Can a restaurant add a large tip/gratuity to a bill automatically for "difficult" customers?

Question

Is it legal (or proper, I suppose I should say) for a restaurant to include a large tip on the bill without telling the customer if the customer is judged to be "difficult?"

I know an 18% tip is often automatic for parties of 6 or more, but this is apart from that.

To explain:

My grandma, bless her heart, is very nice, but extremely rude to restaurant staff. Like it makes one cringe to hear her order them around. She was recently telling me how apparently the new tip standard is 20-30% and they just include it on the bill for all the restaurants she goes to. Being a frequent diner-out myself, I know this isn't true. My suspicion is they're padding her bill due to her demanding nature. Can they do that?

While this may be justified in this case, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Answer 1

I worked in customer service. It's VERY easy for anyone in the service industry to take a customers "suggestions" personally.

When I worked in customer service, if I got two identical customers: one nice and understanding, but has a bit of an issue, I'd do my best to help them; if I got a M--E--A--N customer, I'd instantly shut down and could care less about them and their issue. If they get even nastier, I wouldn't do anything to help them! Why should I  help them (remove a charge on a bill) when that  idiot is yelling at me and calling me names???

It sounds like they are taking her attitude out on her in her bill. They are tired of her abuse and will be compensated for it. They are humans with feelings and emotions, not robots! I have an aunt just like her and I KNOW the staff must have done something to her food at least once. Just think how you'd feel if she talked to you like that and what you'd do to get back at her!!!

I'm sorry to say, but as long as she's nasty to them, they'll be nasty to her ...and her wallet!

**************************************...

Edit: Ok, so she may not think she's not being mean, but she's been soooo annoying. For someone in customer service this can be just as bad as a screaming customer.

I went to a Quizno's and a lady pulled this. Mind you there were many customers in line behind her. The sandwich guy tried to nice about it, but the customers expressed his annoyance and loudly! I hate to be mean, but if she's that particular like that customer, she should cook and eat at home.

The employees already have a full load cooking for a restaurant full of people, but now have to deviate from procedure/ recipes and tip-toe around your grandma's plate. I can understand if she has  options offered (such as white or red sauce  or chicken or shrimp) but she's making these people's work double hard. Not only do they have to make her plate (as well as everyone else's), but keep checking to make sure they have not made a mistake! This causes a back-up in the kitchen and delays getting plates out...

Again, she should either be willing to pay more for extra service or cook & eat at home! This is a restaurant not her momma's house, where she can have things her way!

Let's say you are asked to babysit. Which you agee to do for $5/hr. Just before the parents leave, they request that you: help the oldest with homeowork for three subjects, come up with and complete a science project with the middle child and help the youngest study for two tests and complete homework. Ok, so it's expected that you'd help with homework... but all of that, watch the kids, and a baby for only $5!!! That's how the staff feels when they bring your grandma her bill.

What you may want to do is gently bring up the topic of that way she orders or even offer to order something for her that you know she'll like. Don't make a single change to the way it's usually prepared and notice the bill will not be padded! No extra service-- no extra charges!

Answer 2

This is simply not the standard for any decent restaurant.

But older folk(and Europeans) do have a rep for being poor tippers.  My dad calculates 15 percent to the penny and it is embarrassing.  

If she is a frequent customer at these places that "autograt" it creates a difficult situation since most waitstaff typically make $4/hour and to deal with a difficult customer for half an hour for $1.50 tip on a $10 cover is a bad deal for them.

Her only recourse is to talk to the Front of House manager with her bill and ask for a gift certificate or refund.  She should not try to resolve this with the waitstaff, since they feel they are in the right.  She should also be careful about using credit cards since they can tack on tips without her knowing about it.

She should be treating people better who handle their food or it may "fall" on the floor without her knowing about it.  As a line cook I've seen it happen.

Waitresses also have very good memories of who tips and who is polite.  Some will not waste good service on people who are rude or stingy.  They can let the food sit until it goes cold and make them a low priority easily.

She can also just leave the exact amount of the bill before the tip is added on.  If someone autograted me without telling me I wouldn't tip them at all.

TIP= To Insure Promptness  

Answer 3

oh my gosh.... i dont care.

Answer 4

Yes, it can be done, depends on restuarant policy. As for grandma, who knows if she is figuring amount correctly. You just said she is difficult. We have asked difficult people not to return to our establishment and have actually banned some due to their demanding nature. Grandma should learn to be a better diner.

Answer 5

I suppose it depends on the restaurants policy. If your grandmother is difficult mopre thatn likely they add the gratuity because of it. However, they can add anything they like to your bill but it is illegal to force someone to pay gratuity of any amount. So if she has a problem with it then she could just ask to have it taken off and they have to oblige. Your suspicions are probably accurate or because they feel that she wont leave a good tip. Unfortuanately working in the serving industry will cause you to have a stereotypical view of certain types of people. So if it is someone's experience that an older person doesnt normally leave good tips then they may add automatically. Also there is a case where it is justifiable. IF you started your meal with one server and you did not have a good experience with that server then you ask for another server it is customary to add gratuity to your bill so that the latter server doesnt get stiffed