Restaurants giving themselves a tip at my expense.

[Tommy401]

Wisconsin

I used my credit card when picking up a take out order from a restaurant. I crossed out the tip, since it was a take out, and filled in the total amount and then signed. Does the restaurant have the right to enter their own tip and alter what I signed to pay? The order was under $10.

Thank You,
Tom

 

[debt_helper]

If it is the policy of the restaurant to add a tip, and they give notification (like writing it on the menu or somewhere in the restaurant) it is your option as a consumer to get food from a different restaurant. So the fact that you crossed out the tip and wrote in a different amount means nothing- you have to pay the gratuity. If, however, you signed the check and didn't put in a tip, and they wrote one in- that is fraud, call the cops.

 

[Tommy401]

What happened was this. They did not include the tip in the total. The total was $8.33. I used my credit card and when the reciept came out for me to sign it read:

TIP ________________

TOTAL ________________

Sig: ________________

I put a line through the TIP where i was to claim how much I am goving them, wrote down $8.33 for total and signed it.
If there was a gratuity tip shouldn't they have included it in the total? There were no indications of a tip at all.

I checked my account later and it said they charged me for $9.99.

Thanks again,

Tom

 

[debt_helper]

I would ask the restaurant first about their policy, but it sounds like fraud to me. If you want, go to the police, I worked at a restaurant for 5 years and I've seen it happen- the law will come down on people that insert tips. My only problem is that it seems 10% exactly was added as a tip- may be a policy at the restaurant for pick-ups. Make sure before you proceed.