Restaurant Tip Fraud

[maddythebeagle]

We dont go out often mainly on trips (a business trip this time)...We went to Appleebees since I had a gift card and these places have you fill in the tip but I normally leave cash for that....this time, the guy falsified the tip and gave himself an extra 7 bucks on a 20 dollar bill in addition to the cash I left..I called to complain they didnt appear to want to do anything on it and simply are going to send me some coupons for a free meal and dessert which are probably more than the 7 bucks anyway...Seems like this is getting to be a more common problem from some other threads online?

I certainly would avoid gift cards at places like this since there isnt charge back rights like a credit card...

 

[CuppaJoe]

I haven't had breakfast yet so take this with a grain of salt. You could probably see which server did it; if it were me, (before coffee), I would take the time to go through the small claims process. That is outrageous.

 

[Sue J]

If I'm not using the tip line on the charge slip (if I'm leaving cash or if it's a take out place) I run a line through the tip line spot and write in the Total amount (same as Subtotal) before I sign. Don't ever leave the tip or total amount blank.

 

[Orchidflower]

That is just totally out of line. I agree with the drawing a line thru the tip amount if I have left cash and rewriting the total like Sue J suggests. What a creepy waiter!

 

[maddythebeagle]

Yeah, I wrote in the total as suggested...next time, I will write in "CASH TIP" and/or a line through it...in the tip line I put 0.00, which might have made it easier for him to put in 7.00..

 

[TromboneAl]

That's a major criminal offense, isn't it?

So, you wrote in the total, and the waiter add the "7" and modified the total? You noticed it when you got the bill?

 

[CuppaJoe]

That's a major criminal offense, isn't it?

So, you wrote in the total, and the waiter add the "7" and modified the total? You noticed it when you got the bill?

Wouldn't you love to be on that Jury?

 

[OAG]

Frankly, I would pay the ENTIRE bill by cash (over the Gift Card amount) at these places, especially when traveling. VISA or MC gives you some ability to not pay but it is (IMO) a unnecessary hassle. The only time I use my VISA in a restaurant is IF they have the portable charge machines that they bring to your table - and provide the final receipt.

I went to an Olive Garden place in Central Ohio at about 11 am, ate, and then they brought the bill with the "dinner rates charge". Bill for four was about a $10 overcharge. I took the bill to the front desk, where the new customers were coming in and told the manager "fix it now" in a not too quiet tone. BTW she did quickly and there was NO tip on that one. It was not a accident either. Talk about "buyer beware"!

 

[maddythebeagle]

That's a major criminal offense, isn't it?

So, you wrote in the total, and the waiter add the "7" and modified the total? You noticed it when you got the bill?

I noticed it when I called the 1-800 number for the gift card a week after to verify the balance...they looked it up and it was 7 dollars more than I authorized...

They run the card and hand you a receipt and the card back...you then add the tip and fill in the final total and leave the receipt at the table...

 

[A854321]

This is clearly a dishonest waiter and a fraud. He is likely stealing from other patrons, and probably from other waiters.

I would write a letter to the manager, with specifics about your table, date, etc. and a copy of your cc receipt. I would also CC to corporate headquarters, so the branch manager knows they will be watched.

I really despise Applebee's.

 

[Westernskies]

We have noticed a real decline in Applebees since IHOP took them over. Went to the one in our neighborhood the other night, it was EMPTY at 7:45 on a Thursday evening. The food quickly explained why. .

To prevent the tip fraud you experienced , I usually write LEFT AT TABLE in the gratuity line when I leave a cash tip.

I agree with some of the others here; I would write a very nice letter to the CEO of Applebees with copies of the fraudulent sales slip and the corresponding visa bill.

Julia Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Applebees International
4551 W. 107th St., Ste. 100
Overland Park, KS 66207
United States

They really hate to get letters like this...

 

[tryan]

Many moons ago at our wedding - of ALL places - the bartender had a tip jar out on the bar. It collecting cash at a good click (open bar). Sooo being the groom I grab the jar and told the bartender to get the hostees. I reminded them that the open bar had a 20% gratuity build into the price. So the tips are mine unless they remove either the jar or the 20% tab. The jar disapeared.

 

[maddythebeagle]

Yeah, I sent a letter to corporate along with a letter to our state's consumer protection department...

 

[M Paquette]

We dont go out often mainly on trips (a business trip this time)...We went to Appleebees since I had a gift card and these places have you fill in the tip but I normally leave cash for that....this time, the guy falsified the tip and gave himself an extra 7 bucks on a 20 dollar bill in addition to the cash I left..I called to complain they didnt appear to want to do anything on it and simply are going to send me some coupons for a free meal and dessert which are probably more than the 7 bucks anyway...Seems like this is getting to be a more common problem from some other threads online?

I certainly would avoid gift cards at places like this since there isnt charge back rights like a credit card...

Ah, Applebees. My wife now knows better than to bring me inside one of those places. Six visits, six completely mucked up orders. Some sort of a selective curse, no doubt.

Three of the visits resulted in my order never being delivered. Oh, it made it onto the bill OK, but I never saw the food. One (1) time the manager apologized.

The other three visits, alleged food in some form or another appeared. The first visit, I ordered their Club House Grill Sandwich. This thing was supposed to be on two slices of grilled French bread, buttered, mayo, BBQ sauce, two slices tomato, two slices ham, two slices turkey. What showed up was two slices of cold white bread, one single thin slice of turkey (like those shaved deli slices) and a single dab of ketchup in the middle.

The others were even worse. I swear I never did anything to harm anybody in the kitchen.

I'll go 20 miles out of my way to avoid stopping in an Applebees. DW gave up trying to get me into one when I insisted on going through a drive-through first so I'd have something to eat.