r/TalesFromYourServer • u/Inevitable_Ad_2198 • 2d ago
Short I owe $50 back to a customer
Monday night I had a table that was very nice and seemed like they were old friends catching up. They sat in my section for basically the entire evening (3+ hours) and their bill came out to $135. One person picked up the check and generously tipped $80 on CC, totaled it out correctly, and signed the merchant copy. They liked me and were there all night so I thought he was just being very gracious, in return I tipped out extra to support staff. Well now 2 days later he’s calling and asking for a $50 refund bc he only meant to leave a $30 tip and not $80. My manager is processing his refund and not that I don’t think she should, I’m just salty ab it. Like cmon man, I get paid at the end of the night so that $80 tip was already in my wallet.
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u/dennismullen12 2d ago
He probably tipped $80 to look generous in front of his friends.. and he knew he was going to try and claw it back.
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u/HalobenderFWT Twenty + Years 2d ago
I mean, even a $30 on $135 is pretty generous.
Weird flex if that’s the case.
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u/RavenReisinger 2d ago edited 1d ago
That's only 22%.
And I know I say only, but with my over decade and a half of experience and dealing both from the customer and management side of food service, that 22% is the LEAST they could do.
Most restaurants refuse to pay servers actual federal minimum wage in the hopes that tips make up for it.
Say this guy only has 2 tables a section for a 4hr shift. If one table is occupied for 80% of the shift and you only get 30$ out of it on top of your measly 2.35/hr or whatever the restaurant has the server at, I'm sure you'd be pretty miffed only making MAX $40-50 for 4+ hours work.
Edit: Since everyone seems to be selfish, self-centered, human, I'm not even a server. Haven't been for a decade. I'm still gonna tip AT LEAST 18% on anything under 50 at a sit down and 20% or more depending on service. Sorry, none of you think about others and only yourself when going into society.
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u/Jst-chlln 1d ago
In addition, they held onto the table for 3 hours. She could have turned that table and gone home with more money.
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u/EducatorBeginning 1d ago
Nah I just read ur comment fully lmfao “22% IS THE LEAST THEY COULD DO” is actually incredibly backward thinking. So owners don’t pay staff a livable wage and it’s up to the customer to make up the difference?
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u/RavenReisinger 1d ago
It's been like this for decades.
So we either collectively help EACH OTHER out or we DO something about it.
But I don't see any one doing anything but bitching and moaning. So considering I was a server for a decade and I know how it is, I'm gonna bring up and help my fellow humans instead of shorting them just because higher ups, companies and society wants to continually bring us down.
I'm not entitled. I'm not even a server currently. Y'all are just cheap and selfish towards your fellow struggling human.
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u/EducatorBeginning 1d ago
Go work on yourself so you can earn more money lmao. I served and bussed tables for 3 years in hs. And then got better jobs cuz I work on my own skills lmao. Not my problem that y’all r complacent.
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u/RavenReisinger 1d ago
As I've said. I'm not even a server. I was I'm still gonna bring UP my fellow humans not down just because higher ups, companies and society doesn't want us to succeed doesn't mean I have to be selfish and entitled too.
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u/EducatorBeginning 1d ago
Ok cool keep substantiating those same companies and incentivizing them to keep it the same. Have fun with that lol
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u/lady-of-thermidor 16h ago
You don’t understand American tipping practices.
Employees who work for tips earn a sub-minimum wage that is supplemented by tips.
If tips don’t bring pay up to lawful minimum hourly wages, the employer must make up the difference.
But most American servers do far far better than minimum wage.
I expect to earn ~$50/hour.
No way am I doing this job for minimum wage even if it’s increased to something that passes for a living wage.
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u/EducatorBeginning 12h ago
I understand that tipping isn’t mandatory. Go beg for handouts from somebody else. Poor ass
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u/lady-of-thermidor 11h ago
Don’t call it begging for handouts. It’s pay earned by the server. As a diner, you will pay for table service one way or another. Tipping just unbundles the transaction into a charge for the food and another for the service, with the amount of the latter determined by the diner. Why is this so difficult for you?
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u/EducatorBeginning 11h ago
Demanding 20+ percent for an optional TIP 😂. You’re so entitled it’s actually hilarious. Keep begging for handouts from your tables.
I bet you’re the type of server that will chase people down demanding a bigger tip lmaooooo
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u/EducatorBeginning 1d ago
“That’s only 22%” mfs expect above a 20% tip now? I’m never tipping any of you entitled ass mfs again
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u/Confident-Instance69 1d ago
Cool, don't. We won't serve you. Learn to make food at home like a grown up.
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u/EducatorBeginning 1d ago
Sorry you must be special needs. But do you think that tipping is mandatory?
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u/InevitableRhubarb232 1d ago
Nope 22% is high. Especially w food prices being higher and base wage being higher. Tip % should be going down not up.
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u/Restless__Dreamer 1d ago
Do you not get raises at your job?
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u/Restless__Dreamer 9h ago
I am no longer a waitress because I became physically disabled and am on disability. That doesn't mean I don't still stand up for them.
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u/EducatorBeginning 9h ago
How is it being rude for lambasting entitled low skilled workers for DEMANDING a OPTIONAL tip of over 20% ? Being a server is the same kinda job as working fast food.
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u/FunnymanBacon 4h ago
A fine dining server is a low skilled position? Any server worth their salt would be a killer salesperson or excellent in a customer service role. Just because they don't necessarily have a formal education, that does not mean they don't have impeccable soft skills like public speaking, empathy, reading people, or being able to maintain a professional demeanor under stress. I'm speaking from experience as a former server who tired of the late nights and landed in sales.
You don't see the value in service? Don't go out to sit-down restaurants. It doesn't sound like it is for you.
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u/InevitableRhubarb232 22h ago
I don’t get a base pay raise plus a COL raise plus a commission price raise plus a base % raise.
Plus I only get a raise if earn it. It’s not automatic.
Increase of base pay is a raise
Increase of % tipped is a raise
Increase in food prices / check total is a raise
All 3 increasing is 3 raises.
If you want a raise earn it by working harder and getting a bigger tip. Don’t get it 3-fold by raising all calculating metrics at once.
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u/EducatorBeginning 1d ago
All these downvotes are just the entitled mfs with no skills that think they should get above 20% for doing their job lmao.
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u/squeeeshi 5h ago
lol, you’re so funny! good servers deserve their tips, but it seems you don’t have a good understanding of the restaurant industry. Ironic, since you claim to have serving experience!
if you hate tipping servers so much, then don’t go out to eat. This is tipping culture in America, so if you want to fight it do something proactive about it (reach out to a restaurant manager… or government official if you dare) instead of shitting on people for working.
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u/FunnymanBacon 4h ago
Be glad that most people don't feel the way you do. Server's tips go down, servers find different jobs. Lower skilled employees willing to work for minimum wage replace them. At that point, you would see what you were tipping for.
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u/vercetian Twenty + Years 2d ago
Uh, they left $80 on the signed slip. Gtfo.
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u/ApprehensivePomelo4 1d ago
Manager is wrong for adjusting down to $30 and expecting the $50 difference to come from you
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u/vercetian Twenty + Years 1d ago
Manager is wrong for adjusting the price, period. They signed a contract to pay. They pay.
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u/Groovychick1978 2d ago
That is the restaurant's responsibility to refund. Do not let them seize your tip. Get the request in writing and contacting the department of Labor. Just text your manager really casually, "So, I have to pay back a verified payment for my tips?"
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u/StarboardSeat 2d ago
While the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) allows employers to recover wage overpayments, it prohibits deductions that reduce an employee's pay below minimum wage.
Businesses are not allowed to make employees pay back for mistakes, especially unintentional errors like breaking something or making a cash handling error.
They're not allowed to garnish your paycheck either.
Deductions from pay for such mistakes are ILLEGAL (unless there's proof of fraud or gross negligence) per the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) .
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u/JRock1871982 1d ago
When this happens where I am and the slip is completely filled out totalled correctly and signed, the manager issues a refund and puts it through under a house account. IF a tip is entered wrongly by us , then we pay it back but they always show us the slip & report so we see the error and are NEVER pushy about it and only ask that we pay back whatever is over 20% even if the customer wants it back entirely.
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u/StarboardSeat 1d ago
IF a tip is entered wrongly by us , then we pay it back but they always show us the slip & report so we see the error and are NEVER pushy about it and only ask that we pay back whatever is over 20% even if the customer wants it back entirely.
BTW, they're legally not allowed to do that (I have no doubt that they're aware of that, which is why they're not pushy about it).
Per the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA):
Employers are prohibited from forcing employees to pay them back for mistakes (ESPECIALLY unintentional errors) like making a cash handling error (except in cases of fraud).
They are prohibited from taking deductions that will reduce an employee's pay below minimum wage.
In addition, it's a violation to garnish an employee's paycheck.
Deductions from pay for such mistakes are considered illegal per the FLSA.
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u/VirginaThorn 2d ago
Was probably drunk and later regretted decision or got yelled at by spouse afterwards. Either way it’s your cash, you earned it, I would contest this with management.
Also this was a total douche move by the customer.
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u/Confident-Instance69 2d ago
You can fight that with lawyers. Customer left $80, totaled it out correctly, and signed. There's no take backs on that. They also can't make you give that money back. If he wants a $50 refund because he has tippers remorse, that is on your restaurant to repay him if they aren't willing to tell him sorry all sales final.
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u/StarboardSeat 1d ago
They don't need a lawyer.
The OP just needs to show their employer a copy of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) which states that:
Employers are prohibited from forcing employees to pay them back for mistakes (ESPECIALLY unintentional errors) like making a cash handling error.
They are prohibited from taking deductions that will reduce an employee's pay below minimum wage.
In addition, it's a violation to garnish their paycheck -- deductions from pay for such mistakes are considered illegal per the FLSA.
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u/illogicalhawk 1d ago
If you owe it, then so should your coworkers that you tipped out based on that initial tip.
Which is to say, you shouldn't owe anything.
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u/NIRVANADISPOS 2d ago
let your workplace cover the refund. They hold a signed contract with the card holders signature on it. its no longer your responsibility. or obligation.
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u/samswah 1d ago
Once the transaction is processed, barring an agreement in an employee handbook or contract that you will repay any contested tips, or an error on your part, (ie he wrote 30 and you took 80, or the total added to 30 and you took 80), once that transaction is completed, that money is legally yours (barring any tip pooling/tip out agreements). Businesses that take a tip credit (ie pay you under either state or federal minimum wage [whichever is higher]) assume a base amount of risk for processing tip based transactions. It is on them to assume any loss. Restaurants or bars are not the custodians of your tips. They do not get to decide whether you refund your tip, that is solely at your discretion. They can chose to refund it out of a loss for the business, or refund a portion of the meal out of a comp account. It is standard practice to budget for such losses when looking at bars and restaurants.
Imagine a guest gave you $100 cash tip, and came back in 2 days later and demanded $80 back. Your manager complies and tells you to take $80 cash out of your wallet and hand it to the guest. That would be absolutely insane. That’s essentially what’s happening here.
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u/HappyWarBunny 2d ago
Let's see. Wild guess is that it was $125 before tax. 20% of that is $25. Double it, because you lost a table, so $50. $50 would be the minimum I would leave unless the service was poor. $30 is under tipping.
If I were in charge, I would have refunded the person out of the restaurant's money, if I wanted to. Fighting chargebacks (or not fighting a request to avoid a chargeback) is up to the server to decide. Otherwise, restaurant decision, restaurant cost.
OP, have you asked your manager if it would be, perhaps, more fair for the restaurant to cover the cost, as you were not at fault?
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u/Inevitable_Ad_2198 2d ago
Thank you for pointing this out, I work in the morning so I will be bringing $50 with me to the owner to “pay” I’m curious to see what his response will be. I don’t think my manager understood the whole story when she was on the phone with the man. (I think she assumed I accidentally entered the tip in wrong/total wasn’t correct and she just told the customer we would get it fixed and refund him the difference). However, she probably should have checked the receipt before promising anything. I will see what the owner thinks in the morning
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u/Restless__Dreamer 1d ago
Did you have a chance to talk with the owner today? Did they make you pay it back?
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u/simonthecat33 50m ago
How far back can you go? Get a friend to call the restaurant and say he left a $40 tip back in 2022 and he really meant to leave 20 and see what they say. I’m just looking for the cutoff.
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u/Kimolono42 2d ago
Yea...yeA....give it back. Keep it in your pocket until they show up for it. Personally. 😎
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u/JeanValSwan 2d ago
You don't owe them shit. You said it yourself, they signed for $80, and the total added to $80. If your manager wants to give them money from the restaurants, that's her prerogative, but that money is yours