Card Scam?

Please, always check your receipt when you pay a restarant bill with a credit or debit card.

This afternoon, I asked Hubby to go online and check to see if the watter and gas bills had cleared. I wanted to do a little Christmas shopping.

He went to lunch today with coworkers, but had no cash. They all gave him their cash, and he paid the entire bill with the debit card. It was $42.18, he had the receipt. While checking the two bills, he noticed his transaction. The bank was charged $50.62. He called the King's Duck Inn in Merritt Island, FL to ask about th charge. They said they "automatically" add a 20% gratuity. He said he left a cash tip on the table. The cashier never asked if he wanted to add a tip, he put a line through the place where you'd write a tip on the bill, and wrote the total of $42.18 on the reciept.

My question is, is this legal? For instance, what if this were peinted somewhere on the menu, in tiny letters, where it would be hard to notice? Is that good enough? The bank said they'd get the money back.


I don't like the idea that a restaurant assumes I'm a jerk who won't tip, or that the service is automatically worth 20%. I waited tables for about 10 years.

What's your take on this?

I know I've been to some restaurants that have printed on their menu that they automatically add a gratuity. I'm not sure if it's legal if it's not posted, but I'd bet it is if they post it on the menu and/or on table ads etc.

out on the statement and left on the table. It should not have been included in the debit card charge.

I recently ate in downtown Boston and the tip was automatically added on,yet I never see that in the suburbs where I usually eat,and I eat out frequently.

We should all carefully read the tabs,I guess.

whenever I eat out.

Maybe it will make more people aware, and the practice will fall out of favor.


Most intelligent people can figure out the tip, and know how to add it to the bill.

It's pretty common to see "15% gratuity automatically added for parties of 6 or larger."

But usually, it's on the final receipt when it's handed to you. The line for tip is there in case you want to tip more.

The disclaimer is usually on the bottom of the first page inside the menu, under the soups/salads.

I could see parties of 8 or 10 or more, but not 4 guys at lunch, spending $10 each. :shrug:

I've paid for hundreds of meals, and never heard of that with 4 people. I can only assume it's a small restaurant, family owned. I've paid the tab for 12 people before, and had to read the receipt twice to make sure I wasn't double tipping. I have no problem tipping well. I have a problem with tipping well twice. :-)


Very strange.

Same thing happened to me. I called the restaurant and they fixed it. Otherwise I would just forget it and let them keep it.

pay the card bill when it comes due, even if they left cash tips?

consent of the cardholder. Check with ags office consumer division.

That should be illegal, whether mentioned on a menu, sign or whatever..

And how did he ever get a receipt with a different total than what was charged? THAT is clear evidence that he was ripped off, probably by a grumpy waiter. I would talk to the restaurant manager about it again. If his receipt did not match the charge that is a BIG problem. I wouldn't put up with that at all. (Used to manage restaurants in NYC).

It was the bank's transaction record that showed the inflated amount.


EDIT IOW, the amount was added AFTER he signed the bill and slashed thru the tip line.

Or else your story would be on CNN by now. :)