got taken for $10 on a takeout order.I just got finished reading an article posted by @rebeccabe. It seems she
Anytime you come across a receipt that allows you to enter in a tip amount on a credit card, there is always the possibility of some bad actor changing or adding something to the tip.
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The restaurant industry is like any other industry. They train their servers and bartenders. There are classes that people have to take and there are certifications for those classes.
Additionally, each and every team member in that restaurant is ranked based on performance and a variety of other factors that are particular to the restaurant in question.
Several times a month we hire new employees. The restaurant industry has one of the biggest turnover rates of any profession. Most people that work in the restaurant industry don't really want to work there.
They are only there because whatever their other field was either didn't work out, or hasn't worked out yet.
Having said that, there are also career minded restaurant workers. Sometimes you might go to a restaurant and see someone that is a regular. He has a server that he really likes and he always asks to sit with that person.
Chances are good that the waiter in question is a career professional. Someone that actually cares about their job and takes pride in it.
The truth is that there is nothing wrong with working in the restaurant industry. It pays good money although it does take a toll on your body because there's a lot of running around, but you can definitely make a good living doing it if you are willing to put in the effort.
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On the other hand, you have the occasional person that does not take pride in their job. Neither do they care to go to college, or make anything else out of their lives. They are just looking for the easy road.
As a trainer, I can tell you I usually notice these people right away. At my restaurant it is extremely rare for someone that does not take pride in a job to make it through the training process.
Everything I said so far leads up to my next point.
Skimming.
Skimming is highly illegal. Contrary to what you might be thinking, skimming is extremely rare because of the fact that your local restaurant worker is someone that takes pride in his job.
The restaurant also takes pride in their ability to serve up good food, and they love their guests.
If you manage to find a restaurant that does not take pride in their food, and does not love their guests, I advise you to never return there.
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What happens if I wait on a table and they don't tip me anything?
Nothing.
I might get irritated. If I spent two hours waiting on a group of 20 people and they don't tip me at all, then I'm going to have to pay about $8 for the hostess, busboy, and the bartender out of my own pocket.
I'll be frustrated and I probably won't want to wait on those guests again.
When they sign their check they will probably put several scratches through the tip line. They might write a big ZERO in there.
Sometimes you get a big party like this and they have no intention of tipping in the first place. They often will cause a big stink for no reason whatsoever just to make it seem as though the server has done something wrong so that they don't have to tip.
I don't like waiting on these kinds of guests, but I also know that working in the restaurant industry means that you will occasionally encounter them.
Would I like to add something in to the tip area? Well, the truth is that I would like them to respect me and give me the amount of money that I should be given by waiting on them, but I know that will never happen.
If someone were to add something into the tip area you can guarantee that it would be noticed right away though.
These aren't the type of people that you find being skimmed.
Having said that, if you often times go to a restaurant and you leave a good tip it's very unlikely that you'll be skimmed also.
Skimming usually happens to someone that seems nonchalant, but is able and willing to tip a small amount that is much smaller than what the server feels he deserves.
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In Rebecca's case, she left $1.00 as opposed to putting scratches through the tip line.
Putting scratches through the tip line pretty much guarantees that you won't get scammed because the manager that looks at the receipt will see those scratches and know that you did not intend to give any tip whatsover.
On the other hand, if you look like the kind of person tha really isn't going to be checking their account balance, and you leave a dollar it's really easy to change that dollar into
FOUR dollars.
TEN dollars.
ELEVEN dollars.
FOURTEEN dollars.
There are quite a few different things that it could be changed to.
Most people don't check their account balance very often so it's pretty easy to get away with charging an extra dollar or two to people.
If you're adding $10 or $20 to people's tips though, you're just asking to be caught.
Now I should add here that if you go to a restaurant it is highly unlikely that you're going to be skimmed.
Anyone that's been working at a restaurant for any length of time or anyone that takes any amount of pride in their work is not going to go around taking advantage of people like that.
If you're going to a reputable restaurant, and there is someone there that is skimming, they won't last longer than a week or two before they get caught and fired.
People that skim get caught and fired. That's just the way that it goes, because it is not a practice that can be continued.
It's highly illegal and it is also highly impractical.
It's important to check your account balance after you've gone to a restaurant, but at the same time you shouldn't just assume you're going to be skimmed because as I stated earlier, it is highly unlikely.
Now in Rebecca's case, she was skimmed on a to-go order which is a huge issue because it means that the bartender or manager could be involved.
If I was her I would never go back to that restaurant.
Skimming is 100% theft.
It's really just another word for stealing.
Anytime you can add a tip, make sure that you either add the exact amount or put a scratch through the line. If you feel that the service was pretty good I definitely would not put $1.00 down though because it is way too easy to manipulate that into something else.
I'm not saying most people at your local restaurant will skim you, because that is not true.... but it does happen now and again.
This is nuts. This is a fear that I've always had but never knew if it was actually often happening to people.
I saw this post and another of yours on Weku and chased you back here. Good stuff man.
update: I think I was already following you on Steem. lol. who knew.
Thanks.
I followed you as well and I'm going to check out some of your content.
Thanks for the follow up with this post. i am learning to deal with the thought that people are getting more desperate. I think you may be right in your comment on my post about something going on with management.
I plan to change how I do things. Thank goodness I ask for receipts. Many folks nowadays don't even want a receipt.
I am on Weku too, only I have not posted in quite some time. I will find you over there too.
Cool.
I don't think we should get the wrong idea though. People are still good people, but you're right times are desperate and some people are trying to get by but taking advantage of others.... but that doesn't mean that most people are doing that.
@jeezzle Agreed/
It is a good lesson that opened my eyes. I tend to think all people are good and honest.
Sometimes the world reminds me to pay attention. It all worked out. I have worked as a server for a short while and it is hard work.
A few bad apples in the basket always make it look bad for the rest of the hard workers in your profession. I'm glad though there is some kind of oversight on a restaurant that is known for their quality service.
Any good restaurant will be horrified by the idea of a villain working there. We kick villians to the curb immediately.