I went to a restaurant, got crappy service, and still had to pay a gratuity, isn't that wrong?

Question

I had two awful waitresses who were snotty and not attentive with my refills. When it came time to pay, I intended to leave a penny, but found gratuity was added because it was a large table. Basically, the girls didn't care because they knew they were getting their tip anyway!

What a load of garbage. This was the Olive Garden. Don't you hate that?

Answer 1

If the service was bad then you can talk to a manager and request it taken off. At the restaurant I work for, if you tell them that then they have to remove it. I have seen a lot of servers who think they are not going to even work hard for this table bc they know a gratuity will be added and they will get their money regardless. I think that is c**p. You never know if those people are going to complain or write a letter to your corporate office (which I suggest you do...those servers need to be reprimanded for their actions). I always try hard to give the utmost service to all my tables be it a group of 20 or one. Everyone should do the same. Definitely let the Olive Garden know how you feel about your last trip there.

Answer 2

the best thing to do is report your bad service to the company. OG will respond and send you some gift cards or something, and believe me that server will be disciplined based on an accurate and well written email. I agree that it is c**p, but restaurants have had to add gratuities to large parties because large parties are notorious for not tipping. This policy and practice seem rude, but tipping is how your server is paid, and they deserve to be paid for their work. That said, it is inexcusable for the server to hide behind the automatic gratuity. The restaurant industry has the privilege of not paying a true wage to servers, and that is because as a culture we have developed tipping as a way to compensate the server. Serving is a much more stressful job than you think...imagine having to do it yourself and to wait on yourself. It is a subservient position where the server takes a lot of guff from clientele. All in all it is not a fair world, and things like this happen, but you do have recourse.

Answer 3

they need to add gratuity to cover the waitress. sorry that your waitresses were bad, but not all are like that. I am a waitress and i once had a totally rude large party. thank god for the gratuity or else i would have made no money. this has happened more than once so just think that everyone needs to make money somehow

Answer 4

That's not right.  You say it was the Olive Garden?  I would file a written complaint with the Management of that particular place.  That is not right at all.   Call the Better Business Bureau also.

Answer 5

that sucks, you should of made a comment to the supervisor on at the time, things like tht, we dont stand for in australia, down right rude

Answer 6

That is so not right!

Answer 7

I would have talked with the manager prior to paying the bill.  That is c**p for them to automatically add the gratuity!!  I wouldn't go there again!

Answer 8

Never been there but yeah it's wrong you had to pay for bad service

Answer 9

Man I'm sorry to hear that.  That kind of service is unacceptable.  I think you shouldn't have left a tip.  Just paid for what you bought ( if it ever came! ) and left.  Did you confront the manager?

Answer 10

WHOA thats horrible dude!  I am a server at The Cheesecake Factory.  I love when parties come in cuz you know the dollar signs start rolling in, BUT, that's our one and only rule on gratuities.......is that if the table complains about the bad service or has an issue with something, we are not allowed to put the gratuity on the check.  Did you speak with a manager about the quality of the service?  The manager is the one who physically has to open the check to add a gratuity to it before the server can present the check anyway.  When she dropped the check and you saw the grat on there, you should have asked to speak to a manager IMMEDIATELY.  Tips are ALWAYS discretionary, and they cannot make you tip then for less than perfect service.  If you didnt speak to the manager before you paid, then unfortunately you tipped these girls for their horrible service and bad attitudes.  However, you should go onto their website and write a detailed feedback letter (when you went in, servers names or descriptions, what the occasion was, etc...) and tell them everything that happened.  They want you as a return guest and will make it right.  You should get some kind of gift card in the mail from them inviting you to return.  Hope this helps.  If this happens in the future, GET THE MANAGER!!  =)

Answer 11

that sucks....all you have to do is tell the manager

and they'll take it off, and probably give you a gift card,....the grat. for a large tabel (8 or more)

is an OPTIONAL 18%.

Answer 12

How large was your table? I only ask, because, while I DO understand where you are coming from, and I think it's completely unfair for them to tack the gratuity on to your ticket automatically, I also know how it is to be on the other end of things. Sometimes I wish they would add gratuity on our tickets at the local diner I work for.   Were you guys guzzling down the drinks? Were they slammed? If so, it can be rather difficult to run back and forth every 2 seconds. Just a couple of things to take into consideration, although they still had no right to be snotty towards you. We are here to SERVE you and make your dining experience the very best possible! Anyway, even though it's not MANDATORY to leave a tip, it's always most appreciated. I've dealt with just about any kind of customer you can imagine. I've had a table of two leave me $25+ on a small ticket, while on the otherhand I've also experienced a rather large party, their ticket was around $200 and they left me $5.00. I was kind of upset at first, because HELLO all my focus was entirely on THEIR table; I was friendly; attentive; made sure they had all of the condiments PRIOR to their food arriving; was on top of refills and everything; etc., when I could have been a little less attentive and picked up other tables and made more money. Then I realized I enjoyed serving them. They really were a nice family and that really does mean a lot. Blah blah..I will quit rambling. Just trying to give a little insight. You should check out the movie Waiting if you haven't already. While I would never partake in most of what goes on throughout the movie...I do know several people who have and would, unfortunately.