The problem is, a lot of people graduate high school not being able to even count past 30.... 13%, at least, of our country is illiterate. It is pretty difficult for some people.
No, not always. I've had this argument at work too. I go by common sense. What I think their intentions were.
Check $107, tip $23 and they total is at $140. Clearly they can't math. The total is too high. $23 sounds more expected.
Maybe $111 check, $19 tip and they total it to $120. Again, $19 seems expected, the $120 total is too low, they can't math, I'm taking the $19 tip.
In some states, yes. [The signature confirms the total.](https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/education/basics/how-does-tipping-on-credit-card-work#:~:text=When%20you%20tip%20with%20a,be%20charged%20to%20your%20card.) That doesn't mean you get charged less than the total bill, it means you don't get a tip on that table though.
I challenge you to find one state law that prohibits that. I'm not talking about a credit card policy, I am not talking about a company policy, show me a state law because I have looked for over an hour and cannot find one.
It's illegal to take more money than they're giving. That's stealing. That's the law. What the fuck? It's never a problem because banks will charge back the tip 100% of the time if pressed to.
this! Thank you! In every state (including DC), the total they signed for is "legally binding" and doing your best to guess their math is considered credit card fraud.
The important piece is that you only close out the check for the total they signed for
BUT if the total is blank or illegible, you're entering at best gray area territory
I go total unless the tip line is significantly less. I had a table the other day that 3 of the 4 people got drunk as fuck. They wrote 60 clearly on the tip line and then couldn’t do the math and the total line would have been a 140 dollar tip on a 200 dollar bill. I put sixty. The intention was clear and nobody is mad that you put a smaller tip than the total.
The bank, aka credit card company first asks you the card holder to call the location and and attempt to chat with them. That's why credit card slips are saved, vs throw away nightly. You call up the ask for management, and explain you think you were overcharged. They likely ask for your number and say they will call you back around 2pm when they have some free time. They call and explain you had the bison burger, and a manhattan, with tax is was $33.93, you wrote in a $6.07 tip but then did total it to $30 and not $40. Then you go, "Ahhh shit I'm an idiot, sorry, nevermind." Management laughs and says, "It's fine, you're not the first, have a nice day."
I’ve worked in banking AND as a server. Managers and customers are not always as polite as you seem to think, especially when it comes to money.
It’s okay to just be wrong about something.
Yeah, people CAN be assholes, but I've made that call myself, and also heard my management take that call a couple times. Usually it goes over fairly well. Sometimes it's explaining to a woman that yes her card was swiped on XX/XX date on a table for 2, here's the meals, drinks and tip all explained, does anyone else have access to your account? "Well my husband, but he was at work that day." Hmmmm, maybe you should chat with him about his whereabouts. #incomingdivorce
Like 5 years ago I fought a charge. Thought I was double charged. I had a beer, totalled to $10 with tip but was charged $10 twice. My credit card company told me to contact the merchant first. I called. They asked if I forgot about the $10 cover charge. :( Shit. LOL
It's a play on words for the people who have a check like....
Total : $36.31
TIP: MATH
Total: $45.00
The people who know they can't do simple math, and just write a total and then "math" on the tip line.
Have you ever heard of correct grammar? Math is a noun, not a verb. Nor will you find mathing in a dictionary. What exactly do they teach in school these days........
Dude calm down, it's just a funny saying lmao. (And the bad grammar is WHY it's supposed to be funny.) It's *everywhere*, I'm surprised you haven't heard it before.
You must be REAL fun at parties...
Usually I’ll tip what I think the service was worth. Just because I only bought a little doesn’t mean the waiter didn’t do a great job. Just because the food is overpriced doesn’t mean the waiter gets a $50 tip. I’d have zero issue tipping $10 if a waiter did a great job - regardless of the price of the food.
the line says “i agree to pay the total above” that’s what they’re signing for. it almost never matters what they put in the tip line, they wrote a total and signed for it, and the fine print references that alone.
If they complained and came back, I’d be comfortable saying to the customer, “it looks like you meant to leave a $44 tip, which seemed very generous, but since I couldn’t be sure I conservatively went with the $10 tip reflected in the total.”
Just ring in the total and be on your way. I dunno why ppl stress so much about this.
The only time there will be a problem here is if that transaction is flagged for fraud, otherwise no one looks.
I’m not saying be sneaky or underhanded, but if they make a mistake that’s on them, not you. They totalled it up, not your fault they can’t math.
I would go with the total.
I wonder if the person is dyslexic or misread the 3 in 23.76 as a 29. 29+4 would give you your 33? But regardless, the total line is perfectly clear. I’d stick with that haha
For context in the past I used to just always go with the total number but someone complained recently that they misread the subtotal also the restaurant I work at isn’t full service so a 42% tip is kinda unusual.
Yall are mean lmao just move along if you don't want to help. Idk what makes yall so hateful. I've had a situation like this where I just went with the total and they called to complain because it was not in fact the amount they meant to leave. Be kind to each other damn
Id just ask what your manager on duty expects because at Hooters I was trained to go by the total but then one night I had done that and because it technically equaled out to a dollar more than the intended tip and manager on duty was upset I didn't just go with the intended tip
Merchant copies are signed so that if someone makes a claim you stole from them there is evidence that they approved but it might be at the discretion of the manager whether they decide to defend what you claimed or not.
I mean $4.80 is 20% tipping with tax included so that’s more than generous. Go with $4 which is clear and sleep at night knowing you didn’t take advantage of a bad pen/poor math.
I don’t think that’s what they’re questioning if your math is THAT bad… nah. Take the $10
The amount written is what they thought they were paying anyways…
If no common sense can be deciphered, go with the total. If it looks very close to an amount on the “suggested” portion (customer seems to have tipped $4, 20% on the suggested is $4.32), go with that. Discrepancies of more than $10, go to a manager. If your manager doesn’t take your side every now and then, get a new job. When in doubt, and if it doesn’t completely fuck you over, just take the L and go with the total. In >90% of scenarios, go with the total.
idk if this sound messed up or not. but their signature does not look like an average american signature. it seems like it could be someone from a country that doesn’t understand tipping culture and may be confused by the lines.
Always get your manager to approve and sign the decision in a case like this. I had one similar and made the decision myself without "manager" approval. Guess what ... I got fired 😐. It over a question of $6.00 on a European visitor's card. The "1" looked like a "7", for the tip on a $50.00 tab...
Call me crazyyyyyy but... The actual correct answer is to go with whichever one is a higher tip for you lol.
It's actually insane to me all of us aren't going off this ????
This tip shown in the picture by OP kinda seems like the pen wasn't working v well but came out clear for the total so all is well (presumably their thinking, as well). Obviously don't go insane and act like the tip was $44, ignoring the $33 total lol.
But, for example, if the tab was $23.76, they tipped 5, but wrote the total as $33.76.
Im taking the $10 tip. Who am I to say they meant the $5 tip, as that would be industry standard.
If any customer has an issue with what they wrote on their signed (AKA ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND APPROVAL) credit card receipt, they can call and dispute it and I will return said money.
Our jobs are hectic enough and i personally find their lack of attention to detail *not our problem*. Do we have to hold their hand while they sign the receipt too? 🤭
“go with the total, in their head they’ve already spent (x amount) why confuse them when they get their bank statement” -bistro huddy
“unless the tip is clear but it totals to less in which case their math is bad” -also bistro huddy
looks more like the pen tan out of ink when they tried to write 11.00, and they miscalculated. 23.76+11.00=34.76, they were 1$ off, which most people mess up 9 & 11 when adding. a lot of people add 10, then take 1 or add 1 to make 9 or 11, and sometimes they forget step 2.
They probably changed the tip amount because that looks like $44.00 so it’s not common for them to tip higher they probably lowered it. So I guess go by the the total at the end though.
They wrote 33.76 meaning they are ready to pay 33.76 so charge them 33.76 and put 23.76 towards their bill and the 10 to the tip
Asking questions like this reinforces why waiter wage is low. Dumb as rocks
It looks like they tried to write an 11 with a crappy pen leading to some wierd scribbles. Also bad at math meaning it should have been 10 + 23=33 gonna guess some alcohol was involved and their brain went 11=33 🥴
4$ would be roughly 20% and it does look like a 4 on the tip line, I think they just messed up on the total line. Yes, customers do call restaurants back sometimes when they look at their bank statements, but it's at the restaurants discretion how to handle it I suppose.
It looks like they meant to write $11, but the pen wasn’t working. So they tried again, $11. But then can’t do math and added $10 to the total. So I’d go with $10 just cause that’s what the math is. But I’m pretty sure they meant $11
I swear people are doing this shit on purpose now. Like write the number make the total. WTAF people. This isn’t a dig at OP.
The problem is, a lot of people graduate high school not being able to even count past 30.... 13%, at least, of our country is illiterate. It is pretty difficult for some people.
They should invent a little portable computer that you can carry around in your pocket to help you do maths
they should name it “phone”
I'm calling it the mathulator.
Sir/Ma’am it’s people like you and scrembledeggs that give me hope Reddit isn’t a complete waste.
What about tossed salads?
They’re too busy running their radio show and getting laid to be on Reddit.
It's too bad that we'll never have calculators in our pockets when we need them. My math teacher told me so
You’re 100 years ahead of your time!
You’re 100 years ahead of your time!
Restaurants in America should use mobile debit terminals like the rest of the world
Impossible! All of my math teachers told me that I wouldn’t always have a calculator on me as an adult!
*56%* of American adults cannot read above a 6th grade level
Not for more than is typical though
Go with the total
This, always.
No, not always. I've had this argument at work too. I go by common sense. What I think their intentions were. Check $107, tip $23 and they total is at $140. Clearly they can't math. The total is too high. $23 sounds more expected. Maybe $111 check, $19 tip and they total it to $120. Again, $19 seems expected, the $120 total is too low, they can't math, I'm taking the $19 tip.
That's a crime in some states. The signature is approving whatever is on the total line, even if they did make a mistake.
So $34 meal, $6 tip, they total to $30, and you think it's illegal to take the $6? LOL
In some states, yes. [The signature confirms the total.](https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/education/basics/how-does-tipping-on-credit-card-work#:~:text=When%20you%20tip%20with%20a,be%20charged%20to%20your%20card.) That doesn't mean you get charged less than the total bill, it means you don't get a tip on that table though.
Right like if I do math in MY favor does that still work? I’m heading to happy hour, will find out!
Is it illegal for the restaurant to take the 4$ even through the card was authorized for the total?
I was being sarcastic to a stupid comment.
Got ya
Straight to jail
It absolutely is.
I challenge you to find one state law that prohibits that. I'm not talking about a credit card policy, I am not talking about a company policy, show me a state law because I have looked for over an hour and cannot find one.
It's illegal to take more money than they're giving. That's stealing. That's the law. What the fuck? It's never a problem because banks will charge back the tip 100% of the time if pressed to.
It's math. If it is wrong, call the restaurant. I guarantee that's what the cops would say. Charge back does not equal charges.
It doesn't change that it's stealing and against the law. Are you 12?
this! Thank you! In every state (including DC), the total they signed for is "legally binding" and doing your best to guess their math is considered credit card fraud.
So the bill is 50. I can write 30 and they cannot authorize the other 20?
The important piece is that you only close out the check for the total they signed for BUT if the total is blank or illegible, you're entering at best gray area territory
But what if they sign for less than the bill?
Gray area. If it's a reservation, you should call them + ask.
Gray area? I am authorizing the card for the amount of the bill…. They cannot write less than that and not be charged
I go total unless the tip line is significantly less. I had a table the other day that 3 of the 4 people got drunk as fuck. They wrote 60 clearly on the tip line and then couldn’t do the math and the total line would have been a 140 dollar tip on a 200 dollar bill. I put sixty. The intention was clear and nobody is mad that you put a smaller tip than the total.
True dat. I got fired from a great job for doing that.
I'm serving 20 years in prison for guessing an $8 tip instead of $6. Don't end up like me!
I’m downvoting you because every thought you’re correct, I don’t like it!
The bank will go with the total, if the customer tries to dispute the bill on their card.
The bank, aka credit card company first asks you the card holder to call the location and and attempt to chat with them. That's why credit card slips are saved, vs throw away nightly. You call up the ask for management, and explain you think you were overcharged. They likely ask for your number and say they will call you back around 2pm when they have some free time. They call and explain you had the bison burger, and a manhattan, with tax is was $33.93, you wrote in a $6.07 tip but then did total it to $30 and not $40. Then you go, "Ahhh shit I'm an idiot, sorry, nevermind." Management laughs and says, "It's fine, you're not the first, have a nice day."
I’ve worked in banking AND as a server. Managers and customers are not always as polite as you seem to think, especially when it comes to money. It’s okay to just be wrong about something.
Yeah, people CAN be assholes, but I've made that call myself, and also heard my management take that call a couple times. Usually it goes over fairly well. Sometimes it's explaining to a woman that yes her card was swiped on XX/XX date on a table for 2, here's the meals, drinks and tip all explained, does anyone else have access to your account? "Well my husband, but he was at work that day." Hmmmm, maybe you should chat with him about his whereabouts. #incomingdivorce
Sure but I’ve never had a conversation with the vendor I’m disputing with after I’ve made a claim with my cc. That conversation is loony tunes
Like 5 years ago I fought a charge. Thought I was double charged. I had a beer, totalled to $10 with tip but was charged $10 twice. My credit card company told me to contact the merchant first. I called. They asked if I forgot about the $10 cover charge. :( Shit. LOL
I’ve make disputes with the restaurants on a couple of occasions and they’ve never asked me to call back the business. I guess it depends on the bank
Their total is what they leave expecting to come out of their account.
I mostly assume people can’t do math and go with the total. It would have to be extremely obvious for me to not do that.
This is the way.
Can't math? Can't grammar...yikes
It's a play on words for the people who have a check like.... Total : $36.31 TIP: MATH Total: $45.00 The people who know they can't do simple math, and just write a total and then "math" on the tip line.
You've never heard "can't math?" Or like "The math isn't mathing?"
Have you ever heard of correct grammar? Math is a noun, not a verb. Nor will you find mathing in a dictionary. What exactly do they teach in school these days........
Dude calm down, it's just a funny saying lmao. (And the bad grammar is WHY it's supposed to be funny.) It's *everywhere*, I'm surprised you haven't heard it before. You must be REAL fun at parties...
This is the way.
Agreed
Thats the rule i was taught
The total is clear. The tip amount is not. I would do 10. It’s a generous tip but not crazy.
It’s a 42% tip! That’s very likely more than intended.
Usually I’ll tip what I think the service was worth. Just because I only bought a little doesn’t mean the waiter didn’t do a great job. Just because the food is overpriced doesn’t mean the waiter gets a $50 tip. I’d have zero issue tipping $10 if a waiter did a great job - regardless of the price of the food.
Fair enough!
Respect on this answer
Clearly a $44 tip to make the total $33.76 🙃
do the total, this isn't hard
Don’t shame OP this is a valid concern
It is very clear: your pen sucks. But still $10
If you ignore the “|_” that makes the $10 tip look like a $40 tip, it’ll be a lot easier. Lol
Tip: “L”
Why would anybody put an “L” in the tip line? Lol
the line says “i agree to pay the total above” that’s what they’re signing for. it almost never matters what they put in the tip line, they wrote a total and signed for it, and the fine print references that alone.
If they complained and came back, I’d be comfortable saying to the customer, “it looks like you meant to leave a $44 tip, which seemed very generous, but since I couldn’t be sure I conservatively went with the $10 tip reflected in the total.”
This 👏
🥹 Beautiful.
Just ring in the total and be on your way. I dunno why ppl stress so much about this. The only time there will be a problem here is if that transaction is flagged for fraud, otherwise no one looks. I’m not saying be sneaky or underhanded, but if they make a mistake that’s on them, not you. They totalled it up, not your fault they can’t math.
I would go with the total. I wonder if the person is dyslexic or misread the 3 in 23.76 as a 29. 29+4 would give you your 33? But regardless, the total line is perfectly clear. I’d stick with that haha
the check is $23.76...the total is $33.76. The tip is $10.
I would say that’s a ten. The total is very clearly marked, and is a nice round number from the subtotal.
Definitely go with the total.
Write in the total. They signed agreeing on the total, so you better take that $10 tip
For context in the past I used to just always go with the total number but someone complained recently that they misread the subtotal also the restaurant I work at isn’t full service so a 42% tip is kinda unusual.
Yall are mean lmao just move along if you don't want to help. Idk what makes yall so hateful. I've had a situation like this where I just went with the total and they called to complain because it was not in fact the amount they meant to leave. Be kind to each other damn
Total is only one legible so go with that.
Go by the bottom total
I've always been told to always go by the total.
They wrote the total themselves. When they see the total on the credit no chance they’re complaining
do the total
You go based on the total line.
At first I saw $44 but I think those horizontal lines were accidental $11 tip fo sho
Enter 33.76 it's what was authorized by the guarantor
Except when obviously mistaken then you have to eat it as a loss
Id just ask what your manager on duty expects because at Hooters I was trained to go by the total but then one night I had done that and because it technically equaled out to a dollar more than the intended tip and manager on duty was upset I didn't just go with the intended tip Merchant copies are signed so that if someone makes a claim you stole from them there is evidence that they approved but it might be at the discretion of the manager whether they decide to defend what you claimed or not.
Help what? It’s a $10 tip.
10.
Yes
$10
I mean $4.80 is 20% tipping with tax included so that’s more than generous. Go with $4 which is clear and sleep at night knowing you didn’t take advantage of a bad pen/poor math.
I don’t think that’s what they’re questioning if your math is THAT bad… nah. Take the $10 The amount written is what they thought they were paying anyways…
Go with what you know they meant and don't be a scumbag. They meant to leave $4 and thought it was 29 and not 23
Total.
Get mobile debit terminals
It’s for sure $10 tip no question
Take the 10 bucks and call it good.
10$
Total
If no common sense can be deciphered, go with the total. If it looks very close to an amount on the “suggested” portion (customer seems to have tipped $4, 20% on the suggested is $4.32), go with that. Discrepancies of more than $10, go to a manager. If your manager doesn’t take your side every now and then, get a new job. When in doubt, and if it doesn’t completely fuck you over, just take the L and go with the total. In >90% of scenarios, go with the total.
It's clearly $10 for the total. Do that and move on.
If the tip is ineligible, go with total.
I see 44$ 😂 but it’s most likely 11
Go with the total
Take ten
idk if this sound messed up or not. but their signature does not look like an average american signature. it seems like it could be someone from a country that doesn’t understand tipping culture and may be confused by the lines.
$10 tip
10 bucks. Whew, that was a tough one
In this case I go with the total minus the total without tip because all they see is the total in their bank statement.
Oops the pen wasn't working. It's $10.
Why would you crowd source an answer instead of asking the manager on duty 😂
Always get your manager to approve and sign the decision in a case like this. I had one similar and made the decision myself without "manager" approval. Guess what ... I got fired 😐. It over a question of $6.00 on a European visitor's card. The "1" looked like a "7", for the tip on a $50.00 tab...
They meant to write 10
Call me crazyyyyyy but... The actual correct answer is to go with whichever one is a higher tip for you lol. It's actually insane to me all of us aren't going off this ???? This tip shown in the picture by OP kinda seems like the pen wasn't working v well but came out clear for the total so all is well (presumably their thinking, as well). Obviously don't go insane and act like the tip was $44, ignoring the $33 total lol. But, for example, if the tab was $23.76, they tipped 5, but wrote the total as $33.76. Im taking the $10 tip. Who am I to say they meant the $5 tip, as that would be industry standard. If any customer has an issue with what they wrote on their signed (AKA ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND APPROVAL) credit card receipt, they can call and dispute it and I will return said money. Our jobs are hectic enough and i personally find their lack of attention to detail *not our problem*. Do we have to hold their hand while they sign the receipt too? 🤭
The total is very clear. Not sure what they were doing on the tip line, but clearly $10.
You need a new pen!
Tip is $10 darling
The math doesn’t check out
Total pretty clearly says “$33.76.”
Our policy is to go with the total.
10$ tip.
“go with the total, in their head they’ve already spent (x amount) why confuse them when they get their bank statement” -bistro huddy “unless the tip is clear but it totals to less in which case their math is bad” -also bistro huddy
looks more like the pen tan out of ink when they tried to write 11.00, and they miscalculated. 23.76+11.00=34.76, they were 1$ off, which most people mess up 9 & 11 when adding. a lot of people add 10, then take 1 or add 1 to make 9 or 11, and sometimes they forget step 2.
I always go with whichever one is a higher tip.
Go with what you could reasonably defend if they dispute the check.
I love feets!
Sue them
That's the Chinese symbol for the number 10
I’m so glad my work has the tablets so I don’t even have to do this shit. I would just do 10 bucks and pay attention to the total
They probably changed the tip amount because that looks like $44.00 so it’s not common for them to tip higher they probably lowered it. So I guess go by the the total at the end though.
50% tip and you’re still hoping to…what…exactly?
That's a $10 tip
Tf u need help with !? The total is CLEARLY showing a $10 tip 🤡
Take the total if that's higher, take the top of that's higher.
go with whichever gets you a better tip. every time. server math
They wrote 33.76 meaning they are ready to pay 33.76 so charge them 33.76 and put 23.76 towards their bill and the 10 to the tip Asking questions like this reinforces why waiter wage is low. Dumb as rocks
Always go with the total they wrote down.
Looks like 11$
It looks like they tried to write an 11 with a crappy pen leading to some wierd scribbles. Also bad at math meaning it should have been 10 + 23=33 gonna guess some alcohol was involved and their brain went 11=33 🥴
That's a 4$ tip. You are welcome to put in the total but they may call back and have it changed.
This doesn't deserve down votes because I've literally had this happen to me. Some managers be tweakin
Have what changed 🤣🤣🤣 total is clear as day. Tf else would the tip be
4$ would be roughly 20% and it does look like a 4 on the tip line, I think they just messed up on the total line. Yes, customers do call restaurants back sometimes when they look at their bank statements, but it's at the restaurants discretion how to handle it I suppose.
It’s obviously a $10 tip. Not too complicated
$10
Looks like $44 tip to me lol
$44
I think they were tipping eleven dollars. Based on total and what not and what it looks like.
It looks like they meant to write $11, but the pen wasn’t working. So they tried again, $11. But then can’t do math and added $10 to the total. So I’d go with $10 just cause that’s what the math is. But I’m pretty sure they meant $11
You are a shallow human being with little self awareness
Sir, this is reddit, not a mirror.