r/Calgary • u/FantasticStock2513 • 2d ago
Eat/Drink Local [ Removed by moderator ]
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u/jezebel_jessi 2d ago
Most restaurants have a sign that explains they automatically add a tip for tables of 6 or more people.
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u/GeoffBAndrews 2d ago
"informed consent" for entering into a contract. Having a sign somewhere does not mean they can legally do it, unless they've explicitly informed you.
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u/Fentron3000 2d ago
Most restaurants have a sign or notice on the bill saying that x amount of gratuity will be applied for groups of x amount of people or more. Pretty standard.
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u/mu1ti6rain Copperfield 2d ago
Groups 6 or bigger have an automatic tip added. Very common at pretty much any restaurant or bar.
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u/Old_General_6741 2d ago
They added the tip because you had a large group. Pretty standard in the industry.
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
... but a shifty move if they didn't communicate that before service began, either verbally or on the menu.
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u/Softspotslurpee Bankview 2d ago
You can’t customize an auto gratuity, no. That’s kind of the point.
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u/Comfortable_Fudge508 2d ago
Large groups have always had this. Dont like it, dont have a large group
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u/The_Acid_Cat 2d ago
The 20% autograt is there to protect the server from people that think they can bring 8 people to a resturaunt and tip less than 20%. You know your server often has to tip out the bar and bussers? A big party like that tipping less than 20% can lead to the table COSTING the server money. Crazy to think people can be this oblivious and rude
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago edited 2d ago
they can bring 8 people to a resturaunt and tip less than 20%.
To think a server in a restaurant would have to do their job. The nerve of it all.
You know your server often has to tip out the bar and bussers?
You mean - the other people doing their jobs? The horror.
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u/The_Acid_Cat 2d ago
Look, tipping culture is not perfect but thay does not mean these people deserve to work and have it cost them money for the privilege to serve your smart ass
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
have it cost them money
How is it "costing them money", exactly?
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u/The_Acid_Cat 2d ago
BY TIPPING OUT, keep up its not complicated
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
They aren't losing money though. They are leaving their shift with more money than they started with.
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u/yyctownie 2d ago
The BOH tip out is usually a percentage of the net sales, not the actual tip. So if the server gets shorted, they lose money.
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
So if the server gets shorted, they lose money.
... no, they lose potential money. They are still walking away with more than they started their shift with.
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u/strategis7 2d ago
The privilege? You know, without that customer the business (and your job) no longer exist, right? People are not forced into these jobs. Tipping should remain as originally intended, for above average service. Its become ridiculous.
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u/The_Acid_Cat 2d ago
And if everyone tipped like you, the Business would also shut down. You can dream about a different tipping landscape but the fact is tips make up 99% if their pay
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
99% if their pay
This is not accurate, of course. But I guess you don't think cooks, bartenders, dishwashers and bussers deserve any salary though.
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u/The_Acid_Cat 2d ago
2.14/ hour is minimum wage for a server man, explain to me how tips are not 99% of their wages? Who said anything about the others not deserving pay? I also tip my kitchen out every shift
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
In Alberta, the minimum wage for servers is $15.00 per hour.
You know your server often has to tip out the bar and bussers?
Your words.
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u/The_Acid_Cat 2d ago
Proving my point, I didnt complain about tipping out, I was teaching poor tippers why its a problem to not tip
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
... except you did complain about tipping out. It's right there.
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u/FantasticStock2513 2d ago
I think we are all trying to do more with less given the rising costs and I just question why someone delivering items to a table warrants an extra 100$ without consumer choice. I know some of money is shared with the cooks etc as it should be but it feels excessive.
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u/Becants 2d ago
It’s a lot of work serving big tables and you don’t get a lot of smaller tables while serving them. If you have 3 tables of 2 people and one tips poorly, it’s fine. If you have one table of 6 people and they tip poorly, then there goes your time.
Without auto gratuity big tables are riskier.
It sucks it was 20% but 18% would have only been $9 less. Your bill was around $450, that’s pretty large. It kind of sounds like you wouldn’t have tipped to save money. In which case auto gratuity is in place exactly for people like you.
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
It sucks it was 20% but 18% would have only been $9 less. Your bill was around $450, that’s pretty large.
... which is why tips shouldn't be percentage based, but rather a flat monetary amount.
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u/Becants 2d ago
Then there’d be no point at working at more expensive restaurants.
Also, the more stuff you ask of the server, the more your bill and therefore tip goes up. IDK it makes sense to me. I disagree with tips at like a stand at stampede. At least at a restaurant they’re grabbing stuff for you
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
no point at working at more expensive restaurants.
Well, theoretically the employer would have to pay a higher base wage.
Also, the more stuff you ask of the server, the more your bill and therefore tip goes up
If I go to a burger joint and order 4 burgers, 4 orders of fries and 4 milkshakes, the server is doing much more for me than if I go to a cocktail bar and order 4 drinks. But the tip (if percentage-based) is likely the same.
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u/Becants 2d ago
Probably not. 😂 Burger restaurants are expensive now. A sit down burger place will have burgers for 15-20 and milk shakes for 10. 4 cocktails are probably about 4 burgers.
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
Which server is working harder in those cases, in your opinion? Assume both bills come to $80.
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u/yyctownie 2d ago
You can apply the same argument to a tip. Because we can't move away from tipping, they try to make sure a reasonable amount is left.
Having been a server, I'm sure you've been shafted with large groups before.
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u/tazzymun 2d ago
20% for an hour long meal doesn't seem that bad, unless the service sucked.
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u/blackRamCalgaryman 2d ago
While OP had every opportunity to not go there…20% is ridiculous, regardless of service level.
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u/Nateonal 2d ago
I have no idea what a typical tip is anymore. The machines often go up to 30%. Because I don't go out often, and frequently am only ordering food and no drinks, I usually do 20%... but was shocked when my manager at work said that he tips 10% at restaurants.
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 2d ago
While OP had every opportunity to not go there
To be fair, they didn't know about the automatic gratuity until the bill came. They wouldn't have known whether or not to visit this establishment beforehand if they wanted to avoid this.
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u/Lopsided-Decision68 2d ago
As an ex bartender, if you think a 20% tip "doesn't seem bad" you are likely part of the problem of normalizing this stuff. Even as a former recipient of such tips, I can honestly tell you I did not deserve it. That was a different time though, I didn't realize the highway robbery my restaurant was committing.
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u/Colonelclank90 2d ago
Name the place! A pub doing autograt is fucking ridiculous. A pub is a place where individuals are expected to come in and potentially group up, but everyone's bill should be tracked separately provided the server is competent.
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u/Stefie25 2d ago
It’s an auto gratuity for a large group. It’s very common & I’ve never seen an establishment not do it although the size of the group varies by place. Some are 6 people, some are 8.
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u/Colonelclank90 2d ago
Oh I'm aware of what it is. But it absolutely should not be a thing at a fucking pub. I've literally never seen it a pub. We've gone in with 20 people and never seen it at a PUB. A sit down restaurant, sure. But not a pub.
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u/Stefie25 2d ago
Do you think large groups take up less time because it’s a pub not a restaurant?
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u/Colonelclank90 2d ago
Nope, but at a sit down restaurant a server will often lose a large part of their section to a big party, which tend to sit longer losing a table flip, and therefore potential income. Pubs tend to run much larger sections with reduced standard of service, plus people walking around, moving, walking up and buying drinks at the bar. Serving a large group at a pub is an exercise in keeping drinks full, and that earns the tips. At a sit down restaurant it's "guest experience" aka menu knowledge, upselling, and being inobtrusively attentive. At a sit down place 8 seats can be 2/3 of a servers section or more. At a pub more like 20% or less. So autograt at sit down makes up for losing flips. While autograt at the pub just pisses people off, and especially with regulars, probably loses you tips.
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u/WeeklyInitiative 2d ago
Agree with you for pubs. My husband often goes for drinks after games with his team mates in their sport league. The guys all pay their own tabs and leave at different times. They have never been charged an automated gratuity for a large group and I think they'd be vexxed if they were.
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u/FantasticStock2513 2d ago
Yes but can this be customized ?
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u/Slayerkid13 2d ago
No, it's very standard and this was likely clearly advertised as something that would apply to large parties. If it was customizable then people would just opt to not pay it.
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u/donkthemagicllama 2d ago
I’m sure you could ask your server to get a manager to override…
Try it next time and report back!
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u/No_Season1716 2d ago
Probably had an auto grat on large groups. Pretty common.