Why Is This Bank Opposed to a 37% Tip?

Banks need to mind their own damn business when it comes to how much of a tip people want to leave. A reader sent this image of a text alert that was sent by his bank taking note of the generous tip that he left at a restaurant. The person who sent the image told me that he stayed at the restaurant for a rather long time and wanted to make sure he left a tip that reflected how long he had kept the table from being turned; $20 on a $53.97 check, which is about 37%. It was very nice and I’m sure the server truly appreciated the generosity.

Fast forward two days and his bank sends him a text message making sure he wanted to leave such a nice tip, like it’s any of the bank’s fucking business.

We noticed you gave an extra generous tip on April 27, 2017, for your service at ______ Restaurant. We hope you left this tip because your service was exceptional. So, if it’s not a mistake- or if you’ve already addressed it- there’s nothing you need to do.

Have concerns about the tip? Just sign in to look at the charge in more detail.

You can also contact _______ Restaurant directly if you need to. Here’s how to contact them:

And then they give their phone number and website to make it even easier to dispute the nice tip.

Bank bitch, please. I get that you want to make sure there’s no credit card fraud and all that, but if someone wants to leave a 37% tip to their server, let them do it without you getting all up in their business about it. And why wait two full days before you send the text alert? That gives the server plenty of time to already spend that 37% tip and you’re giving the customer the opportunity to take it back? Maybe the customer had too many Kettle One martinis, straight up with twists that night and when it came time to leave the tip, they were feeling extra giving. That happens sometimes. It’s like when you get a good buzz going on with your friends and suddenly you’re all “oh, my god, I love you guys so much, you know that, right? I’m serious, you’re my best friends and I love you with all my heart. Group hug! And this is not just the alcohol talking either, I mean it.” Maybe it’s not the alcohol talking, but it’s certainly the alcohol that’s letting them feel so free with their emotions which can leak right on over to the tip. When they are sober, it’s not like they want to take back the expression of love to their friends and they should not want to take back the 37% tip either. Let’s not give people any reason to rethink a generous tip, Bank Bitch.

You already charge us for every single transaction, including taking our own fucking money from an ATM. You don’t give us free toasters anymore when we open a new checking account. Savings accounts don’t pay hardly any interest, You even put chains on your pens! Won’t you at least let us have the nice tip every once in a while without you trying to convince the customer to take it back? Fuckin’ Bank Bitches…

27 thoughts on “Why Is This Bank Opposed to a 37% Tip?

  1. Alex

    As a server, I think this is actually a good thing for the bank to do. I’ve known too many other servers who have written in or changed a tip. It’s sad that it happens so much that now banks question the transaction.

    1. michael

      I’m with you, Alex. I’ve watched fellow servers do it and I’ve been on the other end of it as a customer. Let’s face it: most patrons leave a standard tip. When it’s overtly generous, there’s a good chance some fraud is involved.

  2. Jenny

    OMG–craziness !

    I’m a server myself
    And My practice for years has been to leave cash tips
    For a host of reasons

    Now I have another one!


  3. Mandy

    Good for the bank. It’s an unusual amount. I imagine it’s more of a safe guard than a poke at the tip. I have known waiters that have changed the tip amount because they felt they deserved it and thought the person would never know.

  4. Scott

    I’m a former server and get these alerts too. It’s from a credit card company and they are just ensuring there is no fraud. They even specify that they hope its because you had great service. It’s not an inconvenience and it doesn’t take any action to make the payment comes through.

    Taking two days for a transaction isn’t uncommon if you pay with a card at a restaurant or gas station. It can often take multiple days for those transactions to be submitted and confirmed by the company. No reason to stress and I take it as a sign of good customer service.

  5. Christine

    I always tip our regular breakfast waitress bigly at holidays – $20 is nothing but I pay cash.

    1. Michelle

      That has nothing to do with the story, only for you to let us know you tip well once a year. Would you like A bigly hug?

  6. Stuart

    I understand why they would do that, and so I have a compromise to offer the bank. They can send out their “about that generous tip” email on tips over 35%, but they also have to send an email when someone tips less than 15% asking whether the person added wrong, forgot to tip, doesn’t understand how servers are paid, or is just an asshole.

  7. Grady

    Haha…love it. I would want a bank to contact me if I left any tip at all! We all know servers don’t do anything that deserves one anyway! If I ever leave one, it will be because I was under the influence.

  8. Charlotte Reynolds

    I got fired from a company last year, (a company for whom I had worked loyally for 14 years) for this sort of thing. I don’t want to name names, but the company rhymes with Schnapple-knees. I had a table who wanted to pay using the table-top tablet. They insisted they knew what they were doing, but then split their check and only paid one split. Of course, I went back to the table and explained what happened, and the gentleman was very understanding and gave me his credit card. Like you do, I got a manager swipe to run the same card twice, and the customerleft a very generous tip. After receiving a bank notice like the one in your blog, his wife, who was not with him at the time, files a complaint with Schnapple-knees for me first double-charging his card, and THEN giving myself a generous tip. Never mind that the manager was aware of the situation and said nothing in my defense, and the husband was aware of the situation and said nothing in my defense, they suspended me “pending investigation”, and then called me into a meeting where they already had my severance check in their buck-passing little garbage collectors without having ever asked me a question. So, yeah…I’m with you on that one. Thanks a lot Schmank of Limerica.

  9. Marilynn

    I’ve seen servers alter tips, I think the bank is just looking out for the customer. I wish mine would of when someone got my account numbers……

  10. LeAnn

    I like these — I get them pretty much anytime I go out and I just delete then. Except for the one that actually was fraud and the server wrote a 1 in front of my tip (giving themselves 10$ more than I tipped).

  11. Heather

    I’ve been a waitress for a little over 11 years and I have to say that I can’t blame a bank for doing this. I’ve worked with too many servers who have “adjusted” their tips and got away with it. And that isn’t right. I can totally understand why a bank would do this. Honestly, all banks should be encouraged to do this.

  12. G.B. Miller

    I agree with the majority of the commenters by saying it was the proper thing for the bank to do. In today’s world of identity theft and c/c fraud, it’s prudent (and incumbent) on the bank to check out any out of ordinary transactions for their customers. Sorry BW, but you’re slightly out-of-bounds with this rant.

  13. HJ

    I have never received a notice like this ever. I usually tip over 20%, many times much higher if I use a table longer. Many times if I sit at a table in a smaller establishment or during a busy time when I that could have seated many more guests(it doesn’t take a genius to realize the tip amount is based on the check average, a 4 top would have a higher one than a 1 top) I am also generous to servers who know me and remember my drink order, or what I normally order. I always tipped more when I went out with my children and they were young and it was extra work for the waitstaff. I have also tipped in addition to a check that included gratuity,and it was never questioned by my bank. I must either be using the “wrong” bank or one that is not so huge it prides itself on personalised service and not the fact it can send out computer generated text alerts.

    If they ever did question my judgement about why I left the gratuity amount, I think I would need to write them a very nice letter as well. One that would address what would happen had I discovered the over payment and not them? One that states what might happen had I purchased something that was misrepresented online or at a store. Would they be as quick to take care of it? Remove the charges and give back my money? Why should regret about over payment be isolated to just service in a restaurant? Changed tips has never been a reason I have had to contact my bank or credit card EVER, the fraud I have encountered has been much more contrived. Its always been some kind of charges made after internet purchases or signing up for something that I find has reoccurring charges.

    I think it would take either a lot of courage, or someone who wants to be instantly unemployed, for any waitstaff/server to change a tip. Most managers review all the waitstaff paperwork each night. Who would, for an extra $10, take a chance at losing a job? I think the bank would be better suited questioning online purchases or the use of credit and bank cards to purchase gas. And what about the chip? Wasn’t the chip invented to prevent fraud? As I recall it was invented because of fraud taking place in large retail establishments, not because of dishonesty in restaurants.

    Perhaps also I have never been the recipent of this dishonest practice in restaurants because I top people what their hard work is work. Not saying people who are changing tips are justified. However, maybe if I went around town tipping $2 on $85 checks I would have a better chance of encountering a person changing the amount! I live by the premise if take care of those around you, they do the same. If you are out to eat, be appreciative that someone is waiting on you, if you can not afford a fair tip, stay home and wait on yourself and then After you do that, wash all the dishes! I would not want to run around a room a pass out good to people who many times are demanding and rude, so I guess that is my motivation to leave generous tips. I DARE the bank to ever question my judgement on how I wish to spend my money that I also chose to store in their bank!!

  14. Catherine C

    I like what the bank is doing. As a sometimes Server/Waitress myself I always tip in cash, generously too for great service. If I feel my service was subpar or just plain shitty then it’s going to be 10%-15%, average service 20%-25% and anything above average 30% and up.

    And on a few occasions I’ve actually had this happen to me. It’s weird because the times it’s happened I just got a bad “vibe” from the server/establishment. That “vibe” caused me to scrutinize my credit card statement a little more than usual. “Ouch” the checks had a tip entered on them. I knew it. I knew because I always leave cash. It’s only happened a few times, but that’s a few times to many. It pisses me off . Because I am a great tipper and if I left less than a great tip there was a good, valid reason for to do so. It really annoys me that they felt they could get over on me. Not to mention that it’s technically stealing and that’s against the law. You could go to “jail” or possibly even worse “eternal damnation in hell.” I think I read something one time about some commandment, repenting, sin etc, etc.

    I don’t know but a a Server myself I wouldn’t take the chance. Just a little pen stroke and “hell” being a possible outcome. No, no I’ll take the lousy tip and bitch about it. At least that’s constructive and good can come of it. At it will be at your expense. Trust me it will be.

    Unfortunately there are a few servers and establishments that are ok with this practice. The majority are not. So I have no problem with what the banks are doing. Like Bitchy said though sometimes the customer gets “buyers regret” when they sober up. This rarely happens and if it does it’s possible that they were over-served then. I’m ok with it. I like to feel I’ve honestly earned my money. If not I’d simply rob banks for a living as opposed to being in food service. Ps: Bitchy I love the Bank Bitch term. Love it!!!

  15. Jerilynn

    I’m just in shock at how common it seems to be for the server to write in their own tip. That just blows my mind. I’ve served for a little over 2yrs now and that thought has never even crossed my mind. There’s no way I could do that and be able to sleep at night. They just recently updated the system at my work to where the customer manually types in the tip. No more writing it in the blank😆 I actually like this way better for multiple reasons. Less room for mistakes. Before the cashier used to have to go in and enter them manually, she’d often skip a cpl or enter the wrong number. Or she’d enter the tip under an entirely different server. The part I don’t like; more and more people are tipping this way, which sucks bc I don’t get that money right away like I would if it was cash. All of the credit card tips go on my paycheck which I get every 2 weeks. That also means every bit of it is taxed(thanks gov’t). The other reason is bc ppl can’t seem to add when they have a line of ppl waiting behind them. They feel rushed and under pressure so most of them just type in $5. Lol. If they don’t know they just go with the standard of $5😕 A lot of them don’t even know what their total was by the time they get to the tip screen. That’s also aggravating. In the end……. I do like this system better though. And there’s no room for a server to go in and change anything😆

    ***Side note: Bitchy is your book gonna be available in the Play Store? I really really really want it, but I don’t have amazon on my phone. I’ve been obsessed with this blog since I seen you on WWHL😊

  16. WAR

    I have a friend that regularly tips 50+% and he gets these all the time.
    I don’t see the problem with this, just in case a server/bartender puts in the wrong tip amount. I used to bartend and, in a rush to close out a check, have put in the wrong tip amount and have caught it then needing a tip adjust.

  17. Glor

    I have to disagree with the majority on this one. I would never change the tip, and have never seen a coworker do it either, although I do see how easy it could be. Just morally wrong and too risky. The reason I don’t like what the bank has done here is that it almost discourages a generous tip. It’s like telling the customer, “hey, this is way too much! What are you, crazy? No one leaves this much. And whenever you do, we’re gonna annoy you with another text like this. Really, dude, stop being so nice and leave less next time.” Even though it’s not outright, that is the message that seeps into their deeper mind. We all know that it’s those few kind and generous customers that help make up for all the cheap assholes. Unless the amount is really crazy, like $100 on a $30 tab, I think the bank should leave it alone.

  18. Who Cares

    Another reason we need banks watching out for us:

    “The restaurant did employ the wrong people. The last time we ate there we paid our bill put a line through where the tip was supposed to go and left a cash tip. When we got our credit card bill there was a tip added on even with the line drawn there. I went back to complain and they didn’t want to hear anything.They finally gave me 8 singles to get rid of me, and they did, because we will never go back there again. How many others did the waitress do this to over the course of her employment?”

  19. Nel

    I received this notice recently after using a gift card along with my charge card. The bank saw only that I had tipped at a much higher percentage than I have usually tipped in the past. I was glad to see because it could have been fraud due to someone altering the tip on the receipt.
    On an unrelated note, I love using a gift card for a portion of my meal and sharing the gift of a larger tip with my server. The larger tip being more than the 20% I normally leave a good server.
    So, when using a gift card, I get a less expensive restaurant check and the server gets a larger tip based, of course, on the amount of the check before the gift card amount was deducted.
    Keep on serving, servers! I love to eat out and you people mean so much to me!


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