<p>Last Saturday, I went out to a bar in the next town over with my cousins and some of their friends. I ordered a specialty drink that comes in a hugee glass, it came out to $19. I added $2 to make it $21 and signed. Today I checked my credit card statement and it was charged $23 at this place! </p>
<p>Maybe my tip was too low but that’s no excuse for the bartender adding his own extra tip! I will be calling my cc company and the bar tomorrow. I’ve never had this happen to me before. Has anyone had experience with this?</p>
<p>Is there any chance that you fell under some policy at that bar that allows them to charge a certain minimum for gratuity? For instance, if you purchase certain specialty drinks? It sounds like a horrible policy, but some places have these policies in place for whatever reason just like some places that automatically add in 20% for gratuity if there are a certain number of people at a table (I think usually 6+).</p>
<p>Sometimes the hold to the bank goes through at ticket + x%. The actual value of the ticket + tip is what eventually clears.
Check on it another day or so. </p>
<p>I’ve had this happen to a friend of mine in a restaurant by a server who added a few dollars to their tip. I searched online and it’s happened to other people as well. I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt but after hearing these stories, I was thinking that it’s happened to me as well. I know it’s only $2 but it really bothers me. I don’t think it’s extremely common though. </p>
<p>zeeba, did not know about that. Will probably wait then to call. </p>
<p>teriwtt, there was nothing that stated this. Everything was normal on the cc slip, etc. </p>
<p>My 2 was clearly a 2 and I don’t think my 21 looked like 23. I could be wrong though! </p>
<p>I had it happen at a pizza place when I picked up carryout several years ago. When I noted it on my credit card statement and spoke with the manager, she told me the employees had done this before and and she issued a credit to my card. I always wondered if they were reprimanded or fired. My son has always told me to total out the receipt at fast food/pizza places to prevent that and I guess that taught me to listen to his advice on that issue.</p>
<p>Yes, at one gas station I use, they get $100 approved when I pay at the pump. Then they change it to the actual charge. Zeebamom may be exactly right. I can’t imagine the bartender taking a risk of being disciplined for $2.</p>
<p>Wow, I can’t imagine paying $23 for a drink–hope it was a good one! That does sound odd and if it isn’t corrected within a few days, I’d call the bar/restaurant and inquire whether it was a mistake and tell them you plan to challenge it because you clearly charged $21. If they don’t promptly apologize and correct, I would re-think whether to patronize that place in the future. I would tell CC company I’m disputing that the charge should be $21 NOT 23 if the establishment doesn’t correct the amount.</p>
<p>haha, HImom, I knew someone would comment on the cost. It was equivalent to three or four drinks I would say. It was in a huge funny shaped glass & the only thing I drank that night. </p>
<p>Yeah, I’d imagine if he did fudge the numbers, he thought I wouldn’t notice? Maybe he does it more often? IDK. It could have very well been a mistake or what zeebamom said. I was just taken aback since I’ve heard it happen to people before. </p>
They do that at every gas station. I get an alert from AmEx whenever there is a charge. I always see $100 charge at a gas station, then it reverts back to the actual charge later. AmEx told me it was just a hold. You will also find that at hotels. They take your card and put a hold on a certain amount then only charge you the actual. Someone I knew had his whole family at a resort (probably 10+ people), the hotel put $500/person hold on his credit card, which maxed out his credit card. He couldn’t use the card while he was on vacation. </p>
<p>Is the $23 a pending charge or a posted transaction? There is a difference, as oldfort and others said.</p>
<p>If it is a pending charge, then it is possible that the bar included the (customary max) 20% tip to make sure that if you left such tip it would go through, and the actual charge with the smaller tip will post later.</p>
<p>My husband goes out a lot for business purposes, and he scrutinizes his receipts very carefully. It is sad, but it has happened a number of times to him, and to colleagues, that extra charges were entered. This happened a few times when it made for an awkward situation to challenge the charges. Who wants to do this when hosting a table of clients? This happened a number of times at one place to enough people he knows so that they do not go there anymore. </p>
<p>My brother who also does a lot of eating out, reports the same. I’ve never had this happen, but then I don’t have a lot of group dinners. I’ve not heard of it happening to a single transaction or a couples or even a family. Doesn’t mean it did not I suggest calling the restaurant and reporting the situation. It could be a simple mistake. Those do happen.</p>
<p>On a $19 drink…I would,have left almost $4.</p>
<p>Having said that…if you wrote $2, and signed the slip (you should have YOUR copy so check) with a $2 tip noted,and a total of $21…that is what your credit card should,have been charged. </p>
<p>I’d normally tip $4 but the service from this bartender was sub par. That’s what pisses me off so much. The bar was mostly empty and I had to wait with my friend about 5 minutes for the drink in the first place while the bartender talked to a few of his friends or regulars at the other side of the bar. </p>
<p>I don’t feel like I have to justify buying such an expensive drink. That’s not the issue at hand. </p>