[Luggage]

Since every Merchant including restaurants understands that the credit card fees include to pay for your 2% back, prices are higher for everybody including cash customers so you might as well get the benefit of the 2% rewards back. By the way I'm totally against this as it basically is Fraud against the government since you don't pay taxes on Rewards . You can blame the airlines in the 70s restarting frequent flyer Rewards which carried over in to General rewards on credit cards. one big game

[Rwirish]

Yes, only your group is impacted.

[Windguy]

Was the transaction you saw a pending one or the final one. If pending, maybe they overestimated how much would be tipped.

[toeser]

Originally Posted by VApeople

Nope. I NEVER pull out a credit card at a restaurant. We always pay cash.

Last year, someone wrote that they paid for food at Fenney Grill with a credit card but gave a tip in cash. Later they found the manager at Fenney Grill had added a generous tip to their credit card charge. Big surprise.

On the other hand, I just pulled the cash bonus from my credit card which accumulates at 2%. The amount was $700. That's why I never use cash.

[Ken D.]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Not that it makes a difference in this case, but the way restaurants process credit card charges is different from most businesses. First, they present you with a bill without the tip, say $80. Then, they take your credit card into the back room and immediately place a pending charge on your account for $80. Then, they return your credit card and a bill for $80 with a blank space for a tip. You add the tip, say $20, and sign a receipt for $100. If you use credit card alerts, like I do, you will immediately get an email or text alert for a charge of $80. Then, a day or so later, someone in the restaurant will change the pending amount from $80 to $100, which will show up on your credit card online statement. So, the bank alert never actually verifies the correct amount charged. I think the restaurant should only process one amount, the one that you signed, and not have someone change the amount days later. That is one reason that I always pay cash in restaurants.

It is the standard practice everywhere. They need to ensure they have a valid CC before you walk.

[JoelJohnson]

My wife and her friend went to California Pizza Kitchen a few weeks ago and about a week later we had bogus charges on the credit card. She is the only one that uses that card and, looking back at previous charges, it was the only "new" store she used that card at. The CC company canceled the charges and sent new cards. I didn't want to call the store because of a chance the manager might be part of some funny business. Tried to call the HQ but got put on hold for 10 mins. Their phone system only allows 2 options, neither gets me to the loss prevention dept.

Having been the Mgr. of Restaurant Information Systems for a major pizza chain and later worked for a major loss prevention company, I have my suspicions.

[PennyAnn]

This happened a few years back, at the burger joint in Sumter Landing. They said it was the place they did their deposits through, but that never made any sense.
They likely had someone working there who was skimming.
I would speak to the police, as they may find there is an organized thing happening.
Good that you are alert. Most wouldn't notice a small difference.
Good luck.

[75090BAR]

Recently I had the second experience of my tip amount being changed. This time it was to add on $3.00 to an already $4.00 tip for a $20 meal written plainly on the receipt. I called the manager and was told it was an "honest" mistake? They sent me the $3. in the mail.

[Teemotay]

Originally Posted by jmintzer

people paying 19% interest on their credit cards...

bingo!!

[diva1]

I too always keep receipts to match to CC statement. Last time this happened to me, the server had increased the tip amount after we left. Having the original receipt gave the manager a lot of info to get this problem taken care of. BTW this was not at Prima.

[biker1]

No, not true. The IRS has been quite clear on when you would owe taxes on "rewards" from credit card companies. If you receive a "reward" for doing nothing (i.e. you don't have to spend any money to get the "reward") then you owe taxes. You should receive a 1099 in that situation. Otherwise, the "rewards" are effectively discounts.

Originally Posted by Luggage

Since every Merchant including restaurants understands that the credit card fees include to pay for your 2% back, prices are higher for everybody including cash customers so you might as well get the benefit of the 2% rewards back. By the way I'm totally against this as it basically is Fraud against the government since you don't pay taxes on Rewards . You can blame the airlines in the 70s restarting frequent flyer Rewards which carried over in to General rewards on credit cards. one big game

[condomom22]

It just happened to me for the first time two weeks ago at Legacy Pool Grill. But the difference was only 8 cents, so no sweat.

[Keefelane66]

Originally Posted by Coopcasa

A couple of neighbors and I have noticed up charges on our credit card bills from receipts retained when dining at a local Steakhouse in the Brownwood town center.

Anyone else encounter this issue and notify management?
What results did you get?

It’s only a couple of dollars-but over the course of the day-it can add up.

Thanks for your responses.

If it happened to your party it’s happened to others fortunately you caught it. If it’s on the bill receipt it wasn’t a mistake!

[BumpaOompa]

I previously submitted a post on this same subject about a year ago. I found various Brownwood businesses routinely adding small amounts to my final bill after it was signed and tips were given. They were all approached, apologized and adjusted the bill. Not sure if they were padding the tip or adding credit card fees without advising me beforehand but it happened to me on about 10% of my visits. I consider this extremely high considering it almost never happens everywhere else. The biggest problem I experience in The Villages is the bar huts in the square. Very polite servers but on many occasions they have added tips to my credit card after I already put cash in the tip bucket and chose “no tip” on the credit card. It’s always $2-3 so I have been letting it slide. Last week my credit card came through with a $100 tip added for an $11 purchase. Called Villages Entertainment and they did not deny that adding tips is practiced by some at the huts. They did reverse the $100 overcharge. I have switched to using cash until they fix this systemic problem. I also save all restaurant receipts and typically have to challenge a merchant or two every month. Sad.

[ElDiabloJoe]

Originally Posted by Coopcasa

I.e., not Cody’s. Starts with P.

Lol, does it rhyme with Prima?