Friday, January 25, 2013 8:58:33 AM · by jimbo123 · 61 replies
NY Daily News ^ | 1/25/13 | KERRY BURKE AND JOE KEMP
Posted on 01/25/2013 11:56:15 AM PST by SMGFan
Every waiter knows that Europeans are among the worst tippers on earth, but they can usually be counted on to at least pay the bill. But the Maitre d' at Midtown East steakhouse Smith & Wollensky wasn't about to take any chances on Italian tourist Graziano Graziussi when, at the end of his meal Monday night, he realized he forgot his wallet in his hotel. The bill came to $208, and apparently washing dishes is no longer an option these days.
Graziussi, who was dining at the restaurant with a friend, tells Honest Cooking, "I kindly asked the staff how we could manage the situation. I proposed to leave my iPhone with them, run back to the hotel and then come back with my wallet in 15 minutes.” Instead, the Maitre d' called the cops. "I wasn’t worried," Graziuissi says. "I thought that the police would laugh at the situation and let me go get my wallet. But, they were pretty rough. They handcuffed me outside the restaurant and took me straight to jail like a criminal."
(Excerpt) Read more at gothamist.com ...
Maybe the friend could have paid, and worked it out between them afterwards?
When I was in Europe many years ago, tipping wasn't practiced in restaurants. Instead, a service charge was added to the bil. So tipping probably isn't part of their culture.
Given that it’s the NYPD he was dealing with he’s lucky they didn’t shoot him eighty times for ‘resisting arrest’.
Simply send your girlfriend back to the hotel for the wallet. The waiter need know that you forgot the wallet.
While she is gone you can have another glass of wine and enjoy the evening.
There might be more to this story. The article included some things that didn’t compute, for example, the friend he was dining with had no money either, but no mention of him being arrested as well.
Another thing is that most better hotels in NYC have concierges whose job it is to handle situations of all sorts, and would likely accept phone permission to enter his room and recover his wallet, providing his credit card number and security code to the restaurant.
Unless, of course, he was only carrying cash or traveler’s checks. And even in that case, some concierges would provide what was needed to be brought to the restaurant by messenger.
I'm glad I wasn't at the table NEXT to him. Seventy of those bullets would have come my way.
-PJ
Rule #1 and #2 when travelling in another country: Never separate yourself from your passport or your wallet. Never. Even when showering put it in a baggie next to you
I hear that non-tipping culture excuse all the time. If you come to America, check out our customs. Or don’t leave home.
Smith & Wollensky is hardly “posh.” It’s nice enough but I guess the readers of the Daily News might think it’s posh. Maybe they eat at Ted’s Steakhouse.
I meant the infamous Tad’s Steakhouse.
lol, yeah... he “forgot” his wallet.
Amazing how New Yorkers/New Joisians think their culture is American culture. In fact, America starts right outside your state lines. May be demonstrated with rows of artillery some time in the future.
The same thing happened to Al Bundy and all he did was take off his shoe and aim it (and it’s smell) at the rest of the patrons, and they let him go.
I wish we would adopt some of that non-tipping culture. Tipping seems to be spreading here--I read that nowadays, even gas station attendants should be tipped.
It used to be that one only tipped a waitress if she provided outstanding service, and the staff at fast-food eateries were never tipped.
I agree that tipping is getting out of hand. But if the gasoline attendant cleans my windows, he gets a tip.
Waiters depend on tips. That’s one way of keeping costs down on the food that we are served in restaurants. (Well, that’s the theory, anyway). I rarely have bad service in restaurants and so always tip the waiter or barman.
I agree that tipping is getting out of hand. But if the gasoline attendant cleans my windows, he gets a tip.
Waiters depend on tips. That’s one way of keeping costs down on the food that we are served in restaurants. (Well, that’s the theory, anyway). I rarely have bad service in restaurants and so always tip the waiter or barman.
I agree that tipping is getting out of hand. But if the gasoline attendant cleans my windows, he gets a tip.
Waiters depend on tips. That’s one way of keeping costs down on the food that we are served in restaurants. (Well, that’s the theory, anyway). I rarely have bad service in restaurants and so always tip the waiter or barman.
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