Beef about tipping the pizza guy

[Cafe Latte]

I don't have a beef about tipping, but I have a beef about tipping twice. I ordered pizza online the other day and they let you pay by credit card and include an optional tip. I chose not to and wanted to tip the driver with cash, assuming he would get the money immediately and not have to wait for it. On $22, I gave him $6 cash - generous I think. FF today, I log on my credit card account and see I have been charged $5 extra. Am I to assume the driver told the store he didn't get a tip? What else can it be. That pi$$es me off. I don't want to make a big deal of it, but I want to let them know that I didn't stiff the driver and I hate dishonesty. I called the store asking for a manager, but he/she won't be in until later. Next time (if there is a next time from this place) I will add the tip in advance I guess. I've ordered from them before, but usually pick up because I am out anyway. Just curious, what would you do?

[Robyn1007]

Pizza delivery in my area adds a service charge that does not go to the delivery person on top of the cost of the pizza. It's not $5 but it's at least a couple.

[jmarie]

Same here, as for adding a service charge. I think it is supposed to go for gas, maybe?

[Cafe Latte]

No it's free delivery, so it's not that. Plus they gave me a receipt both online and when delivered with the total on it.

[Angelina]

Maybe it wasn't the driver? Maybe it was the person who rang up the receipt? It could have been an honest mistake. But I would still let them know!

I never heard of service charge for delivery, at least here in New York. I don't think they would get much business if they added money for delivery.

[Robyncz]

Regardless of who added it, it's wrong. You signed off on a total and were given a receipt that shows that total. Anyone adding to it afterwards is committing fraud. Heck yes, you should follow up with the store manager and with your credit card company as well! If the store doesn't take care of it, the credit card company will.

As for the pizza shop giving you the option of "pretipping"--how is that supposed to work? When you tip, you are adding a gratuity for a job done well. How are you supposed to know the job will be done well? Let's say you pretip and your pizza arrives with the wrong toppings an hour after you ordered it. Would you tip for that?

[wallycat]

You could simply call your credit card and dispute the $5.00.
I get that it isnt the money but the principle....if the CC company calls the vendor, they will get the message.

I have been double charged twice now when I moved here and contacted the CC company rather than the vendor (Safeway grocer was one of them). I don't like Safeway for many reasons and just did not want to deal with them.

[Cafe Latte]

Maybe it wasn't the driver? Maybe it was the person who rang up the receipt? It could have been an honest mistake. But I would still let them know!

The only thing I can think of is that the driver went back and told them he didn't get a tip . I have receipt he handed me with the cost of the pizza and the total with VISA TEND next to it. I sign up for CC alerts and when I placed the ordered, I was alerted at the correct amount. Somebody had to change it afterwards or however it is done in the restaurant business.

You could simply call your credit card and dispute the $5.00.

I've done that before for other things, but in this case they should know that I didn't stiff them or that someone was dishonest.

Regardless of who added it, it's wrong. You signed off on a total and were given a receipt that shows that total. Anyone adding to it afterwards is committing fraud. Heck yes, you should follow up with the store manager and with your credit card company as well! If the store doesn't take care of it, the credit card company will.

As for the pizza shop giving you the option of "pretipping"--how is that supposed to work? When you tip, you are adding a gratuity for a job done well. How are you supposed to know the job will be done well? Let's say you pretip and your pizza arrives with the wrong toppings an hour after you ordered it. Would you tip for that?

That was my thought and reaction. The guy came on the exact time I asked for delivery too, so I had no problem with him and the service.

I leave really early on a flight in the morning, so I will deal with it when I get back. It just bugs me and I can only imagine how often if happens to people who don't track their expenses as closely as I do.

[Shugness]

I would definitely talk to the manager - just tell them the amount you signed for was the total amount minus any tip, as you tipped the delivery boy cash, but the amount charged is an additional $5 - and ask him to have the error corrected, crediting you back the $5.

And I wouldn't change the way you are doing things - I also prefer to tip the person cash money, so I know they are getting the tip directly. I've heard of restaurants skimming tips from their wait staff from the credit card sales. Plus I think them getting hand cold hard cash immediately registers makes a slightly better impression than an amount wrote on a credit cards slip.

Hind sight - maybe we should write "tipped cash" where that line for the tip is, so they can't write something in. I normally just put a line through there and carry down the total amount.

[Shugness]

I leave really early on a flight in the morning, so I will deal with it when I get back. It just bugs me and I can only imagine how often if happens to people who don't track their expenses as closely as I do.

Was this a national chain? (i.e. Pizza Hut, Dominos, Papa Johns, etc) or a local joint? If it was a national chain, you could log onto their website and do a "contact us" email and let them know. This could be some sort of "scam" the local store is doing.

[Cafe Latte]

Hind sight - maybe we should write "tipped cash" where that line for the tip is, so they can't write something in. I normally just put a line through there and carry down the total amount.

In this case, I didn't sign as I finalized the sale online. He just brought me a receipt. If I had to sign, I do what you do too, so there is no mistake.

Shugness, it wasn't a national chain, but a chain/franchise to the extent they are in 6 states that I can tell from the main website. The do have a place where you can write comments, but they probably read them prior to allowing them to post.

[jmarie]

WOW! If they do this a lot.....Those $5.00's will add up.

[Gumbeaux]

WOW! If they do this a lot.....Those $5.00's will add up.

Yes.

IMHO, I think the manager should be contacted so if there's a procedure error it can be fixed and if there is criminal activity, the person(s) involved can be terminated.

[DanaSD]

Definately follow up. Tips are technically optional and a company is not allowed to add them. I had a friend who worked at a restaurant and the employees were writing in tips (only in cases where they weren't tipped and a tip wasn't added to the register receipt) and they all got fired (it is illegal).

Even though it's free delivery, I wonder if there is still a hidden surcharge (written in small text on the website)

[Gumbeaux]

Shugness, it wasn't a national chain, but a chain/franchise to the extent they are in 6 states that I can tell from the main website. The do have a place where you can write comments, but they probably read them prior to allowing them to post.

What is the name of the chain?

[donleyk]

You need to call the manager. It will do no good to contact the CC company. At least when I was worked in the CC department there was a $10 minimum dispute amount. If we did get disputes under $10 we just wrote them off. If it's your intention to have the store be notified they won't know of it.

The manager needs to know in case they aren't aware of this. I'm sure if it's policy he'll explain. If it's not policy then he needs to know what's happening at his store so he can deal with it.

[RiverFarm]

The bottom line is that it was an unauthorized use of your credit card, regardless of the sum. I'd definitely follow up.

[jmarie]

Were you able to speak to the manager?

[Cafe Latte]

I've been on vacation so I haven't been back to update. I tried calling the manager a few times, but never got to speak to him/her. I called visa yesterday and they suggested when there is a problem that calling them was best anyway, since they are the ones who refund the money. I submitted an online negative feedback on the website, but haven't heard back from them. It will be interesting to see if I do. Oh well, they lost my business for now.