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+ Show Spoiler +http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/Time-In-Prison--70426052.html?yhp=1If you’re frustrated by poor service at a restaurant, think twice before you decide to not tip. You may be in for a bit more than just a dirty look from the waiter. "Nobody, nobody wants to be forced to pay a tip or be arrested for terrible service," Leslie Pope said when her happy hour ended in handcuffs. Pope and John Wagner were hauled away by police and charged with theft for not paying the mandatory 18 percent gratuity totaling $16 after eating at the Lehigh Pub in Bethlehem, Pa. with six friends. Pope claimed that they had to wait nearly an hour for their order and that she had to get napkins and silverware for the table herself. “At this point I became very annoyed because I had already gone up to the bar myself to have my soda refilled because the waitress never came back,” Pope said. After the $73 bill came, the group paid for food, drinks, and tax but refused to pay the tip. After explaining the bad service to the bartender in charge, Pope claimed he took their money and called police. The couple was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car. “I understand that, you know, we didn’t pay the gratuity, but it was a gratuity, it wasn’t something that was required,” said Wagner. The owner admitted that the group waited unusually long for their food, but said the pub was extremely busy that night. He said managers offered to comp the food, a claim the couple denies ever happened. “Obviously we would have liked for the patron and the establishment to have worked this out without getting the police involved,” said Deputy Police Commissioner Stuart Bedics. Police charged them with theft since the gratuity was part of the actual bill. However, it is doubtful that the charges will hold up in front of a judge. The couple is scheduled to appear in court next month.
![[image loading]](/userpoll/draw.php?poll_id=7141)
Poll: Should they be arrested for not leaving tip?
(Vote): Yes
(Vote): No
Has this ever happened to you? I remember a couple of places that I didn't leave tip for because of bad service but never thought I would end up in the back of a cop car. How would u have handle it? If I knew the cop was involve, I would just pay them the money and save my time.
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The business just screwed itself over by ruining their image and losing many potential customers over a 16 dollar tip. Good job!
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On November 20 2009 07:26 rinoh wrote:
The business just screwed itself over by ruining their image and losing many potential customers over a 16 dollar tip. Good job!
Thats what I thought too. Imagine the embarrassment of getting cuff for not paying tip.
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It was gratuity though so I think they have to pay for it since they had over 6 people. But if it was just two people, the situation wouldn't of happened.
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Sweden33719 Posts
..... Why the fuck do you still call it "gratuity" if it's something you are legally obligated to pay?
Main Entry: gra·tu·ity
Pronunciation: \grə-ˈtü-ə-tē, -ˈtyü-\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural gra·tu·ities
Date: 1540
: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially : tip
Retarded.
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i agree, what a terrible decision by the manager 0_o
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I think if it is a "mandatory gratuity" it is like saying that you didn't get all 15$ of your 15$ steak and only paying 10$, or if you decide that you pay enough taxes already and not paying the sales tax.
Yes it sucks that that got crap service, but the bill is the bill.
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On November 20 2009 07:31 Trezeguet23 wrote:
I think if it is a "mandatory gratuity" it is like saying that you didn't get all 15$ of your 15$ steak and only paying 10$, or if you decide that you pay enough taxes already and not paying the sales tax.
Yes it sucks that that got crap service, but the bill is the bill.
exactly, i voted no before reading the article but lots of restaurants have mandatory gratuities for big parties (this was a group of 8) and not paying it is theft.
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I usually tip even though the service isn't that great. Seing as gratuity is a sign of gratitude, it should be self explanatory that the waiters/waitresses have to at least partly earn it. They can't just expect to get a tip no matter what level of service they offer their clients. Calling the police afterwards is even more incredible IMO.
I've never experienced a restaurant where the tip was added unless it clearly said "suggested price = ...". I know a lot of waiters/waiteresses work for tip only, or very low wage+tips, but whenever that is the case, they should just have more incentive to offer good service and hospitality.
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Serving a large group like that is a horrible pain in the ass for the entire restaurant, not just the waiter. They had a group of what, eight? That's why most restaurants add in gratuity automatically into the check for larger groups (I think usually ones larger than six). This is usually to guarantee that patrons won't just go cheap on them and put in only like a 10% tip for the sake of cutting the cost on an inevitably larger bill.
The other thing is that in a lot of states, the tips that waiters make are legal and taxable income. They have to be reported, and some states even allow restaurants to pay waiters below minimum wage due to tips. Tips are pretty serious business, lol.
They were arrested on a stupid technicality, and I really don't think anything is going to happen to them other than a lot of inconviences.
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idk why no one mention this but. if a waitress or waiter say gets paid 2.15 an hour. and doesnt make the normal min wage like 7.25 an hour with their tips added the restraunt is obligated to pay them what they didnt make in tips. so no matter what they make min wage like normal ppl they just have the ability to make more with generous tips.
so really waiters dont get paid less then anyone else. infact they have the ability to make alot more.
some times i resent this because out of all the complaining waiters make much more then cooks alot of the time.
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Austin10831 Posts
On November 20 2009 07:29 FrozenArbiter wrote:
..... Why the fuck do you still call it "gratuity" if it's something you are legally obligated to pay?
Main Entry: gra·tu·ity
Pronunciation: \grə-ˈtü-ə-tē, -ˈtyü-\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural gra·tu·ities
Date: 1540
: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially : tip
Retarded.
Yeah, it's a contradiction in terms, and the main problem here. The ambiguity in the terminology is probably what led the couple to believe they were simply denying a tip for poor service, when in actuality they were refusing to pay a built-in service fee. Both parties were at fault here, but the involvement of the police is pretty ludicrous.
Then again, if the cops weren't called, we'd never know about it, and we wouldn't have thrilling forum topics like this!
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Whether it's right or wrong, mandatory gratuity is a very common practice and is clearly printed on the menus before you order anything. This isn't being arrested for not tipping. It's not paying your bill. The article and op are misleading.
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Bill307
Canada9103 Posts
People are forced to pay for bad service all the time.
They should have sucked it up and paid the full bill.
They can retaliate by never eating there again.
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lol even if the group was larger than 8 people and the gratuity is "required" the restaurant is retarded for doing this in the first place.
"Ya, come on in to our restaurant, you may get crap service but if you dont tip you will be arrested! Enjoy!"
..its $16, enjoy the bad rep you get now lol
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I understand that waiters and waitresses need tips in order to make enough money to live on but if you're going to give shitty service as they described then fuck no you're not getting a tip.
I laughed at the part where they claimed to have offered the couple a refund. Total bullshit.
EDIT: I heard once in some European countries the tip is already figured into the bill, this is quite ridiculous.
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On November 20 2009 07:24 Forgottenfrog wrote:
After the $73 bill came
On November 20 2009 07:24 Forgottenfrog wrote:
for not paying the mandatory 18 percent gratuity totaling $16
???
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On November 20 2009 07:45 Bill307 wrote:
People are forced to pay for bad service all the time.
They should have sucked it up and paid the full bill.
They can retaliate by never eating there again.
it's always nice to see someone stand against it though.
being "busy" is not an excuse -- if your staff can't handle the pressure, don't seat anymore people.
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EPT
