Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 37,804
- Location
- block 16, cell 12
Sounds about right for £20.
Perhaps not, but I think that they may make an exception for the OP.
Four of us waited 30-35 minutes for the bill in a restaurant in Naples FL a few years back, after asking for it at least twice.
Eventually I asked to see the maître d’, and calmly and quietly explained the situation, saying that if the bill wasn’t forthcoming in 5 minutes we were leaving.
He brought it over personally, and it had a handwritten piece at the bottom, “15% gratuity added”.
I queried this, and he said that a lot of British people were unaware of the tipping culture in the U.S., so rather than take a chance on getting stiffed, he’d added 15%.
I said, “Unfortunately you’ve done that to the wrong guy, I would normally tip 18% in the U.S., but I want that 15% removed, and for all this aggravation, there’ll be no gratuity.”
He wasn’t happy, but I wasn’t unduly concerned about that.
If I want to pay and leave I go to the till and get the bill, pay and go?