[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

Darrell's fee is over 4%!!!
You know darn well that using a credit card doesn't cost the restaurant that much.
They are making money by charging that kind of fee and you aren't aware of the fee until you get the bill.

Not necessarily. Credit card fees can range up to 4.5% for businesses and maybe higher in some cases; we got charged 2.9% 10 years ago. My Mastercard gives 5% cash back at restaurants, so I'm still 1% ahead at Darrell's.

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Because for some Villagers, this is the land of the "C word" and the "F word"----cheap and free

You are totally correct. I have never seen so many cheap people in one place. Driving the server nuts with more water and more lemons. They should leave a couple of dollars for the water service. Same amount of work as soft drinks and iced tea.

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

A principal? Besides in Europe many places charge for pitcher of tap water. Would that charge be OK with you?

If the policy is they charge for water I would pay for the water. No principle involved.

[MrFlorida]

Simple solution , go someplace else...

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by MrFlorida

Simple solution , go someplace else...

Exactly! They need to go someplace else and stop whining. If a couple of dollars makes that much of a difference, they should eat at home.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by JSR22

You are totally correct. I have never seen so many cheap people in one place. Driving the server nuts with more water and more lemons. They should leave a couple of dollars for the water service. Same amount of work as soft drinks and iced tea.

Agree totally---it was that water with lemon culture that drove Katie Belle's out of business

[wisbad1]

Originally Posted by Ral51Bjl

My golf ladies went to Arnold Parker’s yesterday for lunch. We knew it was pricey but the food and service are usually good. When given our checks we put our credit cards to pay the bill. When the server returned with the copy to sign, we noticed the bill was higher. I called the server over and she stated that it was a 3.75% service charge for using a credit card and this was on the bottom of checks. We don’t usually look at the bottom of the check unless it has the gratuity suggestions on it. Beware of this on your checks.

I would deduct it from tip, let owners deal with angry staff. Plus it’s illegal.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by wisbad1

I would deduct it from tip, let owners deal with angry staff. Plus it’s illegal.

It's not "illegal". It MAY constitute a violation of the contractual agreement between the merchant and the credit card company, but even that is gray zone.

The bigger question: What did the server do to you that you would punish them for the owner's policy???? Complain to the owner or manager, don't stiff the server.

Plus, your strategy won't work unless you explicitly explain to the server WHY you reduced their tip, and i doubt many would want that confrontation.

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by wisbad1

I would deduct it from tip, let owners deal with angry staff. Plus it’s illegal.

Absolutely absurd! Do not punish the servers. On a 20.00 tip it is 67 cents. If you cannot afford that stay home.

[mjr0773]

Originally Posted by wisbad1

I would deduct it from tip, let owners deal with angry staff. Plus it’s illegal.

Please cite the statute or Florida case law that supports your statement.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by mjr0773

Please cite the statute or Florida case law that supports your statement.

I believe it is 501.0117

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

I believe it is 501.0117

Correct. But the law and a follow-up court challenge to it are both very confusing. What's worse is that even the State of Florida charges a fee to use a credit when paying taxes and other fees. But, even if a credit card surcharge is legal, the court said that the surcharge needs to be disclosed and the merchant cannot engage in deceptive practices. In my opinion, adding the surcharge on the check after the customer has already eaten the meal, is deceptive. The restaurant should notify the customers of the surcharge before they order the food. Otherwise, it is illegal.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by JSR22

You are totally correct. I have never seen so many cheap people in one place. Driving the server nuts with more water and more lemons. They should leave a couple of dollars for the water service. Same amount of work as soft drinks and iced tea.

I get water with lemon almost always. Here's why:

I don't drink soda and I rarely drink alcohol with meals.

Tap water in Florida tastes horrible, so I need to add lemon to make it drinkable for me.

I WOULD pay for bottled water but no one ever offers it to me.

I always ask for half a glass of water or a juice-sized glass of water with 1 piece of lemon to kill the taste. If they bring me a full glass, then I ask them for more lemon. I really only need a few sips with my meal but most wait staff don't actually LISTEN when I tell them I only want a little bit of water.

But again - if they offered to sell me a bottle of spring water I would gladly pay for it. They never do.

[keithwand]

If the restaurant wants to add a CC fee just raise the menu prices.
Since I tip 20 percent always then they now get 16.5 percent which is probably more than they are getting now from the village people.

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by keithwand

If the restaurant wants to add a CC fee just raise the menu prices.
Since I tip 20 percent always then they now get 16.5 percent which is probably more than they are getting now from the village people.

Are you deducting the CC fee from your server's tip? That's not very nice. I cannot imagine leaving a tip under 20 per cent. We always leave 25 per cent and do not deduct the credit card fee.