I Got Scammed

[LoTech]

Next time you're at work, take a look around the area near the register to see if there's a convenient (for you) place to put not-yet-paid "to go" orders that's out of reach of customers (for example, the work surface behind the bar rather than the customer-accessible bartop).

What's more, if there is no such place to put takeout orders out of reach of the customers, then there is a good argument that there is nothing you could do to prevent the dine and dashing. And you shouldn't be held liable for what you had no way to prevent.

[Shyla]

I think places that charge servers for stolen food are despicable. They make it impossible to stop the theft. You can't try to stop thieves in any physical way. You can't say Pay First if they ask for syrup because that's rude. You can't have enough staff so that you can keep on top of all your tables and take-out. Etc. But then you have to pay when a customer steals? Garbage.

I wish we could have a list somewhere of places that do this. I would avoid them.

[Safire]

I will document it in case it's an issue in the future, that's a good plan. I may or may not file a police report.

On a related note, we had a guy come in to eat tonight that walked out without paying for his food. It turned out that he was going to the car to get his money, but he didn't let us know, so as soon as the other girl looked at me and asked if he paid me because he hadn't paid her, I was out the front door flagging him down, and I had my phone ready to take a pic of his license plate if he didn't stop walking. The cook and other server got a good laugh out of that.

And in the future, to go orders stay on the cook line until after we've been paid, and if anyone raises a fuss about being treated like a thief, they'll just have to get over it.

[Ironclad Alibi]

And in the future, to go orders stay on the cook line until after we've been paid, and if anyone raises a fuss about being treated like a thief, they'll just have to get over it.

Can you tell them you have had orders stolen before?

Once a thief strikes, everyone gets treated like a potential thief.

[XCashier]

And in the future, to go orders stay on the cook line until after we've been paid, and if anyone raises a fuss about being treated like a thief, they'll just have to get over it.

Chances are, if they're fussing about being "treated like a thief," that means they were probably thinking of stealing it. Honest customers would assume that you placed their order there because it's a convenient place to do so or to keep it out of the way until you finish the order.

I'm glad that you are at least documenting it.

[judecat]

Also, that's federal. Check your state laws as well. In my state (Michigan) your pay cannot be docked AT ALL without your written permission, and they can't threaten you with dismissal for refusing.

In Md, that's part of the employment agreement, either written on verbal, if you accept the job, then you are accepting the companies rules.

[Safire]

So, this morning I had a mistake table on our computer system transferred over from second shift, and the manager has to see the mistakes before he can void them. He told me they were about to start making us pay out mistake tickets rather than just voiding them, so as soon as that happens I'll be putting in a two weeks notice and reporting them to the Labor Board, as well as reporting them to the company who's name it's run under for not following corporate protocol. I can at least understand the dine-and-dash, that's a pretty common policy, but charging us rather than hitting a button that says void? What kind of bull shit is that?

[eltf177]

Good, they should answer for this garbage...

[EricKei]

judecat - This is true, unless compliance with said policy or contract violates state or federal law...in which case, that provision becomes invalid (though the rest of it would still be fine).

[bainsidhe]

OP, I recommend you start looking for another job now. Hopefully you'll find something else before it becomes necessary for you to leave.

And how exactly is the Void-BS supposed to work? Say someone accidentally keys in 1000 meals due to a typo, does management honestly think that they'll get workers to pay up?

That 1000 typo actually happened to me, BTW. Back when I worked fast food, management started getting on everyone about the number of food voids. It was a legitimate concern, because it's possible a worker is voiding a sale so they can pocket the cash. Except rather than focusing on those employees that had tons of voids, they would focus on anyone that was convenient. I meant to type $10.00 into the till, and I accidentally hit the sandwich button instead of the cash button, which resulted in a void for 1000 sandwiches. The void slip was later posted to the wall with a nasty sign about how people needed to be MORE CAREFUL and we'd be WRITTEN UP, etc etc. I rarely had voids and this was an unfortunately mistake, yet because of the quantity I got the pleasure of being made into an example. And the truth is, I don't think anyone ever got written up, we just got threatened with it a lot.

[Kittykat]

Because it means being able to pay my bills--It took me two months to find this job when I moved down here and I just managed to get caught up on late rent, so if I lost it I would be evicted long before I could find another job. I'll take what I can get and not complain.


Also, the cook is technically my supervisor, because we only have the one manager over the whole store and no assistant managers. Hence, any questions like that I have or decisions that have to be made during third shift go to him. He elected not to call the cops, and the manager agreed with him.

I mean, I understand that I could and maybe even should try a lot of these suggestions, but right now I'm stuck in a "beggars can't be choosers" position.

Please put in applications now. It's a lot easier to find a job when you have a job, then when you're unemployed and looking. And never work for a place that makes you pay for tables that leave again. I always asked in the initial interview, if they made servers pay for walkouts. If they say yes, I tell them no thank you and that I'll be filing a complaint with the Feds.

[Kittykat]

In Md, that's part of the employment agreement, either written on verbal, if you accept the job, then you are accepting the companies rules.

Federal law trumps state laws.

[minkysmom]

I don't think people realize when they dash, the check has to be paid by someone. I think they assume the restaurant just counts it as a loss smh

[KuariKaydrith]

Most restaurants I worked at did count dine'n'dash tables as a loss - losses can work in their favour at tax time as they would pay less taxes. Ditto for broken dishes, even though I once had an employer tell me that I had to pay for a plate I'd broken. Shit happens, things break, and you can't watch everybody all of the time.

Ditto for if the register is short and you aren't the only person using it - they can't prove who caused the till to be short, therefore they can't blame you for it. I prefer to work for places where the till is never shared.

To the OP, definitely look for another job. Any employer who holds a server responsible for a dine'n'dash - especially if it's against the law to do so - is clearly taking advantage of an employee's desperation and will only continue to do that.

[XCashier]

I don't think people realize when they dash, the check has to be paid by someone. I think they assume the restaurant just counts it as a loss smh

I don't think they'd care even if they did know. If they did, they'd pay.