Pennsylvania is just striking gold this week...

[Eclypse]

So a couple of college students recently got arrested for not paying a tip at a pub in PA. They had a tab of about $70, were in a group or 8, and received horrible service. Had to get their own refills at the bar, find their own cutlery, etc. Apparently this was one of those instances where there was a tip added to the check due to the size of the group. So these two paid their 70 bucks or whatever and left. The restaurant accepted it, then called the cops saying it was theft.

What BS!

Since when are you ENTITLED to a tip...the sole idea of a tip is to reward you for your service which shouldn't suck! Hell they had to practically serve themselves.

BAH, PA is striking out in my book big time.

College Students Arrested For Refusing To Pay Tip
http://consumerist.com/5408629/colle...ing-to-pay-tip

Actual news article:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/br...877&70466877=Y

[Kahrhoshe]

Some places include the tip over a party of 6 or 8 but it has to be stated somewhere i believe.

That said, yeah its complete and utter BS.

[rainshadow]

Who is robbing who here?

BULLCRAP.

[Zedd]

I tip well, very well.

That said, I do not care what they have in writing. A tip is not part of the bill. I can tip whatever I want. Usually 20% or more.

I will be damned if a place is going to tell me I have to tip. I try and avoid those places and hinestly when I can't they are costing the wait staff money, because 18% is less then what I tip.

Also if service is bad, then you should not have to give 18% or anything.

I would personally counter sue the restuarant for harashment.

[drefan72]

I seldom go out in parties of 8 or more, and I don't tip when the service is poor. I also don't follow the "tipping" rules. I tip what I think it was worth, regardless of the percentage.

[Eclypse]

Originally Posted by Zedd

I tip well, very well.

That said, I do not care what they have in writing. A tip is not part of the bill. I can tip whatever I want. Usually 20% or more.

I will be damned if a place is going to tell me I have to tip. I try and avoid those places and hinestly when I can't they are costing the wait staff money, because 18% is less then what I tip.

Also if service is bad, then you should not have to give 18% or anything.

I would personally counter sue the restuarant for harashment.

Zedd this is pretty much exactly how I feel. I typically tip 20%, if not more, hell a dollar tip per drink at a bar is a golden tip once all is said and done. I also agree that the tip is a measurement factor on how well they do their job.

[rainshadow]

Let's just put it in the simplest way possible:

A tip is EARNED. Period.

[Javilen]

I consider myself a good tipper, I understand that these people really make a living on the tip but I also don’t tip for bad service because I feel a tip is my way of saying thank you for great service, the better the service, the more out of the way they go to make my experience that much better the more they will get, I have tipped as much as 50% and I have also walked out leaving a tip of 1 penny.

I understand why places like this stick that tip on the bill like that for a big party, they probably get a lot of these parties where the wait staff usually requiring more then one person does everything but when the bill is split up they only pay exactly what they owe not including Tip and even some people may not include taxes.

But with that said you still have to earn a tip, it’s not guaranteed, and this could set a dangerous precedent, if these two are convicted of stealing because they did not pay a tip that they felt someone did not earn what is to stop other establishments and even single employees from having people arrested for theft if they don’t leave a tip?

Not only that but the accepted standard for Tips is not 18% it’s 15%.

[taichidave]

Originally Posted by Eclypse

BAH, PA is striking out in my book big time.

E, I could add another one about a homeowner paying over $600 to clear a block in the municipality's sewer line, but if I went into detail, the language filter would melt.

Agree, tips are earned. I wonder if the Lehigh Pub in Bethlehem thinks the bad publicity is worth the $16.

[lalib]

Most of us agree that a tip is to be earned for excellent service and it should be up to the discretion of the customer. However, the restaurant is quite right in this instance. Why you might ask? well the customers violated restaurant policy.

The menu clearly states, "18 percent gratuity added to check of parties of 6 of more," and a similar message is printed on receipts, a pub employee said this morning.

Restaurant policy is that 18% is added to the receipt if you have a party of 6 or more. They had 8 people and didn't pay.

My own opinion is that a tip by definition must not be mandatory, but this restaurant does have a mandatory tip policy. And these customers violated it. By utilizing a restaurant, you agree to the rules of the that establishment, similar to how we all agree to obey the rules of TG.com to utilize this forum. The customers violated the rules are are paying the consequences.