Couple Busted for Refusing to Pay Tip

If youre frustrated by poor service at a restaurant, think twice before you decide to not tip. You may be in for a bit more than just a dirty look from the waiter.

"Nobody, nobody wants to be forced to pay a tip or be arrested for terrible service," Leslie Pope said when her happy hour ended in handcuffs.

Pope and John Wagner were hauled away by police and charged with theft for not paying the mandatory 18 percent gratuity totaling $16 after eating at the Lehigh Pub in Bethlehem, Pa. with six friends.

Pope claimed that they had to wait nearly an hour for their order and that she had to get napkins and silverware for the table herself.
At this point I became very annoyed because I had already gone up to the bar myself to have my soda refilled because the waitress never came back, Pope said.

After the $73 bill came, the group paid for food, drinks, and tax but refused to pay the tip. After explaining the bad service to the bartender in charge, Pope claimed he took their money and called police. The couple was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car.

I understand that, you know, we didnt pay the gratuity, but it was a gratuity, it wasnt something that was required, said Wagner.

The owner admitted that the group waited unusually long for their food, but said the pub was extremely busy that night. He said managers offered to comp the food, a claim the couple denies ever happened.

Obviously we would have liked for the patron and the establishment to have worked this out without getting the police involved, said Deputy Police Commissioner Stuart Bedics.

Police charged them with theft since the gratuity was part of the actual bill. However, it is doubtful that the charges will hold up in front of a judge. The couple is scheduled to appear in court next month.

Category:

News & Politics

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• Couple
• Busted
• for
• Refusing
• to
• Pay
• Tip
• Girl
• Guy
• get
• gets
• arrested
• frustrated
• by
• poor
• service
• at
• restaurant

[detox8388]

I was a waiter for 4 years in college. From all of their complaints, only the refill of drinks reflects on the server. People need to distinguish the difference between a server and that of a busser, and a chef. You waited 1 hr for your food... That's more times than not the kitchens fault, not the server's. You didn't have silverware on your table... That's probably the busser's fault, not the server's. If I was their server, I'd want her and her over-weight, balding boyfriend out as ASAP.

[princessclarissa92]

I'm a server for the Hilton Hotel and I don't think people comprehend that we make less then half of minimum wage. Big parties are difficult to take care of especially when you have other tables. Honestly, I will always tip 15 percent no matter WHAT. If you can't afford to tip, than you can't afford to eat out.

[damnitscashed]

I wait tables 5 days a week ... and since 2.13 an hour covers all my bills I dont really have to worry about getting tipped. haha yeah ... tipping isnt optional and for those of you that believe it is.. me spitting in your food is also optional. If you cant afford a 20 or more percent tip then dont go out. You dont tip because its 'optional', you dont tip because your trash. I tip 50 - 100 percent everywhere i go and for some reason... people seem to remember me and I always get amazing service.

[wojtassini81]

"I had to go to bar to refill my drinks..." - really? did u see waiters standing around and skratching their bullocks while u were doing that or were they just to busy to atur table? People who never worked hard and are usually shit at their own job tend to complain more and are more damanding than others. As far as I 'm concerned, those customers can f... themseves!

[daijoubu510]

Continued from below: At the end of the day I just made 30 or 40 dollars an hour, have 100 to 300 dollars in my pocket and averaged 20 percent even with cheap ass tippers. Why? Because I'm damn good at what I do and I don't work in a shitty restaurant. (I don't work in fine dining either.) My job puts 18 percent on parties of 8 or more, but if I had a choice I would rather take my chances.

[daijoubu510]

I've been a waiter for many years. I have to say if a waiter gets really upset because of lousy tippers there are three possible reasons. First, they are a bad server. Second, they work in a bad restaurant or part of town. Third, they are new to serving and are parroting more experienced servers who fall into category one or two. Do I bitch about shitty tips? Of course I do, to another waiter in the heat of the moment and then I'm over it.

[lyniseloveschipper]

@figarovancouver @TheGoodperson555 Clearly you've never worked in a resturant, or you dont live in america. Servers get paid 2.00 an hour, which is usually taxed and amounts to nothing. They also have to pay the bartender and busser, even if no tip is left. By not tipping the server pays to serve you. If the company policy states that a tip is mandatory, they should be held responsible to pay it. If you cant afford a 20% tip please do the world a favor and stay at home.

[figarovancouver]

@BilliamBoy1 bad service= nothing

why reward bad service?

[figarovancouver]

@bradytorg1 You pay for the food that is served by the restaurant. Restaurant pays the servers and other staff to serve the customers and prepare the food. Tips are exactly that, tips for the service well done, if you feel it is deserved.

[figarovancouver]

@TheGoodperson555 Are you kidding me?

You can not compare tax and tips. Tips are voluntary based on your satisfaction. They are expected by the servers and other staff, but they are NEVER mandatory. Tax is mandatory as indicated by federal law.

[LeviathAileron]

@TheGoodperson555 Other countries are not relevant to this video/conversation. Also like I said; tips are earned not expected, no amount of capital letters will change that. There is no law that states we have to tip in fact it is quite the opposite. State laws are different, where I'm from it is illegal to solicit tips or charge gratuity fee unless it is a large party.

So no, it is not like paying tax as tax is required by law in most states; demanding tips is quite illegal.