Couple arrested for refusing to tip!
I've often wanted to do the same in restaurants where tipping is mandatory..
Leslie Pope and John Wagner were handcuffed and hauled away after they failed to leave a restaurant's mandatory 18 per cent gratuity - totalling $16 (£10) - for their party of eight.
"Nobody wants to be forced to pay a tip or be arrested for terrible service," said Miss Pope, 22.
The couple, had joined six friends at the town's Lehigh Pub for dinner. They claimed they had to wait almost an hour for their meal to arrive and Miss Pope said the service was so shoddy they had to get their own cutlery and napkins.
The group said they had to repeatedly ask for drink refills while their waitress smoked outside the pub.
At the end of the meal of salad and chicken wings, they were presented with a $73.87 bill. A $16.35 tip had been added as there was eight people in the party.
The group paid for the meal, but did not leave a tip. Mr Wagner, 24, said he explained to the manager why he was not leaving a tip.
The restaurant's owner admitted that the group had waited an unusually long time for their food, but said the pub had been very busy that night. He said managers offered to give the table a discount for some of the food, a claim the couple denied.
The restaurant called the police, and Miss Pope and Mr Wagner were led away in handcuffs.
Police said the pair were charged with theft, as the gratuity was part of the actual bill.
They are due to appear in court next month where they plan to contest the theft charges.
FORCE TIPS....sounds crazy...i will never eat a restaurant with a mandatory tip hahahaha.....
Tips should only be give to those who deserve it... otherwise, they should've just termed it as service charge as what bladrick mentioned, if it was mandatory...
tess it's not about the small amount, It's about principles. You can't let people bully you into paying TIPS when they are providing pathetic service in return..
so by the restaurants logic, and party of 8 or more don't have to be served at all and the party still has to pay. Hmmm bad publicity for the restaurant1
another reason not to eat out
weird...
i have heard that the word TIPS was coined from the phrase "To Insure Prompt Service"....from the article,there was apparently no prompt service happening here whatsoever.sometimes the law is stupid.... :-/
Going to church no more makes you a Christian than standing in a garage makes you a car. ~ Garrison Keillor
But if the service was terrible, then should they be forced to ?
O come on, they can pay that and never come back again..
"A spokesman for the Lehigh Pub said the restaurant menu makes it clear parties of six or more have a mandatory 18 per cent gratuity."
Telegraph
CRAZY
If the bill daid "Service charge", they are screwed, but a "Tip" is purely discretionary.
crazy