A Reddit user shared a story about how she had to ask for a tip refund after the card reader automatically added the tip without her consent.
The OP and her boyfriend love taking bubble tea. They went to a restaurant to order lunch and tea in their town. You order at the front of the restaurant, and when the order is ready, they yell out your number for collection.
The OP normally tips 20% at a sit-down restaurant. She did not think she was supposed to tip at the restaurant where you grab something at the counter.
When the OP went to pick up her order, she was automatically charged 20% on a $35 order. The OP told the woman at the register that the machine had randomly chosen the tip for her, and she wanted a refund.
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The manager was called, and after confirming this, they gave the OP her receipt. They did not look surprised.
As the OP was waiting on her food, her BF joked that he hoped the staff wouldn’t spit on their food after the incident. The BF told her that he would not have gotten the tip back. OP’s father thought the card reader was either intentionally broken or rigged. Her sister thinks she should have paid the tip.
After the incident, the OP turned to the Reddit community to ask whether she did wrong in asking for her tip refund.
The Masses Weigh In
The Reddit community sided with the OP, with many pointing out that the OP may have been a victim of fraud or negligence, or both.
They May Have Done It Intentionally
Many users suggested that the restaurant may have rigged the card reader or that the woman at the register intentionally put in the tip without asking the OP.
One person said. “I would’ve wanted the tip back purely for the reason that it was forced. I can’t say whether or not this was intentional by the restaurant, but I’d be upset that the computer was forcing me to tip. I get that it’s a bit awkward to ask them to refund it, but you didn’t do anything wrong.”
Another added, “If the machine was genuinely malfunctioning, the manager should have said so and apologized for the inconvenience.
Either way, you were not at fault. If you had not said something, the next person who noticed the tip automatically being added probably would have.”
A user pointed out that the staff was not surprised when the tip was added to OP’s order, “They weren’t surprised it added your tip automatically, they were surprised you called out their {actions}. Have a friend go in there and see if it happens to them too and if it does call the police, that’s called theft.”
If the cashier picked the tip without asking, that would have been theft. According to another user, “Sounds like the cashier picked the tip for you, which would be fraud, or the system is glitching. Either one isn’t the price you agreed to pay and no one should be shaming you for trying to get THEIR error fixed.”
Machines Don’t Normally Add Tips
A user pointed out that unless directed, machines do not add tips without the customer’s consent, “I’ve never heard of a machine/business adding the tip. Usually the customer chooses if they want to add a tip or not. It was wrong of the business to not let you choose if you did or didn’t want to add a tip.”
They Are Using Social Pressure To Take Advantage of the Situation
According to some users, the restaurant was using social pressure to force people to pay for tips they did not want to pay for.
“They should be concerned if their machines are malfunctioning… but it sounds like they don’t and are using social pressure to take advantage of the situation,” pointed out one person.
You Should Have Spoken Out
Some users think that the OP should have been more vocal to prevent the restaurant from taking advantage of other people. One person commented, “This was intentional. Most people would not notice or be too embarrassed to say anything. You’re a hero! Only thing you could have done better would have been to be very loud about it, if there were other customers there. They are flat out stealing from their customers.”
Ask For Whole Refund, Then Go Eat Somewhere Else
Some users say that they would have demanded a full refund and gone somewhere else. One said, “However, I wouldn’t have just asked for the $7 back- because there’s no way I would trust my food after that. You ask for them to cancel your entire order and refund it, then go somewhere else. Make sure you explain the situation calmly and politely to the person and say, “I have absolutely no issue with tipping, but I wasn’t given an opportunity to select how much, so I’d prefer to take my business elsewhere, where I can tip the amount I want to tip, not what is selected for me.”
Another added, “I’ll never tip at a place that forces a tip, ever. They were trying to screw you and were annoyed for being caught. I would have absolutely demanded my money back and may have even went somewhere else to eat just based on principal, although I know most wouldn’t.”
Do you think it was wrong for the OP to ask for the tip refund? Would you have done it if you were in her situation?
This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.
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Originally posted 2023-03-30 08:55:14.
