The Habit Burger Grill & Automatic Tip Charge

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

I wonder if there is a small sign somewhere near (or behind) the register advising that the tip is automatic???

I think that registering a complaint with the credit card company and creating a stop payment is the best thing to do. The burger place will now have to take time to protest the complaint and this will expose them for illegal practices. If you want a company to understand how you feel then hit them in the wallet.

I was thinking the same thing re. a sign somewhere or noted on the menu. If there isn't a sign or notice then I think they deserve to have this brought up in the way you did. The penalty should be more than just not paying the service (tip) charge.

[john70t]

In Europe, the sales tax is included in the advertised price, and tipping is not expected.
WYSIWYG.

[hcoles]

I found this on the BBB website. Google pulled it up.

They charged a fee of Staff Tip $4.20 to our receipt That we did not authorize. It's a go to counter *********** pick up your order n take it to your table. Staff does Nothing to earn a tip.
Business response
09/13/2023



Dear Habit guest,

Thank you for reaching out. I have refunded the unauthorized tip of $4.20. Please allow 5-7 business days to process. Unfortunately, if you have tapped your card this could have selected a tipping option depending on where the card was tapped or if you accidentally tapped the screen.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Thank you.

[hcoles]

I would say their response is somewhat questionable.
"depending on where the card was tapped"
This sounds like a cover up.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by hcoles

I would say their response is somewhat questionable.
"depending on where the card was tapped"
This sounds like a cover up.

Yep.... it might just be that location's policy to add the surcharge too. I'd be curious .... and go back one more time just to see .... if the burgers are good

[jcommin]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

^^

"Admin fee" is just idiotic. Raise your prices 5% and no one will notice and no one will be pissed off.

This reminds me of DOC fees added when buying a new car. It is not a fee for processing paperwork - it is additional profit for the dealer.

I'm tired of the tip jar, the added tip screen and service charges. Have any of you seen a discount for paying cash at restaurants? Pay your employees a fair wage. Dining out is expensive and I'm dining out less. Since I have retired, I'm cooking more at home.

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by KC911

Yep.... it might just be that location's policy to add the surcharge too. I'd be curious .... and go back one more time just to see .... if the burgers are good

I went on the website to see if there is any mention of a service fee. It is mentioned (in "small" print) related to getting the food delivered.
I bet they have "programmed" the payment system/card reader to automatically add the fee but there might also be a way if you look close enough while using the card reader to opt out of it. I think they are attempting to sneak the extra fee in without being noticed.
As far as I can tell, the only notice is that the fee is listed on the receipt.

[Rick Lee]

While I sympathize with the OP, tipping for take-out is not really out of line. When I was working as a server, anyone who was able to enter an order in the computer had to use their server ID to do so. And whatever you rang up, even if for a co-worker's shift meal (we couldn't order food for ourselves, even on break) gets assigned to you as your revenue for the shift. At that time the IRS assumed you were tipped at least 8% (IIRC) on whatever revenue you rang up. The take-out orders were always rung up by the hostesses and they were not paid the $2.15/hr tipped server wage. But they were assumed to be making 8% tips on whatever take-out orders they rang up.

[Sooner or later]

1st mistake was not looking at the ticket at the time you paid.
2nd mistake was not handling the problem while still at the restaurant. Register line or not.
3rd mistake was eating the food and then stopping payment.

[hcoles]

For a long time (forever?) the general public expects to pay the listed price plus tax. It is not reasonable to automatically apply some additional fee without prior obvious notice or a process that requires manually opting in to the additional fee. I think HB is off base on this one. They were bought by Burger King not long ago.

[hcoles]

Looks like Burger King has recently added some automatic fees. It seems, if you order with the app you pay the fee. Both are probably using the same software now - so not surprising both are adding an additional fee.
https://www.the-sun.com/money/8375927/burger-king-adds-automatic-surcharge/

[911 Rod]

I've become numb to all this stuff and I think that is their intent.

[Deschodt]

To answer an earlier question, Nah, Habit burger is nothing special. I may even call it crap. Way below Super duper, Shake shack, in and out, and frankly the time I went it was really disgusting (poorly cleaned), and they made you order on an Ipad so I am not sure why you'd tip...


I'm fed up with tipping.. I Tip well at restaurants.. But the casual flip of the ipad pay station at me on to go orders, or at dry cleaners or wherever else these days, has gotten out of hand. I feel like I'm in the third world with everyone begging with their hand out. I really enjoy europe in that regard - leave a few euros for excellent service, that's it. Include a decent wage in the cost and stop with the tax and tip surprise (include tax in the menu price too, and on all goods on shelves - each time you reach a register in america it's like "surprise")

[JavaBrewer]

Quality, HH started in Goleta CA 1969 and we loved it. There was a competing Burger Joint on upper State St, Char West, which was my Dad's favorite. At some point HH were bought by a huge conglomerate. IMO their burgers are almost as good as In and Out. The original HH in Goleta is a hold out from the sale (so I heard) and their food is much better than the newer HH stores.

When I do take out the employee always tells me the total and then I pay. OP, did they not announce the total to you at the window?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

1st mistake was not looking at the ticket at the time you paid.
2nd mistake was not handling the problem while still at the restaurant. Register line or not.
3rd mistake was eating the food and then stopping payment.

See Vern, it's all your fault.

[Sooner or later]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

See Vern, it's all your fault.

4th mistake was not voicing their concern when the order was ready and picked up.

[Tidybuoy]

[QUOTE=Baz;12183634]So you got the fries and med. soda, Vern?

No, all I ordered was a chicken club (by itself). My friend ordered a Santa Barbara Char Combo. Looking at the receipt, they rung it up in a weird way.

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by Jeff Alton

So, you ate the meal, and are now attempting to get it for free?

Interesting....

Actually, I ate the meal, paid the unauthorized charge, filed a complaint with the company, and then requested the unauthorized/fraudulent charge be removed by my credit card. I have not heard back from the company yet.

Interesting.....

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

1st mistake was not looking at the ticket at the time you paid.
2nd mistake was not handling the problem while still at the restaurant. Register line or not.
3rd mistake was eating the food and then stopping payment.

Wrong!

1st mistake was employee taking it upon themselves to secretly add a tip.
2nd mistake - valid but I am a generally trusting person - lesson learned.
3rd mistake - sorry but I had a timeline and could not wait. I was not willing to cut to the front of the line over $4. No need to interrupt other patron's experience.
4th mistake - sorry, but I ate the food and filed a complaint and explained to corp management that I was reversing the charge. If they want to dispute, then I may have a change of heart but only after they recognize the dishonest activity that took place. I slept with a good conscience last night.

[Steve Carlton]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

... and then requested the unauthorized/fraudulent charge be removed by my credit card.

Do you mean the $4.19 or the whole $32.12?