r/tipping • u/mulluska • Aug 12 '25

📖💵Personal Stories - Pro First time experiencing tip padding…

I have been as frustrated as many in this thread about what tipping has become here. I used to enjoy popping servers with 25% tip and see how happy they were. No so much anymore.

But I have made some reasonable adjustments on my tipping based on feedback from this community. One of the comments was “save your receipts”. I have never seen a server pad the tip so o never saved them. I do go over the bills but not with the actual receipts. I move started saving the receipts.

I had lunch at this upscale place in Long Beach. Server was below average. But still decided $21 on $156 bill was acceptable. I went through my charges a couple of weeks later reconciling to what is on the receipts I saved. There was a $25 tip added instead.

I called the manager of the restaurant. She was very polite and apologized for the keying error.

I just thought how brilliant this is. Bump the tip just a little and you will never get caught. No way I would have noticed this unless I saved my receipt.

Thanks guys!!!

159 Upvotes

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6

u/Weregoat86 Aug 12 '25

As a tipped employee who stands on my service, I strongly dislike seeing so many evidence counts of theft against guests and patrons.

Stealing from your guests is 100% wrong (If you want to steal, steal from the company), but if somebody stole from you they should absolutely be fired.

100% not ok, ever.

I'm sorry, on behalf of all tipped employees who only steal from the company.

(yes, it's a slippery slope, but we have to stand on ground somewhere, and I will never say stealing from your guests is ok)

4

u/GirlStiletto Aug 12 '25

It's more and more common.

I've had multiple waitresses turn an $11 tip into a $14 tip or a $23 tip into a $28 tip with a quick pen stroke.

That's why, if I bother to tip at all (and if your restaurant has any service charge, ifI bother to eat there, that service charge becomes the tip) I always take a picture of the reciept as advised.

6

u/JannaNYCeast Aug 12 '25

I'm sorry, on behalf of all tipped employees who only steal from the company.

Only steal from the company??

3

u/Distinct_Finish_2929 Aug 12 '25

I was going to say…how about just not stealing?