If you’ve ever dined out, you’re familiar with the routine. After enjoying a delicious meal or drink, the server brings you two copies of your bill: a merchant copy and a customer copy. While the merchant copy usually includes a line for your signature, there is often no significant difference between the two versions. So, what happens if you accidentally sign the customer copy instead of the restaurant copy?
According to restaurant workers and fraud experts, signing the customer copy over the merchant copy doesn’t typically matter. Alicia Perry, a beverage director based in San Diego, explains that it depends on the specific policies of the restaurant or establishment. Based on her industry experience, she says that as long as there is a signed copy, it isn’t something they worry about. The signed copy serves as proof in case of any disputes.
Gabriella Zottola, a restaurant manager in Waltham, Massachusetts, agrees and adds that as long as the tip is clearly written on the customer copy, it’s not a big deal. She mentions that they usually discard the customer copy if the guest is not present to prevent tampering. With the rise of digital payments, paper receipts are becoming less significant, making the issue even less consequential. Perry mentions that signing the merchant copy is largely irrelevant with digital payment methods like Toast, so it’s perfectly fine to sign the customer copy.
However, there is one important thing to check. Make sure you’re not accidentally leaving behind the only signed receipt. Bill Whitlow, a restaurant operator in Covington, Kentucky, explains that a more significant issue arises when a customer signs the merchant copy and takes it home, leaving behind a blank customer copy. This leaves the restaurant staff puzzled about the intended tip amount. Each restaurant has its own policy in these situations. Whitlow mentions that in the restaurants he’s worked at, they rely on the indentation of the tip left behind on the other stack of receipts. However, if the tip isn’t visible, the staff may be left with no tip.
Perry emphasizes the importance of a signature. In some places she’s worked at, if a patron fills out the tip on a guest copy but doesn’t sign it, she can’t enter that information, which means the staff won’t receive a tip.
As a smart consumer, it’s advisable to keep your customer copy, even if it doesn’t affect the charge. Amy Nofziger, director of victim support at AARP Fraud Watch Network, recommends keeping receipts until the charge is processed on your credit card. This enables you to verify that the charged amount matches what you expected. Nofziger shares a personal experience where having the customer copy helped her dispute an incorrect tip amount. She believes that having the copy provides further evidence to support the dispute.
Nofziger also suggests being mindful of your credit card numbers and quickly noticing any discrepancies. She highlights the need to be vigilant about personal information and suggests checking receipts for the last four digits of your credit card number.
Whitlow advises customers to call the restaurant first to rectify any discrepancies before disputing charges. Disputing charges can be costly for restaurants, as it may result in the entire amount being charged back to the restaurant, along with a fee.
Finally, restaurant workers recommend checking your math to be a good customer. Whitlow mentions that it’s common for the tip amount to not match the total amount due to improper math by customers. In such cases, they rely on the tip line and do the math themselves to ensure the correct total is charged. Perry adds that when the tip amount doesn’t line up with the final amount, it can create confusion. Therefore, it’s important to be mindful of what you write and sign at the bottom of receipts. Taking extra care in writing legibly and double-checking your math can provide peace of mind for both you and the restaurant staff.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
