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Woman Called Poor Tipper Procures Lawyer (North Carolina)
wxii12.--WINSTON-SALEM ^ | T February 24, 2010

Posted on 02/26/2010 7:48:42 AM PST by dennisw

WINSTON-SALEM -- A woman who a local restaurant manager refused to serve claiming she is a habitually poor tipper told WXII Wednesday she is in the process of consulting an attorney.

Monica Covington was recently banned from the Kanpai Japanese Steak and Seafood House on Stratford Road after manager Michael Lam said servers and chefs refused to serve her because of her less-than-expected tipping history at the establishment.

Covington, who started a boycott petition against the restaurant, said the restaurant slandered her in the WXII report, which has set off a firestorm of opinions surrounding the issue of tipping.

"At this point, I am securing an attorney to address the slander against my name and character," Covington said in a statement to WXII. "I have always left a good tip at Kanpai Restaurant , even when I was given poor and less than honorable service."

Covington said her spat with the restaurant began in 2008 when she was told she would have to pay an 18 percent gratuity to dine.

"Yes, because we can't keep continuing to serve her anymore because the servers and chefs are not willing to serve her," Lam said Tuesday when asked if he refused Covington service.

On Wednesday, Lam said his establishment has never tacked an 18 percent gratuity on to her bill without her knowledge.

So far, 300 people have signed Covington's petition. Supporters of Lam's restaurant have also started an online petition.


TOPICS: Food; Local News
KEYWORDS: mrpink; notacityinchina; tipping; tips
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To: papasmurf

You forgot French Canadians. The WORST! I used to bartend at a place near an airport in upstate NY. Whenever FC’s would walk in the waitresses would argue over who got them. Cannot stand those people.


61 posted on 02/26/2010 8:49:57 AM PST by thefactor (yes, as a matter of fact, i DID only read the excerpt)
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To: dennisw

Less than expected tips? Probably habitually stiffs them.

When I worked in the restaurant business the wait staff would flinch when certain people entered. Then they’d try to negotiate whose turn it was to serve them.

There was one particular couple who came in several times a week and spent a lot of money in the place. They always had their particular table, and woe to the server of the prior diner who had not pushed their people to finish before those folks’ reservation!

The staff called her “The Queen”. They were unpleasant, extremely demanding and cheap with the tips. But good for the house, so they always got good service.

I used to play a little game on them (or more particularly, her). They could see the bar from their table, and I’d pretend to adjust the heat or AC. Within minutes their waitress would come running over and say “Mrs. ******* says it’s too hot (or too cold), please change it.” I’d then pretend to adjust it.

It was the same thing with the lighting, or the background music. Dim or brighten the lights, raise or lower the volume and you got an instant complaint. Control freak, thy name is “The Queen”!


62 posted on 02/26/2010 8:51:10 AM PST by JimRed ("Hey, hey, Teddy K., hot enough down there today?" TERM LIMITS, NOW AND FOREVER!)
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To: dennisw

I'm on the restaurant's side, but this reminds me of Mr. Pink, who would soon be joining Covington on the restaurant's ban list.

63 posted on 02/26/2010 8:54:15 AM PST by pogo101
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To: ProudFossil
Maybe she did not tip because the food or service was lousy.

All due respect, food quality is not the server's fault. Good service gets a good tip from me, but I'll give the staff a heads up on any food complaints.

64 posted on 02/26/2010 8:55:59 AM PST by JimRed ("Hey, hey, Teddy K., hot enough down there today?" TERM LIMITS, NOW AND FOREVER!)
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

Well she’s probably used to getting anything she wants for free. Why should she have to TIP??!! The restaurant is probably just RAAAAAAACCIISSSST!!!


65 posted on 02/26/2010 8:57:17 AM PST by Oldpuppymax
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To: wbill

Can we add women and Christians to that list?


66 posted on 02/26/2010 8:59:00 AM PST by bjorn14 ("The Constitution is a fundamentally flawed document..." -Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.)
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To: MikeWUSAF
"Science is racist too since it is based on observation and comparison against known controls."

I've never wondered why there weren't any studies that measured predisposition to violence, crime, etc. based upon someone's identifiers. It's likened to the public outcry and justifications that come streaming when crime stats report what percentage of what ethnicity is incarcerated in US prisons. You're not supposed to study or report things like that.

67 posted on 02/26/2010 9:08:38 AM PST by RabidBartender (Rob Scaaf for Missouri State Senate http://schaafforsenate.com/)
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To: papasmurf

>>African Americans are notoriously bad tippers. Sorry, I really don’t mean to be racist, I think it’s just a wired cultural thing.<<

Absolutely correct. I took summer jobs in university and college, including waitering and bartending...blacks are the worst tippers. Most of the time, they DONT TIP.

yeah, yeah, I’m racist (rolls eyes)


68 posted on 02/26/2010 9:11:33 AM PST by max americana
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To: bjorn14

**Can we add women and Christians to that list?**

except maybe a small minority of SORORITY members. Others that believe their blessings of Jesus upon me should be enough of a tip (dang.. see post 4 again)


69 posted on 02/26/2010 9:14:32 AM PST by gwilhelm56 (OBAMA ... Orwell's 1984 was a WARNING ... NOT a TEXTBOOK!!!)
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To: MikeWUSAF
Disregard. Any study of differences between the races is linked to Nazi Germany and Jim Crow laws.

Wikipedia: scientific racism

70 posted on 02/26/2010 9:15:33 AM PST by RabidBartender (Rob Scaaf for Missouri State Senate http://schaafforsenate.com/)
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To: papasmurf

No tipping in Europe either.


71 posted on 02/26/2010 9:17:00 AM PST by KC_Conspirator
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To: goseminoles; dennisw
Howz 'bout blonds on your list? What kind of tippers are they?


72 posted on 02/26/2010 9:18:54 AM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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To: alancarp
I just want to know who decides on the "standards" for tipping. In the 70's it was typically 10%. Somewhere in the 80's it went to 15%... even though prices had also gone up

I've always wondered why tipping should be based on the cost of the food. I've had excellent service at inexpensive restaurants and lousy service at expensive ones.

73 posted on 02/26/2010 9:22:26 AM PST by scan59 (Markets always regulate better than government can.)
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To: RabidBartender

It is my perception that Americans, liberal or conservative, seem to have been consciously liberated by Obama’s election and less fearful of calling out poor behavior by blacks and or the inaccurate cry of racism. Am I the only one who senses this?


74 posted on 02/26/2010 9:24:14 AM PST by TSgt (RE-ELECT NOBODY - VOTE THEM ALL OUT!)
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To: dennisw

Same thing happens in pizza delivery. If we have more than one delivery, and one is an address that never tips, guess which one’s going last.


75 posted on 02/26/2010 9:26:59 AM PST by real saxophonist (The fact that you play tuba doesn't make you any less lethal. -USMC bandsman in Iraq)
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To: Daffynition

Well, I worked both Spring Break and Thunder Beach. Blondes are cheap tippers. But from viewpoint, that’s ok. I make exceptions.


76 posted on 02/26/2010 9:29:59 AM PST by goseminoles
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To: envisio
I've done customer service face-to-face and on the phone, tended bar part-time, that type of thing. Most of the time, people are pleasant, just want to get their business done and be on their way. A micro-minortiy are just a-holes right out of the box and you're right, you have to take the good with the bad and make the best of the situation. Finally, there is that 1 out of hundreds of thousands who like to push and push and push and when they get the best of somebody they bring a lawsuit.

If I'm the manager, I knew about this customer long before an employee refused to serve that customer. I would rather an employee refuse to serve a customer than to spit in a customer's food.

That's why I left customer service and sales; I knew I was reaching the point where I couldn't interact pleasantly with people anymore.

Enjoy your day (for real!)

77 posted on 02/26/2010 9:45:08 AM PST by j.argese
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To: Mr Fuji

My wife waitresses at the same type of Japanese steakhouse where the chef puts on a show at the table/grill ,, the tip money goes primarily to the chef and waitress although the busboys and soup/salad ladies get cut in also. The chef gets a real salary , the waitresses get just over $2/hr. ,, black people are notoriously bad tippers as are Europeans (we are in a tourist area).


78 posted on 02/26/2010 9:49:02 AM PST by Neidermeyer
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To: scan59

What are freeper’s opinions about tipping at buffets, such as Golden Corral or a typical Chinese restaurant? You get your own food and seat yourself, but the waitress refills your ice tea. Do they get 15-20% of the total bill? I’ve never known what is expected.


79 posted on 02/26/2010 9:59:36 AM PST by scan59 (Markets always regulate better than government can.)
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To: gwilhelm56

How commonly do you run into Christian’s not tipping? As a Christian I always try to leave a good tip because I want to be a good witness.


80 posted on 02/26/2010 10:01:44 AM PST by dschapin
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