Joined Aug 2007
The Mayor of Moleterd
Forum Thread
FORCED TIPPING - Do you get annoyed or mad if forced to tip a certain amount? NO OT.
June 23, 2011 at
09:56 AM
in
Question
This question may have been asked previously, but if so, too bad, 
as I want to know what people think now about forced tipping. NO OT, please.
My GF and I both went to a small salon in the mall ( nothing fancy and not very upscale, just standard for a mall shop ) yesterday to get our hair trimmed. I called ahead to get the price for a "cut" ( male or female ) and did specify it was to be without styling or shampooing. The person I spoke to said the price was usually $17, but they were running a special this week only for $15 for a cut. I asked if we needed to book an appointment and she said no, that they accepted walk-ins, usually with a short wait, but we could if we wanted set an appointment. We chose to just go for the walk-in as we could go to the mall and watch for a time when the salon had fewer customers waiting. ( their front window is glass and you can clearly see the inside waiting area ).
Well, we went in and our cuts went well and quickly ( and both of us were served within 15 minutes of being seated ). We were done and ready to pay at the front desk within 20 minutes or less. No shampoo or styling nor any extra service was given. The girl just dampened my hair ( and I think K.C.'s hair was dampened by her hair dresser, too) with a spray bottle of water and then she cut it. We both have very curly ringlet sort of hair and we both just had it trimmed a couple inches, no special cut or style, just telling the girls to follow the same lines as it was cut previously. Mine is a blunt cut, hers is a little layered.
However, when we got to the desk to pay, I took out my wallet and $40 cash ( $15 for each cut and a $5 tip on each ) and the girl shook her head at me and said the two cuts came to $50!!!!
I told her I was told the price was usually $17, but a special was running for $15 each cut ( and there was a sign to that effect on the wall ) and she said "Right!" and just stared at me. So, I said "That would come to $30 for the two without the tip. If I tip $5 for each haircut, which would be more than a 30% tip, and fairly generous, then that would bring the price for two up to $40 total. She replied nastily "Sir, the tip is added in before you pay and we calculate it as $8 on a $17 cut and $10 on the special $15 cut!!" I pointed out to her that her calculation would be around a 60% tip, which was ridiculous. She just stood there and stared, so I just stared back. It became a long staring contest. Finally, my girlfriend took the $40 out of my hand ( what I was planning on paying ) and laid it on the counter and said, "Jon, now you've paid the correct price for the two haircuts and added a generous tip for each, now let's go. She can't force you to pay a gratuity that's unreasonable!!"
The girl at the desk turned to the phone and picked it up and looking at me, said "I can have mall security hold you until a police officer can come out, but you really don't want me to resort to that, do you??"
Finally, I just got annoyed and gave her the extra $10 and left, but I've been mad at myself ever since, feeling I let her walk all over me ( us ) and that I should have just refused to pay or raised a big stinkeroonie.
Was I being unreasonable or was she, and how do you feel about "forced tipping" ( tips being added in prior to calculating your total bill )??
as I want to know what people think now about forced tipping. NO OT, please. My GF and I both went to a small salon in the mall ( nothing fancy and not very upscale, just standard for a mall shop ) yesterday to get our hair trimmed. I called ahead to get the price for a "cut" ( male or female ) and did specify it was to be without styling or shampooing. The person I spoke to said the price was usually $17, but they were running a special this week only for $15 for a cut. I asked if we needed to book an appointment and she said no, that they accepted walk-ins, usually with a short wait, but we could if we wanted set an appointment. We chose to just go for the walk-in as we could go to the mall and watch for a time when the salon had fewer customers waiting. ( their front window is glass and you can clearly see the inside waiting area ).
Well, we went in and our cuts went well and quickly ( and both of us were served within 15 minutes of being seated ). We were done and ready to pay at the front desk within 20 minutes or less. No shampoo or styling nor any extra service was given. The girl just dampened my hair ( and I think K.C.'s hair was dampened by her hair dresser, too) with a spray bottle of water and then she cut it. We both have very curly ringlet sort of hair and we both just had it trimmed a couple inches, no special cut or style, just telling the girls to follow the same lines as it was cut previously. Mine is a blunt cut, hers is a little layered.
However, when we got to the desk to pay, I took out my wallet and $40 cash ( $15 for each cut and a $5 tip on each ) and the girl shook her head at me and said the two cuts came to $50!!!!
I told her I was told the price was usually $17, but a special was running for $15 each cut ( and there was a sign to that effect on the wall ) and she said "Right!" and just stared at me. So, I said "That would come to $30 for the two without the tip. If I tip $5 for each haircut, which would be more than a 30% tip, and fairly generous, then that would bring the price for two up to $40 total. She replied nastily "Sir, the tip is added in before you pay and we calculate it as $8 on a $17 cut and $10 on the special $15 cut!!" I pointed out to her that her calculation would be around a 60% tip, which was ridiculous. She just stood there and stared, so I just stared back. It became a long staring contest. Finally, my girlfriend took the $40 out of my hand ( what I was planning on paying ) and laid it on the counter and said, "Jon, now you've paid the correct price for the two haircuts and added a generous tip for each, now let's go. She can't force you to pay a gratuity that's unreasonable!!"
The girl at the desk turned to the phone and picked it up and looking at me, said "I can have mall security hold you until a police officer can come out, but you really don't want me to resort to that, do you??"
Finally, I just got annoyed and gave her the extra $10 and left, but I've been mad at myself ever since, feeling I let her walk all over me ( us ) and that I should have just refused to pay or raised a big stinkeroonie.
Was I being unreasonable or was she, and how do you feel about "forced tipping" ( tips being added in prior to calculating your total bill )??
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It sucks all these things are being put in front of you, but you do own an old funeral parlor so you have a big house so things have to be going somewhat well for you!
Mo' Money, Mo' Problems.
Or if you did, fortunately I missed it.
I just don't think people in this thread, in general, get what it's like living in a rather small southern town and trying to get along well with people and at the same time not piss off the "authorities" but still have some sense of having rights. For one thing, unless I posted a mile long detailed log of what I've done over time, at least about the parking lot problem, it leaves people with the impression that I've somehow just been hiding in the closet wringing my hands and sobbing.
So first I'll clear that up. I personally contacted three towing services, ( we only have five, I think, including garages ) all of whom said they do not handle residential towing unless the vehicle in question is blocking a driveway and then only if a police officer/deputy/highway patrol requests they tow it. They said in general towing from residential areas caused too many legal problems for them so they just don't do it anymore period unless I get a city contract and since I'm outside the city limits, I would instead need a county permit that allows me to contract for towing services. When complaining to the police they gave me no help and sent me over to the County Sheriff's Dept. where a deputy asked me why the lot was so important to me and who it was hurting if people parked there. Then another officer he sent me in to see suggested I "lighten up" and "get a life" and "go fishing or hunting". He then said since I insisted on going ahead with "causing untold amounts of trouble to innocent people" that I needed to see the County Magistrate, who likewise was no help at all and he said they were all just passing the buck and he himself was the end of the line. He also found the whole situation of the parking lot hysterical for some reason, mostly because it's behind a former mortuary, I guess. The magistrate had much fun entertaining the other person in the office with a full array of dead body, mortuary, ghosts, goblins, funeral homes, undertakers, and casket jokes. He then told me that the illegal parkers were just trying to find a free place to park so if it bothered me why didn't I just "haint them".
I put up a video camera, both one across the street which would film cars from behind as they went into the lot and might show their license plate numbers, and one on the back side of my own house which would show each vehicle usually and how long they stayed. The neighbor on the street behind me where the lot actually opens allowed me to have the other camera placed in one of his trees. It clearly showed seven cars, four of which were easy to identify as to model and tag number. A deputy ran the plates and the owners of the vehicles were each sent a letter from my attorney telling them that I would file a civil suit against them and any criminal charges allowed if they continued to park in the lot. Only one car of that bunch stopped coming. The others all continued to park there and ignored me, and when the cops were called again, they visited each same owner and told them that it was a privately owned lot. However, the officer would not write any of them a ticket for what one other cop referred to as "Just more of the Mayor's diddly piddly".
My GF and I are going to talk options and ideas over tonight, as she's very stubborn and believes in standing up for and demanding your rights and feels that if I don't do something then this ( and other crap like it and the salon incident ) will just keep happening. We are even going to seriously discuss having the parking lot completely removed ( which I've entertained myself for years since I have a 5 car garage, a long long driveway, and two parking bays in back for parking anyway ) ....well...just removing the paved part ...and extending the stone wall that is around three sides anyway, so that nobody can get into that area of my property no matter what it is.
It sucks all these things are being put in front of you, but you do own an old funeral parlor so you have a big house so things have to be going somewhat well for you!
When you called them the reason you care was "what if someone gets hurt on my lot, they could sue!"
I can't believe someone stole your gate, that is horsesh*t...but more importantly maybe it was the Gate company that stole it trying to get you to install a second one
I'm sorry for not answering your questions but I just now saw this post.
Yes, I own the parking lot myself as it was part of the mortuary's property which included the house and grounds ( yard ). I didnt think about the insurance angle, but I'll make note of that concern and mention that the next time I'm talking to the county people or to my lawyer.
But thanks for giving me something else I hadn't thought of to worry about now.
Oh Gawd, a personal injury lawsuit and I would lose everything.
As for the gate and fencing, I purchased it from an antique dealer as it came from an old cemetary that was moved ( I thought the gate and fence were beautiful and seemed to fit with my house
Or renew the business license on the mortuary and have towing company tow them.
Absolutely. Call a wrecker service and just have them ride by a couple times a day and tow everyone.
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I only have an issue with forced gratuity where it's either overly high (like here) or where the server is awful.
e: fun idea for the parking lot issue - post a sign saying NO ENTRY SEVERE TIRE DAMAGE and put up those spike strips places use - if they're bolted into the ground people won't be able to move them easily (and have a camera if possible so you can get someone for theft if they do take them), and then people won't be able to enter your property without destroying their tires
Hair salon: You definitely should have took back the $40 and paid $30.
Or if you did, fortunately I missed it.
I just don't think people in this thread, in general, get what it's like living in a rather small southern town and trying to get along well with people and at the same time not piss off the "authorities" but still have some sense of having rights. For one thing, unless I posted a mile long detailed log of what I've done over time, at least about the parking lot problem, it leaves people with the impression that I've somehow just been hiding in the closet wringing my hands and sobbing.
So first I'll clear that up. I personally contacted three towing services, ( we only have five, I think, including garages ) all of whom said they do not handle residential towing unless the vehicle in question is blocking a driveway and then only if a police officer/deputy/highway patrol requests they tow it. They said in general towing from residential areas caused too many legal problems for them so they just don't do it anymore period unless I get a city contract and since I'm outside the city limits, I would instead need a county permit that allows me to contract for towing services. When complaining to the police they gave me no help and sent me over to the County Sheriff's Dept. where a deputy asked me why the lot was so important to me and who it was hurting if people parked there. Then another officer he sent me in to see suggested I "lighten up" and "get a life" and "go fishing or hunting". He then said since I insisted on going ahead with "causing untold amounts of trouble to innocent people" that I needed to see the County Magistrate, who likewise was no help at all and he said they were all just passing the buck and he himself was the end of the line. He also found the whole situation of the parking lot hysterical for some reason, mostly because it's behind a former mortuary, I guess. The magistrate had much fun entertaining the other person in the office with a full array of dead body, mortuary, ghosts, goblins, funeral homes, undertakers, and casket jokes. He then told me that the illegal parkers were just trying to find a free place to park so if it bothered me why didn't I just "haint them".
I put up a video camera, both one across the street which would film cars from behind as they went into the lot and might show their license plate numbers, and one on the back side of my own house which would show each vehicle usually and how long they stayed. The neighbor on the street behind me where the lot actually opens allowed me to have the other camera placed in one of his trees. It clearly showed seven cars, four of which were easy to identify as to model and tag number. A deputy ran the plates and the owners of the vehicles were each sent a letter from my attorney telling them that I would file a civil suit against them and any criminal charges allowed if they continued to park in the lot. Only one car of that bunch stopped coming. The others all continued to park there and ignored me, and when the cops were called again, they visited each same owner and told them that it was a privately owned lot. However, the officer would not write any of them a ticket for what one other cop referred to as "Just more of the Mayor's diddly piddly".
My GF and I are going to talk options and ideas over tonight, as she's very stubborn and believes in standing up for and demanding your rights and feels that if I don't do something then this ( and other crap like it and the salon incident ) will just keep happening. We are even going to seriously discuss having the parking lot completely removed ( which I've entertained myself for years since I have a 5 car garage, a long long driveway, and two parking bays in back for parking anyway ) ....well...just removing the paved part ...and extending the stone wall that is around three sides anyway, so that nobody can get into that area of my property no matter what it is.
I only have an issue with forced gratuity where it's either overly high (like here) or where the server is awful.
e: fun idea for the parking lot issue - post a sign saying NO ENTRY SEVERE TIRE DAMAGE and put up those spike strips places use - if they're bolted into the ground people won't be able to move them easily (and have a camera if possible so you can get someone for theft if they do take them), and then people won't be able to enter your property without destroying their tires
It was with one of those restaurant coupons sold online, that requires adding an 18% gratuity.
When I realized the waitress added the 18% on an amount that included a $12 local and state taxes, I crossed out the number she wrote in and left 18% on the food only.
Takes xxxx to demand a tip for the pleasure of charging local and state taxes!
I just don't think people in this thread, in general, get what it's like living in a rather small southern town and trying to get along well with people and at the same time not piss off the "authorities" but still have some sense of having rights. For one thing, unless I posted a mile long detailed log of what I've done over time, at least about the parking lot problem, it leaves people with the impression that I've somehow just been hiding in the closet wringing my hands and sobbing
...
Or renew the business license on the mortuary and have towing company tow them.
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i know its money out of your pocket but a few of these blocking the entrances should work