Havana CC - watch your change
 

Three of us stopped by Havana April 24 at about 3:00 PM to have a drink after golf. The drink special was a "Flamingo". One of my friends ordered that. She had a choice of rum or vodka in her drink. She chose vodka. The waitress came back in a minute and asked her if she wanted rum or vodka. Afew more minutes passed and another server came out and asked her if she wanted rum or vodka. But my concern is with the bill.
Our total bill came to $8.56. I paid with a $20 bill.
I received $11 dollars in change. I lost about 44 cents in that deal. This seems to be a consistent pattern. A while back I had a sandwich for lunch. My bill had come to seven dollars and some change. They gave me twelve dollars back. I lost about 70 cents on that deal. They seem to round up in the restaurant's favor, not the customers.
I tried to call the manager twice when I got home, and its telephone line mailbox is full. You are given a recorded message to hang up. I eventually was able to contact the manager, Maria. Though she asked some questions, I got the impression she didn't believe me. She said that it must just be me. She wanted me to come back and get my change. I told her that it wasn't the money, it was the principle of the situation.
I have learned my lesson. I won't go back. The amount of money lost is trivial, but it is the inferior service and treatment of the customer that is lacking.

Why didn't you speak to the manager when you were at the restaurant??

What did the waitress say when you asked for the missing change ?

Wow. That happened to me too. Some restaurants will round the bill DOWN in favor of the customer. (Welcomed gesture.)

I was there months ago and when I got my change back there was no coin and the printed slip did not return either. We were in a hurry (because of slow service) and I just put the bills in my left pocket (separate from my other cash). My friend left the tip. When I got home, I counted that change and found it was a dollar different than I expected. The rounding was in favor of the SERVER. I haven't been back since, mainly because of slow and indifferent service but now I read this is a pattern at this restaurant.

EVERYONE BEWARE! :pray:

Skip

To me, it sounds like this situation could have been nipped in the butt by just going to manager, or challenging the waitress. If I was you, I would go back again just to see if it happens, even if you just have drinks. Its not right, but without rectifying the situation, the problem goes on without being resolved. I guess if you had paid with credit card, they couldn't do that. Sorry for your misfortune

Based on my experiance, not going back may be the best thing you can do for your stomach!

I think you meant "nipped in the bud". Nipping in the butt is just over reacting!:1rotfl:

Thus all sounds so petty in relation to just about any and everything else. Life is too short.

If you are worried about 44 cents, just subtract it from the tip.

If I cared about piddly amounts under $1 (knowing I have at least 3 large drink cups of change sitting around the house...change I've not used in years), I'd have said to the server, "You gave me the wrong change. I want you to bring me the correct change, please." If he/she balks, go to the manager.

Wrong business practice
 

Although the OP may have been shorted a small amount, it's the principal of it. They have no right to take money that does not belong to them. It's called stealing. I would certainly count my change in the future and put the server on the spot by asking for your change. If he or she doesn't make it right, I would not leave until I spoke to the manager. They way they are operating is wrong.

BINGO!! :thumbup:

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44 cents!!!
 

You seemed to have counted your change at the time of the transaction but left the restaurant without speaking first to the server (or manager). The manager did offer you the 44 cents back when you spoke with her on the phone and you declined. Why not speak up at the time of the transaction instead of stewing over it until "eventually" you got through on the phone?

IF the restaurant had rounded DOWN in your favor - would you have verbally questioned the server and told her you got too much change? Probably not.

Did you subtract the 44 cents from the 18 - 20% tip you should have left?

New that was coming
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[QUOTE=ilovetv;

If he/she balks, go to the manager.[/QUOTE]

The last thing I would want to do on a fun evening out with friends is "ask to speak to the manager". We just "vote with our feet".