bobrad

Has anyone experienced this new trend of "rounding up" by a waitron ?

Neopolitan

Not sure what you mean? Bill is $89.87 so they make it $90? Or bill is $89.87 so they make it $100?

DebitNM

We just had that happen this weekend. The bill was $43.27 and it was rounded down to $43. I didn't notice it at the time as DH signed the credit card copy. I wondered if they round up for amounts over $.50 ??

Debi

vegasnative

Wonder what the purpose of that is for? Not sure if I like that.

Neopolitan

In my design store I used to have a regular client who paid everything by check and she always rounded DOWN usually to the nearest (but lower) $10 making a comment about hating to deal with odd figures. If the bill was $278.90, she'd make the check out for $270. One day the bill came to something like $313.58, so when I added it up, I just wrote at the bottom $ 320.
She started to throw a fit, and I just said, "you know I like your idea of not having to deal with odd numbers so this works out so much better. But since you've always rounded down, I thought it was only fair we round UP this time."
She paid the higher amount.

keymom

This is similar to the question of whether you add enough tip to make your credit card amount a round number. On a $123.13 tab, would you tip $20.00 for a total of $143.13 - or would you tip $20.87 for a total of $144.00.

DebitNM

keymom -- I go that route...always make the final number end up with no cents, so the tip ends up getting the benefit of being a tad higher.

Debi

nytraveler

Yes - I have run into rounding at restaurants and even some stores lately - the deli or the greengrocer. They do it to avoid dealing with pennies.

But they always round DOWN - never up.

If they don't want to deal with the pennies and take the loss - that's fine - but I'm not so rich I don;t want to deal with pennies. (In fact - I think rounding up is not legal - if they did it they would be charging more than published prices for things - and subject to complaints from the IRS if no one else.)

Neopolitan

I rarely have any change on me -- it all goes in a big jar at the end of the day -- so I get a little bugged when I get a cup of coffee and it is $2.02 and I end up with 98 cents change. Thank you to the place that either rounds down, or keeps the dish of odd pennies to borrow or add. I usually put my pennies in them when I get them.

I guess I don't get the point in a restaurant though -- when the vast majority of bills will be on a credit card.

DebitNM

Here's another one that was new to me. While in Moab 2 weeks ago, when we got our lunch check...written on the bottom was the following:

15% = $3.50
20% = $4.00

and it was computed on the after tax amount. [I has always been told that gratuity should be computed on before tax amount. Not that it makes THAT much difference, but it irked me none the less.] I was surprised to see this hand written by the waiter and could only guess that this might have been done due to a large number of foreign visitors to the area and perhaps trying to help them out with our ways here or if the waiter just thought guests couldn't do the math after a few beers! {it was at a brew pub where neither the food or beer was anything special}.

Debi

bobrad

Another thing that is starting to bug me is the question , "do you need change ?" This usually occurs when the bill is $13 , $14 , or $15 and you hand them a $20.

Neopolitan

Funny you bring that up, bobrad. I had a conversation with a waiter friend about that the other day. I was annoyed when a waiter said that to me and we had clearly put down way more than a tip would be -- sharing a bill with another couple.

But his response was interesting. He said, it would be considered rude to just pick up the folder and start counting the money in front of the customer -- as if he didn't trust them or was anxious to see how much tip was left. So his theory is that they are taught to ask about change being needed-- which seems much more polite. In theory, he doesn't know how much you've put down (although sometimes it might be clear if it is a single large bill), so his question is a polite way not to look like he's questioning what you've left.
I guess it really does make sense.

Clifton

Neo, what your friend had to say about it makes sense, at least within one context, and I wouldn't question the motivations of him or his co-workers.

In other situations though, I am wondering how the wait person knows what, if anything, is in the folder unless it's hanging out of the end. Could be a credit card, could be exact cash, could be that I've not inserted my payment yet. I do realize that places that are very attentive, (hopefully from a distance) may actually know what you put in before coming over, but if the folder is closed and the waiter just came busting out of the kitchen, then I'd have to think they'd open it a bit to know if it was a question that made sense.

But anyway, I've never been asked that question by a waiter when there was anything other than a denomination well in excess of the bill and they knew what were holding. And it's happened much more frequently when the cash is clearly visible, especially when a folder is not involved. I don't mind though when the waiter says "I'll be right back with your change" then does that subtle pause as they turn, so you have the chance to either offer to decline it or remain silent to indicate you do want them to bring back change. But I've had the same experience as bobrad, well after the waiter is clear they're holding a $20 for a $13 sitting. Maybe not so coincidentally, the one's who've asked "do you need change back" are the ones I'd never have given the full 20% to anyway, much less 30%+.

And so far, I've never had a bill rounded up, anywhere.