restaurant/bar ripping you off?

[}{arlequin]

I've heard of this before, and I'm aware that it could happen at any time, but now it happened to me.

I was having some drinks at a bar/restaurant/lounge place (when they try to do too much, each aspect suffers) and the bill came out to $56.95

I like to keep things simple so I rounded it off and left a $9.05 tip for a total of $66. By pure chance I checked my account online the next day and find out I was charged $71.19!!! WTF, right? I think I left 18% (by my math)... can't believe there are thieves on every corner.

Is that something that waitresses individually can pull off, or is the whole staff in on this? Owner too? What's worse is that it's the kind of place where weekends are busy w/ young drunk people, and I'm sure this happens many times per night. I never check so I'm sure others don't either. No wonder I can never balance my account, I'm usually happy if it's w/ in single digit discrepancy and better yet, w/in the amout of my fees.

I'm heading over there later to duke it out, but what gets me is the amount of time and effort it will take to reclaim $5!!!

To the NoVa/DC crowd, the place is called "Local 16" in Adams Morgan.

rant over.

[vash]

it happens all the time, but at this point it is a computer issue. it will read correctly in a few days. i talked to the banker about this because it happens all the time. she rambled so much i got bored. but the gist of it, is that the computer compensates and you will see the right amount soon. if it doesnt change, it is A$$kicking time. but it happens to me everymonth. it always fixes itself.

[}{arlequin]

hmm. interesting.

thanks.

[vash]

yup. hongkongflower lounge near the airport had a scanner. they would take the CC and scan it and make a duplicate. the FBI got involved and heads rolled. i usually take my card to the front desk.

[juanbenae]

what they "approve" the amount for and the amount charged can differ. like a resturant will get the car approved prior to bringing it to the table for your signature, and tip. they have to make sure the billed amount will not exceed the final approved total. if you do the math, divide the $71 dollar amount by the $56 amount its near exact 125% of the total. maybe this is thier formula for determining card approval amounts?


it is worth watching you bill and i would be interested to see how this plays out.

[Neilk]

A co-worker had that happen to her with a Visa Checkcard. She called to complain and the manager said that they will have an amount like 125% of the bill, as k911sc mentioned, pre-approved so that they can protect themselves against bounced checks/charges.

I once split my bill 50/50 between cash and credit and when I looked at my statement, I had been charged the full amount. Fortunately I had a nagging feeling that something like that would happen so I kept that reciept. I went back to the restaurant with my reciept, talked to the owners who I am friends with, and they rectified the situation by firing the waiter and giving me my money back.

[island911]

"it fixes itself . .. in a few days" !?

Am I the only one who thinks that "it" should not need any "fixing" ?

I mean really! . .. the sub-text of what your bank is telling you is "pay no attention to the details of your account. .. just pay us what we ask . ..we have it all fixed." --niiiice.

[}{arlequin]

k911/Neil-- that's a custom I haven't heard of, yet. I'll definitely follow through and see what happens to that 125% rule.

[vash]

yes, that is what i was told too. i just didnt have the percentages worked out. i cant remember the reasoning tho. it is crap. i hate reading "pending" on my electronic statements. seems to me that with the exchange of info now days, it should be instantaneous.

[djmcmath]

I've paid with the card at restaurants for years, and have been fortunate enough to never see this. My room-mate, however, got charged nearly $20 for $12 worth of wings the other day. He went in an complained, carrying his copy of the receipt and the printout of the bank statement to prove the discrepancy. The manager fumbled around in the back for a while, came out with several incorrect receipts, and finally ceded that a mistake had been made, and placated him with a $5 gift certificate and the difference between the bank statement and the receipt in cash.

Something dirty going on? Yeah, probably. I didn't realize it was a widespread problem, though. I'm going to start being a bit more paranoid now.

Dan

[chuckw951]

When the wife and I go to the local pub to and start a tab they authorize the card for $50. Recently we went out Friday and Saturday and I started the tab both nights. She ended up paying the bill for both outings. But...I looked online and both charges were on my card for 4 days as "pending transactions." Eventually the transactions cleared and $100 was put back in my available balance. I notice this kind of thing all of time....with gas purchases pending transactions are $1 for a couple of days and the correct amount goes through. In others they "charge" more than the original purchase until it clears. I wonder if "they" get interest on that money while it is in process.

[}{arlequin]

I thought the whole point of using a credit card and not a check etc. is BECAUSE it clears when you use it.

[VaSteve]

I think that it's because when they swipe for the meal, they estimate the tip ~ 25%. When you write in the amount it gets adjusted to what you wrote. You will see the pending charges with a * next to them. I *think* that they are not counted against you, if you note that your balance doesn't go down by the the amount pending. (at least that's the way it is with my bank).

Of note, every other month or so, I get a meal that comes through on my printed statement for less than what I charged. I guess they couldn't read my writing or f-ed up or something. I assume the wait staff got their money in cash from the till and it falls on the restaurant's back.

[john70t]

I've heard the easiest way to rob a bank is to own one...welcome to cashless/ballotless society boys.

[mikester]

The reason for the lag is likely the reconciliation on the part of the restaurant (or gas station). They don't do that instantly - they do it at the end of the night or later than that

[techweenie]

When they want to "see" your credit card when you check in to a hotel, they 'hold' a typical lodging/F&B rate on your card for the entire length of your intended stay.

When you check out, the actual charge goes through and the hold comes off.

This is the way service establishments protect themselves against you (or someone) running up charges during the stay (or meal!) that would keep them from getting paid.

[}{arlequin]

I'll be damned, the final numbers in my account *corrected* themselves to what I signed. It appears that the 125% rule is alive and kicking.

[juanbenae]

glad it worked out. i am a mathamatician, not s peller.....

[tabs]

My O2...Never let your Debit Card outa your sight....I once let the waitress take it, and a month later I was going to Magic Mountain and spending $800. YOu know I don't ever recall being at Magic Mountain let alone spending $800...Long story short I got the money rembursed by Washington Mutual but it was a hassle covering all those bounceing checks.

I say give them the credit card and let them steal it blind...your only liable for the $50 and can dispute any charges.

[juanbenae]

were you too short to get on the good rides tabs?