[Jaggy]

[B]If a customer adds Crystal Light (or similar product) to a glass of water, the server has to pay for the "lemonade" that was not put on the tab. To say these practices are obscene is putting it mildly. To add mean-spirited, nasty notes on top of this is well beyond the pale to my mind.

What?? Now Olive Garden has lemonade police ? How do they know if you put something in FREE water?? I would think the server is the only person to notice, so are you saying she pays out of her pocket?? Makes no sense.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

If I'm not mistaken forcing the servers to pay for customers that skip out on their bill is illegal in most states. Your daughter and her co-workers should file a complaint.

[Peachie]

Originally Posted by redwitch

foxy, these were notes left in one week, in one restaurant to one server -- my daughter in TV. Some of her co-workers have gotten similar notes. It's not a majority but tips have definitely dropped since Darden started posted suggested tips.

Whether a server today gets a 30% or nothing tip, the tab is figured as if the server received an 18% tip for income tax purposes. Also, the 18% figure is used to determine how much the server OWES the hostess, the bus boy, the bar back, the bartender, basically everyone but the manager and the kitchen workers. So, more than once a server has had to pay out more than s/he has made that shift. If a customer stiffs the restaurant, the server is not allowed to stop the customer from leaving but is required to pay the drink or dinner tab in most restaurants. If a customer adds Crystal Light (or similar product) to a glass of water, the server has to pay for the "lemonade" that was not put on the tab. To say these practices are obscene is putting it mildly. To add mean-spirited, nasty notes on top of this is well beyond the pale to my mind.

Off topic, but about the Crystal Light thingy... If restaurants were sophisticated enough to provide a beverage on their menu, other than water, that was sugar-free, caffeine free and not alcohol, they may reduce a good number of Crystal Light sneaks. There are people out there unable to imbide, drink caffeine or lots of sugar, I'm one.

I don't bring Crystal Light to restaurants because of the "horrors" of this action known to mankind. But it's a long hour to hour and a half when out with friends as they enjoy their cocktail, beer or caffeinated soda during dinner or after golf and one can only sip ice water. Suggestions to restaurants to offer this selection appears to fall on deaf ears so I for one would happily pay for a quality sugar-free beverage if it were offered. Instead, I drink ice water. Why isn't that choice available? Okay, I've vented. (BTW, fast food restaurants more readily provide the Crystal Light type beverages.)

[beachx4me]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

If one has enough money and health to eat out at Olive Garden, and enough brains to write a coherent note, one is neither too poor nor too ill to leave a good server a good tip.

I certainly agree with this. This behavior is just ignorant. My daughter has been a server in the past also, the stories she has told are upsetting. They work so hard only to be slighted so many times. If you can afford to eat out, you can afford to leave an appropriate tip. If you can't you should keep your sorry self at home.

I mean really, who do you think you are getting over on?? The teenager who has to work to buy her/his own things, the single mom, the young man or woman putting themselves through school. Or the older woman/man whose income doesn't stretch far enough at the end of the month.

There is nothing worse, in my opinion, than a cheapskate. Makes you wonder if these are the people who also take all the sugar packets off the table and take them home????

Sorry, I just stepped off the soapbox. Just having seen my daughter so upset just sends me over the edge.

[nitehawk]

Originally Posted by nitehawk

I just cant believe this is happening in TV

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

Darden is a national chain - not just tv.

I really don't care that darden is a national chain-----I said that I cannot believe this is happening in the village----

[nitehawk]

Originally Posted by Peachie

Off topic, but about the Crystal Light thingy... If restaurants were sophisticated enough to provide a beverage on their menu, other than water, that was sugar-free, caffeine free and not alcohol, they may reduce a good number of Crystal Light sneaks. There are people out there unable to imbide, drink caffeine or lots of sugar, I'm one.

I don't bring Crystal Light to restaurants because of the "horrors" of this action known to mankind. But it's a long hour to hour and a half when out with friends as they enjoy their cocktail, beer or caffeinated soda during dinner or after golf and one can only sip ice water. Suggestions to restaurants to offer this selection appears to fall on deaf ears so I for one would happily pay for a quality sugar-free beverage if it were offered. Instead, I drink ice water. Why isn't that choice available? Okay, I've vented. (BTW, fast food restaurants more readily provide the Crystal Light type beverages.)

how about unsweetened iced tea.......99 percent of all the restaurants in the villages have unsweetened ice tea

[Peachie]

Originally Posted by nitehawk

how about unsweetened iced tea.......99 percent of all the restaurants in the villages have unsweetened ice tea

Ice tea is a caffeinated beverage.

[TheVillageChicken]

I don't understand the Crystal Light thing. The server will gladly put a lemon wedge in your water. I assume that the wedge is meant to flavor the water vs serving as a garnish. I've been told that if you put the lemon slice between your thumb and index finger and squeeze, lemon juice will be forced out of the wedge and into the water. I conjecture that if one then adds a packet of sugar or sweetener, which is also provided by the restaurant, that one would have a glass of lemonade.

As for tipping, I usually over tip. If, however, the server has somehow concluded that charm and over bubbly personality are substitutes for good service, a different outcome will likely occur.

[redwitch]

Re the Crystal Light thing -- if the manager goes by a table and sees the colored water, the server pays for the drink if not on the ticket, at least they do at this OG.

I'm a Cokehead. Won't drink anything else. If you serve Pepsi, I'm not drinking it nor am I drinking water. I always have Coke with me -- think it's become my trademark. If I'm in a restaurant that doesn't serve Coke, I simply ask for a glass of ice, ask the server to charge me for a soda and pour my own Coke. The restaurant gets its money, I get my Coke. Has worked well so far.

Seems like Crystal Light folks or those who think it is okay to squeeze a lemon and add sugar so they don't have to pay for a beverage could do the same thing -- explain they can't/won't drink the beverages offered but will pay for a glass of water and add their own flavoring.

[dillywho]

These jerks have been around forever...just used different methodology. I once worked in a bar and a private club....bar during the day, club at night. I would often have the same customers at both places. They would tip very little (if at all) at the bar, and very generously at the club. Guess they didn't need to impress anyone at the bar.

Later, when I started bowling and traveling to tournaments, we had one gal that would not tip when we went out to eat. Another, who had been a waitress as well, and I would tip enough to cover hers. You can often tell who has and has not had to rely on tips at some point in their lives just by the way they do or don't tip.

[Peachie]

Originally Posted by redwitch

Seems like Crystal Light folks or those who think it is okay to squeeze a lemon and add sugar so they don't have to pay for a beverage could do the same thing -- explain they can't/won't drink the beverages offered but will pay for a glass of water and add their own flavoring.

Red, I respect your opinion but totally disagree. I want to be able to purchase my beverage at the restaurant. I don't want to have to mix my beverage in front of the group and then explain what I am doing waitress and instruct her how to charge it on my bill. I'm out to have fun, ya know!

[justjim]

This is way off the OP'S subject but they do make decaf Tea but don't usually have it in restaurants here.

OP, it's a shame for customers to write notes as you described and then refuse to tip good service. Some of the customers were probably angered by the "tip suggestions" but instead of writing notes and punishing their Server they should speak to the Management. Like its been mentioned---they are cowards.

[Baileysmom]

Originally Posted by DonH57

I'm sure that's true. I just hope I don't become like that when I stop firing on all cylinders in my later years. LOL. Since living here we had no issues with the young servers and employees in resaurants, hotels or other venues and are very well mannered and polite.

If I am still here I will make very sure that you don't. ) We eat out much more living here then we did previously and it amazes me to see what servers have to put up with in general. They deserve to be treated as well as they treat their customers.

[gregntam]

Originally Posted by IADCathy

And if one cannot afford to tip what is one doing "eating out" anyway????

Right on Cathy! If you can't afford the meal AND the tip, stay home and eat a ham sandwich!

[doran]

Originally Posted by redwitch

As many of you know, my daughter is a server at Olive Garden. It seems that lately people have been leaving notes on checks rather than tipping (this started after OG started putting recommended tip amounts). Some of these comments have included, "Trevon Martin got no justice so you get no tip." "Thanks to Obama, I'm losing my Medicare so you get to lose your tip." "I only make 10% on my annuities so I'm not giving you 18%." and so on and so forth. I've never heard of such small-minded petty comments before.

I understand that some people don't believe in tipping and, I guess, that's up to them but to blame a server for the politics of a state or the general economy is just plain mean.

It is terrible how some people can be so cheap!!!!!!Does any one realize that a waiter or waitress is paid just over $4.00 per hour Not the min. wage
This is due to the fact that they receive tips-- I know other countries outside the USA do not believe in tipping--The way I feel is you are in the USA so do as we do and do not leave the poor waiter without their tips--
You should be ashamed of yourself!

Susan