Just hand me the damn machine..

September 17th, 2007 | by Colm |

At the risk of angering the ever wise Manuel, I feel I must inform the world of a new policy of mine.

First of all, let me get one thing clear. When I eat in a nice restaurant and I receive service above and beyond the norm, I am more than willing to tip appropriately.

However, and here’s where my policy kicks in, if I choose to pay with Laser/Mastercard it is not out of some perverse pleasure of mine to use technology, it is because I have insufficient cash on my person to fully meet my financial obligations to the establishment and it’s staff. Therefore, if you skip the prompt on the Chip & Pin machine which allows me to show my personal appreciation in a financial way, then you my friend don’t get a freaking cent of tip. Not an iota.

I have stuck to this a lot recently despite a sincere desire to reward the personnel in question and I hope it can start a mini-revolution in the service industry. It won’t, but a boy can hope.

  1. 4 Responses to “Just hand me the damn machine..”

  2. By manuel on Sep 18, 2007 | Reply

    Ah now this old chestnut. Waiters are very happy to get tips, it’s why we do what we do. But we ain’t gonna beg for it. If you wanna tip the waiter then tell him before he swipes your card. Believe it or not even I would blush at the thought of handing you the machine when it gets to the tip prompt. If you wanna tip the guy then tip him, don’t have him beg for it by handing you the machine as it blinks “Gratuity” at you. He’s done his bit now you do yours….don’t make me come down there….

  3. By seanachie on Sep 18, 2007 | Reply

    Yeah, asking beforehand is probably the best option; I know that from long years of working in the catering trade. Be careful as well too, as in some countries, such as France, it is, for tax purposes, illegal to add a gratuity slot. I seem to remember that credit cards in the pre-Chip & Pin days automatically adding the gratuity option but that may have chanaged.

  4. By vince on Sep 19, 2007 | Reply

    some places don’t allow it - there are tax reasons and credit card charges and all sorts of reasons why they skip the gratuity part.

  5. By Colm on Sep 23, 2007 | Reply

    @Vince - Uh-huh, “Tax Reasons”. I’ve worked as a waiter too ;)

    @Manuel - I shall take your sagely advice and try out this approach. However, should I start getting lots of “Uh, I’m sorry, we can’t do that with this machine”, then I may have to re-visit the situation.

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