Just When You Think You’ve Seen Everything…
Bam, they hit you in the kisser. Here’s a story you won’t believe is true. But sadly?it is.
I’m currently blogging from Old Orchard Beach in Maine. Last Night my wife and I went out to dinner at a fun place called Hooligan’s. Apparently all the bars and restaurants are owned by a company called The Pier.
We enjoyed our dinner, received great service?and asked for the bill. My wife looked at the bill and noticed that everthing?was in line except for one charge that was confusing.
ROUNDING: .21
hmm, I didn’t remember ordering any ROUNDING? If I had eaten it I think I would have remembered. So we asked what “ROUNDING” was?
The answer is so dumbfounding that you can’t believe it’s actually true. Here’s what the really sweet waitress told us.
The restaurants and bars?don’t deal with pennies, nickles or dimes. Just quarters when it comes to change. So when the bill is tabulated, presto….they round it up to the nearest quarter.
Our bill was $35.29 which quickly became $35.50. There is no ROUNDING down by the way.
Now The Pier is arguably the busiest business on the beach, serving thousands of people per day during the summer months. So ROUNDING can be a pretty?good stealing, I mean?revenue generator.
Here’s what I think:
ROUNDING = STEALING
Without question the owners (the Golzbein family)?of the famous Pier are literally stealing from customers each and every day. And people don’t even question it.
Now we’ve had a really fun time here at Old Orchard Beach but the one thing I’m going to laugh about for quite some time is ROUNDING.
Mr. Golzbein here’s a suggestion. Stop ripping people off for their change. Find another less noticeable way to steal from folks that are giving you business. Do these words sound inviting… Class Action Suit?
By the way how has Steve Rowe the?Attorney General of Maine not questioned this practice?
Here’s where to go and file a complaint if you like:
http://www.state.me.us/ag/consumer/complaints/complaint_form.shtml
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July 29th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Scott I must say I absolutely love your blog! I look forward to it everyday in my inbox. Keep up the great work.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:42 am
Aren’t the majority of restaurant tabs payed with debit/credit cards anyway? I would estimate less than 15% of all bills are paid in cash. The justification to round up based on not dealing with pennies is absurd.
July 29th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
That’s even funnier as I did pay by credit card. It’s just blatant stealing.
July 29th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Scott, thanks for the kind words!
January 24th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
On rounding. I personally don’t mind, and at least on cash payments, it is a superb efficiency breeder even if self-serving for the restaurant. of course, the wholesome thing to do would be to round out to the nearest quarter in BOTH DIRECTIONS (and also a. print it on the menu, and b. be flexible with a customer who doesn’t like it.)
January 24th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Well that’s not the case. These guys are just stealing.
January 25th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
If they round down it would be such a positive PR story. Look at the bad press stealing pennies gives them. Just another case of corporate greed. Very short-sighted. Definitely off-brand thinking. I wouldn’t be returning to any restaurant thank rounded up.
I’m going to pose the question on Foh-Boh (the restaurant industry’s blog).