed that the $240 was correct!), but then a portion of that went to the the bussers, some went to the bartenders and some may have gone to the kitchen or host staff. Do you go to each person and ask for a refund?

 

[ChiliPepr]

What Wpuld I Do? Mark it up to lesson learned / swallow pride / let friends know

Yup, me too.

 

[mystang52]

If I were e, my biggest concern would be keeping my wife in the dark about it. I wouldn't ask anyone to chip in for my error. But if I were d, I'd quietly ask a, b, and c if they'd be willing to help out. About a dozen of my college buds meet for dinner every 3 months, and we all pay by cash. One time, a guy was short so we all paid him the cash and he charged the entire bill on his card.

 

[Scratchy]

OP here again. Appreciate the thoughtful responses since my last post.

I am person A and B in this tale, having paid in cash for myself and my partner, It is too late at this point for me to tell E not to attempt to rectify this with the restaurant.

One detail I omitted so far is that we did not choose which staff at the restaurant collected the bill. I presume the person who collected the bill was a busboy because he was wearing something different than our waiter and performed functions more like a busboy but I do not really know what his title/role is.

IMO, Person E is mostly responsible for what happened, but whoever picked up the bill did make an error transmitting our instructions and there may be an opportunity for improvement for the restaurant if they are having potentially inadequately vetted/trained staff pick up the checks. I emphasize that may be the case, I really do not know what their policies/training are or even what may be reasonable/standard. But perhaps it may not be unreasonable to let the restaurant know what happened. I do hope that person E acknowledged that the waiter did check on the amount, as I think that was a commendable thing for the waiter to do.

Anyway, as others suggested would be nice, I have told E that I will chip in if he is not reimbursed. I think the calculation someone mentioned of $40/person is reasonable. If E declines, we will take him out for another nice dinner-probably at a different place though!

 

[Scratchy]

If I were e, my biggest concern would be keeping my wife in the dark about it. I wouldn't ask anyone to chip in for my error. But if I were d, I'd quietly ask a, b, and c if they'd be willing to help out. About a dozen of my college buds meet for dinner every 3 months, and we all pay by cash. One time, a guy was short so we all paid him the cash and he charged the entire bill on his card.

Hilarious comment

Also interesting about whether to ask the others to chip in. In this story, I paid for A and B. C paid cash, D paid credit card. If I asked, I'm sure both C and D would agree to chip in. But maybe D might secretly feel that the cash payers were part of the problem and he was blameless. I don't know but don't want any hard feelings here. So I said nothing to C or D and I told E privately I would chip in or alternatively we will take him out for dinner.

 

[GrayHare]

"Now look! We've figured it 17 different ways, and each time we figured it, it was no good, because no matter how we figured it, somebody don't like the way we figured it! So now, there's only one way to figure it. And that is, every man, including the old bag, for himself!"

 

[grasshopper]

Here 30 miles from Mexico, most busboys don't speak english, just nod and smile.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Hilarious comment

Also interesting about whether to ask the others to chip in. In this story, I paid for A and B. C paid cash, D paid credit card. If I asked, I'm sure both C and D would agree to chip in. But maybe D might secretly feel that the cash payers were part of the problem and he was blameless. I don't know but don't want any hard feelings here. So I said nothing to C or D and I told E privately I would chip in or alternatively we will take him out for dinner.

Good idea, no reason to discuss reimbursement with C and D. They might feel guilted into it.

 

[Scratchy]

Good idea, no reason to discuss reimbursement with C and D. They might feel guilted into it.

Exactly, and for all I know, they may have already made similar arrangement.

 

[beowulf]

"but I only tip 50c on my daily $2.05 at Sbux"

I'm not sure if I've ever seen people tip at Sbux. Nearly everyone pays with either a CC, a phone app, or, more commonly, a Sbux card. They just scan whatever you proffer and there is really no way to tip. And who are you tipping? The person at the register? The one who actually makes your drink? The one who takes a muffin out of the case? It's more like an assembly line - not the really old days where there was a waitress behind the counter who brings you a cup and saucer and then pours you a cup and then cleans it up. Places like Sbux really don't encourage tipping by making it easy to do so.

 

[beowulf]

With regard to the OPs question, I have learned that, if you are in a group, you never pay with cash from some, CCs from others. You either all pay cash or you all use CCs and split it equally. If someone doesn't have a CC (extremely unlikely), then someone takes the cash and puts the rest on their CC. Use the KISS principle - waiters are rushed, harried and have to remember a lot of different things at once. Keeping track of multiple forms of payment and making sure it all tallies correctly is a lot to ask. I like restaurants where they give you the check and you pay at the cashier, but that's pretty rare these days. I really like the way it's done in most other countries - the waiter brings a portable CC device to the table and runs each card separately. Your card is never out of your sight, you know the CC hasn't been handed off to someone else to be tun and you have instant feedback.

 

[braumeister]

I'm not sure if I've ever seen people tip at Sbux. Nearly everyone pays with either a CC, a phone app, or, more commonly, a Sbux card. They just scan whatever you proffer and there is really no way to tip.

Where I used to live there was a Starbucks with an extremely busy drive through window. Generally about ten cars in line, all day every day. They had a tip jar at the window where it was right in your face when you got your order, and I often saw a substantial amount of money in it. I've also seen tip jars at the register inside many of their stores.

I don't know if the company actually condones the practice, but plenty of their employees go for it when they can. Personally I always just pay with the app on my phone, no tipping.

 

[Music Lover]

With regard to the OPs question, I have learned that, if you are in a group, you never pay with cash from some, CCs from others. You either all pay cash or you all use CCs and split it equally.

Up here separate bills with a group is normal. When taking orders from several people the server always asks: "One bill or separate?" Even when I have lunch in the clubhouse with my golf buddy after a round we are asked if it's on one bill or two.

Therefore, I've always found splitting bills equally to be silly because someone always ends up subsidizing someone else unless everyone ordered exactly the same thing. The reality is that it takes no extra time and adds no complication for a server to start a new ticket for each bill...they simply flip the page over.

 

[Scratchy]

Up here separate bills with a group is normal. When taking orders from several people the server always asks: "One bill or separate?" Even when I have lunch in the clubhouse with my golf buddy after a round we are asked if it's on one bill or two.

Therefore, I've always found splitting bills equally to be silly because someone always ends up subsidizing someone else unless everyone ordered exactly the same thing. The reality is that it takes no extra time and adds no complication for a server to start a new ticket for each bill...they simply flip the page over.

I love the idea of separate bills, especially since I do not drink alcohol. However, it is just not the custom in my locale and/or circle of friends.

 

[sengsational]

Yeah, usually the idea for getting a single check and dividing by the number of people at the table comes from the guy who's had the most cocktails, lol!

 

[Scrapr]

Yeah, usually the idea for getting a single check and dividing by the number of people at the table comes from the guy who's had the most cocktails, lol!

and know I am keeping track of who is gaming the system too!

this should be a Seinfeld episode

 

[Scratchy]

OP here with update. Person E texted the group that the restaurant has credited him the excess over $84. I don't know any details as to what was said between them but it sounds like it was uncomplicated.

Thanks to all who contributed their interesting thoughts. Certainly in the future I will not be splitting a bill with cash and credit card! Snapping a pic of the receipt if it is large also sounds like a good idea.