[27offsuit]

MC and ElD,

Actually there is a bit more to the story, my bad.

After she tells me we stiffed her, I told her I'd look into it, but I was pretty sure we left a tip the week before and would never stiff anyone. We sit down to eat. This time I am with my regular 3 other guys I lunched with. I relay the story to them and we start to try to figure out what went wrong. I had done the bill the week before(which I often do for the sole reason of making sure to not leave a crappy tip) so I was sure it was taken care of, I just couldn't figure out/remember how it transpired.

When the bill came, I saw the 18% gratuity thing on it and it all came back to me from the week before. Unfortunately the awkwardness of this weeks service was palpable to the point where we all knew our name was now mud, so we just left that day and basically just kind of started going to other places.

In truth, it probably could've been resolved better, but it was also one of those someone-accuses-you-of-something-but-even-though-you-are-cleared-of-any-wrongdoing-you-are-still-looked-at-differently things.


Also, regarding the $.45: It sounds like his intention was efficiency, but he can't expect everyone to see that at face value. Not to mention, he runs the risk of just blowing an hour plus of great service with a move that could easily get someones nose bent out of shape for nothing more than principle. The $.45 means nothing, but I completely agree with your "I want my $.45" tack.

Question: Had he brought the correct change, would he have gotten $45-50?

Speaking for myself, $111.00 would have scored a bigger tip and I definitely would have noticed.


Edit: Now that I think of it, this was also a goodbye lunch to an employee that my Principal and THE Principal both attended and neither picked up the $200 stinking tab. THE Principal is worth millions, held court the entire time we were there, and grabbed the bill and forked over a $20 and passed it along when it arrived.
Standard, but I never understand this...