what do I know

Recently I picked up an order from a local pizza place and paid with my credit card. When I came in my food was waiting for me, ahead of schedule, and the girl at the counter treated me well, so I left a tip on the receipt. The next day when I got home, I was looking over the pending charges on my card and saw that the charge from the restaurant was more than what I paid. I called up my credit card company to ask about the charge and I learned something new. If a restaurant offers their patrons the ability to tip on their credit card, the restaurant will typically request an authorization on the card for the cost of the bill + a 20% gratuity. When the manager closes out the batch for the night, the cost of the bill + the actual gratuity is then charged to card. I guess the authorization for the tip is a safe guard that the wait/bus/host staff have the potential to get something out of the check as well.

Maybe I’m dense but I never knew that eateries did this since I usually see the charge after the authorization. I’m a firm believer in tipping, but I always like to check my card activity to make sure that people don’t take advantage. Learn something new every day.

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