• Welcome to New Hampshire Underground.
 

News:

Please log in on the special "login" page, not on any of these normal pages. Thank you, The Procrastinating Management

"Let them march all they want, as long as they pay their taxes."  --Alexander Haig

Main Menu

Murphy's and tipping

Started by djbridgeland, December 03, 2008, 12:45 AM NHFT

Previous topic - Next topic

djbridgeland

I just wanted everyone to know what happened to me at Murphy's tonight. I do not want to start another controversy about tipping all over again, just about the practice that happened to me.  I had a tab of $4 something for 2 beers.  I gave the waitress a $20, and she gave me back $14 change and walked away.  Then she comes back and asks me if she did something wrong because I didn't tip her, and about how she only makes $3.65 a hour. I said excuse me but you gave me $14 change, which means you got your tip in the payment. Now I do not have a problem tipping, however when you didn't give all my change back, so I considered that your tip.
What do you guys think? I think that is kind of a questionable practice to not give back all of ones change, without the customer acknowledging keep the change. What really irks me is that this practice seems to vary amongst all the wait staff there.  Some will give me back all of my change, while others will not.     

Puke

Wow, what the hell is going on at that place?

Lloyd Danforth

Perhaps they read this forum and realize they are independent contractors who provide the owner 7 bucks or so per hour of labor for free in the hope they will end up making a reasonable amount by the end of the night.
Next time you are there and she approaches you for your order point to another waitress and say, "I want that waitress!"

Friday

Quote from: djbridgeland on December 03, 2008, 12:45 AM NHFT
What do you guys think?  
I think you were completely in the right.  That's quite obnoxious of a waiter to just pocket some of your change without your consent. 

I was thinking about Murphy's Taproom last night (note: I wasn't at Taproom Tuesday; I just happened to read the thread requesting bids to develop a new website for the place).  Personally, I've had *really* bad service there more than once.  By "bad" service, I mean having to wait so long for my check that I finally got up and searched the bar for my waiter and asked for my check so I could pay it and leave.  And repeatedly having waitresses who were surly and cold and almost made me feel guilty for trying to order food there.  None of these incidents happened on Taproom Tuesday night, either, so the standard excuse of "it's a zoo" doesn't apply.  Despite all that, I've taken my business to Murphy's at least a dozen times for two, and only two, reasons: the owners and investors are fellow Free Staters, and other Porcupines schedule get-togethers there. And yet, I've been struck by how many other Porcupines have posted in various places that the service at Murphy's stinks.  I've also been told that in person by other Porcupines too demur to post it online.  And how many people have now been banned from the place; honestly, I've lost count.

The Nashua liberty meetup met *once* at a place in Nashua, the service sucked, we all agreed it sucked, and the next month the group went elsewhere.

Perhaps it's time to stop cutting Murphy's Taproom so much slack? 

dalebert

I've never had them hold a couple dollars change. I don't think they've ever actually brought my coin change. They just assume I don't want it, and it's a fair assumption in my case, but it does seem inappropriate to assume that. What if someone is honestly disgusted with their service and intends to stiff them? Also, I've had a tab of less then $10, handed them a twenty and have them ask me if I need any change. Uhm, hell yeah I do!

doobie

I've had them not bring change, when the change was < 50cents.  I'm fine with that.  I had one time they didn't bring me $2.50 change.  I asked for a dollar back, the waitress was kinda pissy about it, but I got it.  About an hour later I asked for a water.  She came back a few times sans water.  I asked again, she was back a few times without a water.  I asked someone holding a beer to ask for a water.  They did and I had a water in a minute.  I will NOT order food from that waitress.  I will usually stand by the cash register to pay and make sure they don't try to keep more than they deserve, but for the most part I've been trying to NOT buy food there because of this.

Personally, I think if we grow a lot more, we're going to find we're less and less welcome; more and more so as Murphy's becomes reliant on others since as it is, we probably don't bring him as much business(other than making it look popular) as other groups that might come for a full dinner and occupy much less space.

Rodinia

to DJ
Is it possible that the keeping of the two dollars was simply and honest mistake and that you should have rectified the mistake by bringing it to her attention? How did she react when you told her she brought back the incorrect change?

And as a former waitress, I find it terribly unprofessional to a. ask if they need change and b. not bring back every last penny



Rodinia

Seems the free market solution to this is to pick your waitress. Refuse to be served by the waitresses who are established as inferior service providers.

That or find a new place to eat where the waitresses bring you water AND all your change back.

dalebert

Quote from: Rodinia on December 03, 2008, 08:59 AM NHFT
And as a former waitress, I find it terribly unprofessional to a. ask if they need change and b. not bring back every last penny

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Sometimes I'll just tell them how much change I want and that seems to work fine, especially if it's a small amount, like a buck or two, and they may have it on them. I did it last night and it worked fine.

Lloyd Danforth

Anyone who attended Taproom Tuesday. Is the place as crowded as it has been in the past?  People buying meals or just discount beers?
I think as pink slips appear and people start to tighten their belts Sport Bars would have to take a hit.

FTL_Ian

Solution: Move to Keene, hang with us at Vendetta.   8)

Fluff and Stuff

Taproom was great last night.  I saw people order meals.  I was able to buy a 1/2 price ap (before 6pm on weekdays) and had a local beer (Shipyard).  The place was crowded and my service was great.  I asked the waiter for my bill (but that's not bad as it is a pub) and he brought it right out.  I like the service at Taproom much better than the almost no service at Vendetta but then I've never tipped 30% at Vendetta so it works out.

lastlady

I think when I go next I will pay in exact cash and tip for the service I get. That means if I get shitty service I will give a shitty tip. If I get okay service I will give an okay tip. If by some miracle I get good service well then I will give a good tip. Oh and that's NOT 30%.  ::)

AntonLee

I can't even believe that more than one person has been stiffed of their correct change.  I've never been stiffed of change at any restaurant I've been to and I would never return to a place that has stiffed me.

And for a waitress to bring up how much she makes in that setting to a person she's supposed to be serving is appalling.  What has happened to the service industry?  $3.65?  Wendy's is hiring for $8. . .but if I were manager I would never hire someone that would speak to a customer about how much money they make.

I like the suggestion of Vendetta, I got my food brought out, I brought the plate back.  I paid a generous tip for the mere fact that the food was fantastic, above and beyond the price I paid for it.  The man behind the bar was cheerful and never said a bad word about my lack of imbibing alcohol.  I've gone to places that have made it a bit of an embarrassing situation trying to get the bartender to understand that I don't drink anymore, and I don't feel the need to let him know why. 

I don't have anything against murphy's, but even the owner should know that these testimonials do not help him any.  I have heard grumblings that Free Staters should be thankful for such a meetup place and pay extra well because of it.  Because some people decide to drink and converse at your establishment??  I think I'd be happy with just having some paying customers, some that are willing to shell out the type of money asked for average food.  Again, not trying to be a dick, but I fancy myself a critic on restaurants.

FTL_Ian

Quote from: Radical and Stuff on December 03, 2008, 11:28 AM NHFT
Taproom was great last night.  I saw people order meals.  I was able to buy a 1/2 price ap (before 6pm on weekdays) and had a local beer (Shipyard).  The place was crowded and my service was great.  I asked the waiter for my bill (but that's not bad as it is a pub) and he brought it right out.  I like the service at Taproom much better than the almost no service at Vendetta but then I've never tipped 30% at Vendetta so it works out.

Vendetta is a bar.  You order at the bar, they bring it out to you.  There's a bartender and a cook, and sometimes just a bartender/cook, so no one should expect full service there.  That said, the food at Vendetta is quite good!