Las Vegas restaurant appalls customers with outrageous tipping scam
Americans are getting tired of being asked to tip at every turn — and in Las Vegas, diners are starting to feel like even gratitude comes with a cover charge. Three diners in Sin City were disgusted by how their waiter behaved after the group splurged over $200 at the restaurant. On January 18, the customers went to Il Chianti, an Italian eatery located just miles from The Strip, for dinner. They ordered $221 worth of pasta, steak, bruschetta, and Pinot Grigio. But when the check arrived, the customers were shocked to find out that a 30 percent tip had already been subtly added on.Along with the tax and pre-added gratuity, the check came to $305. However, there was still a tip option at the bottom of the receipt.'Suggested tip amounts are provided for your convenience,' the bill said — along with the amount of money for an 18, 20, or 25 percent tip on top of the gratuity already tagged on. The diners were outraged. 'Went to a restaurant in a Vegas where they added a 30 percent gratuity to our table of 3 without any disclosure,' one wrote on Reddit. Americans are getting tired of being asked to tip at every turn, and in Las Vegas, diners are starting to feel like even gratitude comes with a cover charge Pictured: Il Chianti, an Italian eatery located just miles from The Strip in Las Vegas Along with the tax and pre-added gratuity, the check came to $305. However, there was still a tip option at the bottom of the receiptThey continued: 'Is this legal? Is this a new thing? I’m flabbergasted.' Reddit users were equally appalled. 'This is insane and a ripoff. Thank you for warning others,' one wrote.'I’ll write a bad review for them. This is unacceptable,' someone else said.'Don’t pay it. Simple. Ask for it to be taken off,' a user suggested.Another explained that this was a typical situation for the area: 'It's Vegas, they absolutely do s*** like that.' This is just the latest installment in a never-ending saga of tipping horror stories. Earlier this month, customers at a casual seafood eatery in Maryland were outraged when they received their bill for a $260 meal with the 15 percent tip option scribbled out by the server. Join the debateHow has tipping culture changed your dining experience, and what do you think is driving this shift? The diners were disgusted by how their waiter behaved after the group splurged over $200 at the restaurant (stock image) Customers at a casual seafood eatery in Maryland were outraged when they received their bill for a $260 meal with the 15 percent tip option scribbled out by the serverThe diners had been eating at G&M Restaurant Linthicum Heights and said their waitress was friendly and service was ‘decent enough’, though ‘nothing excellent’. But when the check was returned, the 15 percent gratuity — amounting to $36.75 — had been scratched out. It made it appear, the diners said, as though it ‘wouldn’t be good enough for her’. The waitress had also written ‘Thank you’ on the receipt in advance — a move the diners described as ‘entitled’ and ‘infuriating’. 'I was not the one footing this bill, or else I would’ve given a big fat zero for this alone,' one of the diners complained on Reddit. Certainly, before the pandemic, a 15 percent tip was widely seen as perfectly acceptable — even generous — for average service. Today, many diners say anything below 20 percent is treated as a snub. This is a phenomenon that has been dubbed 'tipflation': the growing pressure and expectation to tip in more situations and at higher percentages. In another recent example, a Reddit user said they were shocked to be effectively forced to tip when ordering a pizza for pickup. Just a decade ago, 15 percent was considered the standard tip for average service. Now, that number has spiked to 20 percent or often moreAs they were paying, they were hit with a message saying 'Don't forget a tip!' and given options of 15, 20 or 35 percent. There was also a 'custom' box, but no option to leave nothing. However, when the customer attempted to make the custom amount $0, the screen wouldn't allow the order to move forward — displaying a bright red message: 'Please enter a valid tip amount.''How can it be a tip when I don't have a choice,' the customer asked on Reddit. 'Well I did have a choice and went elsewhere,' they wrote. Self-serve frozen yogurt shops have also become a lightning rod for customer anger. Chains such as 16 Handles and Yogurtland have drawn criticism after customers say they are asked to tip despite serving themselves entirely — from selecting flavors to adding toppings. ‘For what?’ frustrated froyo fans have asked online, arguing that the workers do not serve the frozen yogurt or scoop the toppings.A survey last year found that three-quarters of Americans believed tipping culture has gone too far. The research also found that two in three Americans often 'guilt tip' — where they feel forced to add gratuity by prompts at check-out machines.The Daily Mail has reached out to Il Chianti for comment.
