Just The Tip Part 2

Couple Busted for Refusing to Pay Tip
By DAVID CHANG/NBC Philadelphia

If you’re frustrated by poor service at a restaurant, think twice before you decide to not tip. You may be in for a bit more than just a dirty look from the waiter.

"Nobody, nobody wants to be forced to pay a tip or be arrested for terrible service," Leslie Pope said when her happy hour ended in handcuffs.

Pope and John Wagner were hauled away by police and charged with theft for not paying the mandatory 18 percent gratuity totaling $16 after eating at the Lehigh Pub in Bethlehem, Pa. with six friends.



Pope claimed that they had to wait nearly an hour for their order and that she had to get napkins and silverware for the table herself.

“At this point I became very annoyed because I had already gone up to the bar myself to have my soda refilled because the waitress never came back,” Pope said.

After the $73 bill came, the group paid for food, drinks, and tax but refused to pay the tip. After explaining the bad service to the bartender in charge, Pope claimed he took their money and called police. The couple was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car.

“I understand that, you know, we didn’t pay the gratuity, but it was a gratuity, it wasn’t something that was required,” said Wagner.

The owner admitted that the group waited unusually long for their food, but said the pub was extremely busy that night. He said managers offered to comp the food, a claim the couple denies ever happened.

I did not know you could get arrested for refusing to pay the added gratuity at a restaurant. I guess you learn something new every day. Generally I'm pretty kind to those in food service. I tip well and things have to be nothing short of disastrous before I skimp on the tip (much less leave nothing).

That said, the server in question would have to be pretty ballsy to charge gratuity when the service is awful. Plus, the owner can screw right off if he expects me to believe managers offered to comp the food. Generally you don't expect gratuity when you offer comped food. I wonder if that couple wille ever go back. I mean, what if they have really good drink specials?