Comments on: Splitting the Bill http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/ Sat, 20 Apr 2013 10:44:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Mel H http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47927 Mel H Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:56:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47927 If you want separate checks, mention that at very first contact with server. If you want separate checks, mention that at very first contact with server.

]]> By: Mel H http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47926 Mel H Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:43:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47926 I have had several waitress jobs, and never would have hesitated to allow a table separate checks. I'm there to serve them, not the other way around. It is way easier to deal with a table of 8, then 4 tables of 2. I ask from the get go - will these be separte checks or all together - and write them up accordingly. It's no big deal. Maybe some wait staff are terrible at math, I don't know. I'm good at it, and it takes just a few moments with a calculator to tally a bill. I want my guests happy. I don't agree with restaurant policies that say 'groups of ___ or more will be on one check, with a __% gratuity automatically added' I think that's really disrespectful of guests I have had several waitress jobs, and never would have hesitated to allow a table separate checks. I’m there to serve them, not the other way around.

It is way easier to deal with a table of 8, then 4 tables of 2. I ask from the get go – will these be separte checks or all together – and write them up accordingly.

It’s no big deal. Maybe some wait staff are terrible at math, I don’t know. I’m good at it, and it takes just a few moments with a calculator to tally a bill.

I want my guests happy. I don’t agree with restaurant policies that say ‘groups of ___ or more will be on one check, with a __% gratuity automatically added’

I think that’s really disrespectful of guests

]]> By: Dividing a Restaurant Bill Using Mechanism Design - Mind Your Decisions by Presh Talwalkar http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47925 Dividing a Restaurant Bill Using Mechanism Design - Mind Your Decisions by Presh Talwalkar Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:25:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47925 [...] Welcome Lifehacker readers] [Update 2: Welcome Slashdot readers] [Update 3: Welcome Cosmic Variance [...] [...] Welcome Lifehacker readers] [Update 2: Welcome Slashdot readers] [Update 3: Welcome Cosmic Variance [...]

]]> By: Gort http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47924 Gort Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:42:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47924 takes one to know one :-) takes one to know one :-)

]]> By: st http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47923 st Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:30:03 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47923 Nice scam, Dork! Sorry, Gork! I mean, Gort! Nice scam, Dork! Sorry, Gork! I mean, Gort!

]]> By: Gort http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47922 Gort Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:33:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47922 irt Ron and the odd thing is people are always happy because they think I'm doing them a favor. irt Ron

and the odd thing is people are always happy because they think I’m doing them a favor.

]]> By: Richard E http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47921 Richard E Sun, 21 Dec 2008 10:45:22 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47921 I used to work in Japan, and we had a lot of group dinners (often fairly liquid affairs) at places that charged a flat, per-head rate. The prof kicked in the first, and then one of the senior grad students would go round the table, applying an incredibly complicated algorithm based on seniority, and the known value of your stipend or fellowship -- the result of which was that the youngest student usually paid an order of magnitude less for their meal than the prof. I used to work in Japan, and we had a lot of group dinners (often fairly liquid affairs) at places that charged a flat, per-head rate. The prof kicked in the first, and then one of the senior grad students would go round the table, applying an incredibly complicated algorithm based on seniority, and the known value of your stipend or fellowship — the result of which was that the youngest student usually paid an order of magnitude less for their meal than the prof.

]]> By: Ron Hager http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47920 Ron Hager Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:46:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47920 Gort, I may be wrong, but you are the problem and NOT the solution. You never pay more than a dollar more but are very willing to skim the money of others. Tsk, tsk, tsk! Gort, I may be wrong, but you are the problem and NOT the solution. You never pay more than a dollar more but are very willing to skim the money of others. Tsk, tsk, tsk!

]]> By: Ginger Yellow http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47919 Ginger Yellow Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:15:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47919 This situation is a lot easier to handle in the UK where tax is always included and service usually is. This situation is a lot easier to handle in the UK where tax is always included and service usually is.

]]> By: Gort http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47918 Gort Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:15:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2008/12/19/splitting-the-bill/#comment-47918 I've always thought it best to keep track of what I've ordered, round up to whole dollars, factor in 25%, then never pay a dollar more. For some reason it always comes out to $25, which I don't have on me at the time, and so I just end up taking everyone else's cash and paying on a credit card. In which case I always come out ahead. I’ve always thought it best to keep track of what I’ve ordered, round up to whole dollars, factor in 25%, then never pay a dollar more. For some reason it always comes out to $25, which I don’t have on me at the time, and so I just end up taking everyone else’s cash and paying on a credit card. In which case I always come out ahead.

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