Couple arrested in PA for not paying a tip at restaurant/pub...received bad service.

[alien_host]

I can't believe they were arrested! ETA: I guess it was b/c they had a larger party and the tip was "included" on the bill, making it mandatory? What crap!

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/Time-In-Prison--70426052.html?yhp=1

[niccig]

I can't believe they were arrested! Do you think it was because they had a larger party and the tip was "included" on the bill, making it mandatory? What crap!

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/Time-In-Prison--70426052.html?yhp=1

I've seen that on menus - groups of 6 and more will have 18% gratuity added to the bill. Mmm, wonder if the lawyers on the board can chime in with the legality of the wording on the menu.

If you have a group under 6, then you get to add whatever gratuity you like, as long as you pay the total of the bill, you have met your obligations and you don't have to leave a tip.

[codex57]

I can't see a DA prosecuting it. No way. Not only is it not worth the time, the legality is questionable.

It might hinge on whether the menu warns you that there's a gratuity added. Even if there is, you get into the definition of gratuity and whether it can be mandatory or not.

I'm sorta surprised the cops bothered to arrest them.

[SM23Mama21]

I can't believe the restaurant even pushed the issue. I'm sure they just lost a LOT of business!!

[BabyMine]

What a load of crap. I can't believe they got arrested. I have seen the mandatory gratuity on many restaurants here but I would have done what they did.

[new_mommy25]

Outrageous. Even if the tip is part of the bill, a manager should have waived it due to poor service. I have worked in the restaurant industry my entire life and what they did is BAD business.

[sunshine873]

The article says that the management had offered to comp the food but the people never heard that. Wait, you as management were willing to comp the food because of the bad service, but when they stiffed you on the tip you had them arrested? Right. That restaurant's days are numbered.

[codex57]

The article says that the management had offered to comp the food but the people never heard that. Wait, you as management were willing to comp the food because of the bad service, but when they stiffed you on the tip you had them arrested? Right. That restaurant's days are numbered.

Yeah, that makes absolutely no sense. If you're willing to comp the food, why would you not waive the tip? That restaurant is going down. Not the kind of PR you want in this economy.

[alien_host]

The article says that the management had offered to comp the food but the people never heard that. Wait, you as management were willing to comp the food because of the bad service, but when they stiffed you on the tip you had them arrested? Right. That restaurant's days are numbered.

I'm sure if the manager really offered to comp the food these people would have taken that instead of "stiffing" the tip, since the food probably cost more than the tip. If I received bad service, I have asked to speak to management and if they offered a comp, I would take it. I really don't think the manager offered the comp.

It's just insane that they went through the trouble to call the cops, and that the cops actually arrested these folks. Clearly no one has anything better to do over there.

And the restaurant manager is an idiot to think the arrested couple wouldn't take this to the news station. Talk about a nightmare PR issue!

[saschalicks]

Awful service is not rewarded. End.of.story. This is just awful.

[bubbaray]

Boy, after all this bad press, I hope they fire the bartender that called the cops.

[Radosti]

Nice, this is right by me. I'd have left rather than waited for an hour for food.

[kransden]

Calling the cops?! What total idiots.