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7 rules Pakistani restaurants ought to know

7 rules Pakistani restaurants ought to know

Who said the service industry was easy?
Updated 10 Sep, 2018

If you were on social media last weekend, you'd know that new Karachi-based eatery Easy kicked up a storm on Facebook after publicly shaming an unnamed customer for leaving a 10-rupee tip.

Was it excessive on the restaurant's part? Yes. Has Easy responded to the criticism yet? No. So how should restaurants represent themselves in such situations? We'll get to that in just a moment.

Given that Karachi's food scene has expanded significantly in the past few years, customers want more than just a fancy place to visit and good food to eat. They want great customer service, and so more often than not it is the staff that carries the burden of the restaurant's reputation - which, truth be told, makes up a great deal of the dining experience.

Also read: 8 essential rules for eating out, according to Pakistani restaurant owners

Yes, customers are not always easy to deal with. Let's just throw the popular catchphrase "the customer is always right" out the window, it's archaic and self-destructive for restaurants, and the service industry is brutal, but there are ways for restaurants to navigate the blows and punches without throwing shade or remaining quiet when unpleasant situations arise.

Here's how restaurants can provide a safe and respectful environment for customers.

What's the deal with tipping?

Coming back to Easy, the popular eatery shamed a customer on their Instagram story for eating a 4k meal while tipping Rs10. They wrote: 'Some really big tippers dropped by at Easy last night.'

Needless to say, social media was unforgiving.

While the tipping amount varies from person to person - and frankly, is always up for discussion - a general rule of thumb is to leave around 10 - 20% of the total bill, according to Travel Channel. In Easy's case, leaving a Rs10 tip is perhaps not okay, but neither is shaming a customer for it.

Instead, Easy could've taken the high road and sent out a message on social media asking customers to be considerate of staffers by tipping them a reasonable amount explaining why tipping actually motivates them to work better and provide good service to customers. Treat the staff well and they'll willingly treat you well too.

Had Easy acted a bit more tactfully they could've saved themselves the social media bashing and gotten the point across.

No touching business

Recently, a new restaurant D'Alma was the topic of hot debate online for its sky-high prices (among other teething issues), but one of the strangest criticisms it drew was of a customer having been inappropriately touched by the restaurateur.

The owner may not have meant her act in an offensive way but non-consensual physical contact is an unsettling experience and completely unacceptable, especially by a stranger, even if they mean well.

Though this incident is a first of its kind, restaurant staff usually is mindful of crossing customers' personal space and maintain a certain degree of physical distance; a common example is when placing or lifting cutlery and food on/off the table.

Don't hover

This can be tricky. Restaurant staff should be around if needed and not disappear from sight, but they shouldn't hover while customers eat their meals. Like this customer points out, it can get "uncomfortable" and awkward.

Yes, it can be hard to balance the two as the staff wouldn't want to neglect customers or stand nearby staring, but it's as simple as doing periodic checks on their assigned tables with either a glance towards the customers or just simply walking over to the table to ask if there's anything else that's needed.

Stop overbooking

Eating out at a crowded place is no one's idea of a good dining experience, it's worse when there are people waiting for a table standing on diners' heads.

If you've frequented Xander's (Clifton), Easy and Espresso (Zamzama), you'll have an idea what all the fuss is about. They have limited seating - and space - and being the more popular eateries in Karachi, they tend to get packed fast. For a diner it can get irksome when restaurants pile on waiting customers in the dining area without adequate space to accommodate them.

Loud and packed restaurants are as disruptive as waiting customers eyeballing diners to finish their meal and leave; restaurants should be particular when entertaining guests especially when there is a lack of space available for them to sit.

Some restaurants also tend to overcommit and quote a wait time which often exceeds to twice as much. It's exasperating for customers, causes more chaos and also leads to this:

In such cases, restaurants which have a high turnover, should take a leaf out of Loco's book and keep a time limit for each table and specify during reservations that tables are only available for a certain time period.

What about children?

Sometimes children can be a handful in public spaces - parents will relate. A nice night out at an eatery can turn into a unpleasant experience, for the parents, the restaurant staff and customers.

Restaurants try their best to provide an atmosphere most suited for their customers which is why places like Okra and Flo have adopted a no-child policy, though this often draws criticism, it's important to note that implementing such a policy is at the discretion of the restaurant. Having said that, restaurants should make this known on their social media pages and during reservations. No one likes being told at the gate or reception that they cannot be accommodated with their child(ren).

Other places make use of an age-limit around dinner time something which is usually appreciated by customers.

Mind your language

This is a no-brainer. You.do.not.abuse.customers.

In a now deleted post, a customer complained against Red Riding Hood Bakery's owner for hurling abuses at him on texts. He posted screenshots of their exchange on a food group - which the admin deleted - but the complainant posted his grievance again sans the screenshots and called out the bakery for its appalling customer service.

After receiving backlash, the owner was forced to apologise to the customer.

Restaurants have to bear the burden of always respecting customers, even when they are being unreasonable or rude. Interactions with customers are important because they make or break the impression of a restaurant and the people behind it. A simple slip can create havoc on social media and affect business. That being said, staff should always be trained on the kind of language to use when dealing with difficult customers. It is during these sticky situations that a restaurant has a chance to rise above.

Dealing with food complaints

Sometimes it’s a piece of plastic, or an insect but most commonly its hair that manages to make its way into food.

Eateries aim to serve the finest they can but minor faults are unavoidable. In this case Dunkin' Donuts lost a chance at handling a situation well.

What the staff could've done was apologised and immediately ordered fresh donuts to replace the bad ones free of charge. Please note: these incidents give restaurants a gateway to go above and beyond.

DD could've also, 1) told the customer that due to their carelessness the food is on the house or 2) compensated for their mistake by giving them a free box of donuts. This, however, shows a lack of training on the management’s part. The staff should be well-equipped with how to deal with such incidents.

So when somebody yells, 'Waiter, there's a fly in my soup!' instead of saying 'Don't worry sir, it won't drink very much of it,' sincerely apologise for the mistake and be creative in making it up to the customer - a free lunch for two next time, maybe?

Comments

ABC Aug 30, 2018 11:30am
Customer is paying the for the food cost plus restaurant running cost plus profit in the amount of bill. Any tips given are optional and restaurant should be happy of getting anything, instead of crying. Its not their right but its the generosity of the customer
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JA-Australia Aug 30, 2018 11:39am
Get rid of tipping. There is no tipping in Australia, from fast food to top restaurants. Be honest with the customer. It is management's responsibility to pay their staff a proper wage. It is not the customer's responsibility to pay the staff while the owners pad their profits.
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Fazi Aug 30, 2018 11:43am
I do appreciate the article and just wish to add that with more choices now available to customers resturants need to be more service oriented otherwise they will not remain competitive.
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JA-Australia Aug 30, 2018 11:43am
In Australia, no tip is expected and tax is included in the price shown. What you see is what you pay. This includes delivery. What you see is what you pay. Not one cent more.
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Naira Aug 30, 2018 11:45am
Waw thats good news for Pakistan
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Shah Aug 30, 2018 11:51am
Service charges are included in the bills. I see no reason to tip. Still I do. But that will and from now.
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Rahmat Karim Aug 30, 2018 11:57am
It is essential to pay minimum 10% tip of the total bill..In US it is by law to pay tip, in UAE 20% service charge is included with the bill. when it comes to the customer service the level is always remain less then your expectation; it is due to lack of professional trainings and ignorant industry. Again customer is always right whatever he gave tip one should not blamed for less tip. this is also against the customer service norms!!
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Usman Ansari Aug 30, 2018 12:03pm
Why can't we expect restaurants to pay their service staff a living wage? Go ahead and factor the cost of the service staff's FAIR wages into the cost of the food and forget this outdated hyper-capitalist tipping model. By the way, tipping is 10-20% in some countries like the US...but in many European countries, tips are not expected or area few percent of the bill at most. Why? Because in the US, restaurants pay a few dollars an hour to service staff, while in most European countries they are paid a fair living wage.
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Asma Aug 30, 2018 12:05pm
Nice article. I agree to all the points to be considered by the restaurateurs especially the hovering and the overbooking one!
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Masood Khan Aug 30, 2018 12:06pm
In some countries like Soigapore, Japan tipping is prohibited. In Pakistan most of the restaurants wages of serving staff are set at lower amount of cash plus tip amount which are shared collectively.
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Mush Panjwani Aug 30, 2018 12:24pm
A good comprehensive piece... mostly common sense and good customer service guidelines!
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Arnold W. Bush Aug 30, 2018 12:31pm
Kindly also add, limit cross-talk between staff. I often find staff chatting uselessly while not paying attention to the customer.
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Bob Aug 30, 2018 12:34pm
I usually spend 8 month out of a year traveling in various parts of the world, and except US everywhere tipping is optional. In some countries it's even discouraged. I feel serving staff should be paid enough and restaurant owner should factor it in the price. The quote mentioned by some restaurant owner are relevant to US, is suggest they mention something about Japan too, where a server will be unhappy, to say the least, if offered with tip.
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abuzar Aug 30, 2018 12:37pm
Why do restaurant owners want customers to pay there staff salaries in terms of TIP. Honor your own staff first by giving decent/livable salaries and then talk about customer service.
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Umair Aug 30, 2018 12:54pm
Maybe instead of Shaming their customer Easy should give their servers a decent salary so they do not have to depend on tips. Tipping should be optional not expected
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Agnes Aug 30, 2018 12:54pm
Tipping should be abolished and service staff should be fully compensated in the salary they received from the restaurants, as mentioned in this huffington post article: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/17/abolish-tipping_n_5991796.html
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tamza Aug 30, 2018 01:42pm
@Shah Indeed a tip when ‘service charge’ is already included — ridiculous
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umar khalil Aug 30, 2018 01:45pm
in computerized bill , they have already include service charges and TAX. so why every customer should give tip to their staff, as staff already have work on salary. please do help those how have unemployed. If some one give tip own his on will then its no issue.its good habit
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Naseem Raza Aug 30, 2018 02:35pm
I am of the view that tip culture should be banned instead Service charge should be introduced as in many countries. Tipping is strictly forbidden in many places. Heavy tip is mostly given by Arabs when they visit abroad.
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M. Emad Aug 30, 2018 02:44pm
Including the top, most Pakistani hotels & restaurants serve unhygienic, contaminated food.
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Arij Khan Aug 30, 2018 02:44pm
Tips should be added to the bill as a 10-15 % service charge
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Khan Aug 30, 2018 03:22pm
Maybe the service was so shitty it deserved just 10 Rupees!
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Texan Aug 30, 2018 03:42pm
There are times I did not tip anything because I received poor service and i wanted to send the message. May be they need to find out if their service was the issue, not blame the customer. All customers should get the same service when walk in. Waiters may get too focus on customer who tip higher and ignore the customer they know don't tip much. If your restaurant must get the tip, make it flat % on the bill and let them know on the menu that the price will add % tip.
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Philosopher (From Japan) Aug 30, 2018 04:16pm
In Japan, giving tip is considered a humiliation of waiter(s).
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Anwar Syed, ST.LOUIS, mo.usa Aug 30, 2018 04:26pm
To pay the tip in a restaurant is the option for the customer. If customer is very happy with the service and food provided then customer will give tip accordingly. This is a token of thanks. You do not have to if you do not wish.
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Sameer Khan Aug 30, 2018 04:54pm
Servers working at these restaurants are earning below minimum wage. You should find it in your heart to be generous to them. They don’t cook the food, but they listen to your complaints if something is wrong with your order. If you can’t tip them, you should eat at home! Being nice to people is always “optional” my friend. Your freedom of choice isn’t defined by denying the poor their keep.
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salman Aug 30, 2018 04:56pm
This Tip giving culture is now days becoming a trend . Usually waiters stand by the side of the customers until they get a handsome amount of tip, and if they are not satisfied for what they got, a wry smile is throw ed. Restaurant Managers should help out their staff with this, I believe.
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Ahemd Aug 30, 2018 06:13pm
I went to Easy twice, both times they did not have doughnuts and other things on their menu. Apart from this the owner/ restaurant manager did not seem eager to serve. She said this is all that's available and did not seem to be very welcoming. The restaurant is small so it was full and the owners were not inclined to accommodate us. As a customer I like places which pamper their clients and give an impression that "we" the paying customers are all important. I was taken aback by their indifferent attitude and decided that I will not be spending my time and money at a place which is not eager to serve me.
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cheebz Aug 30, 2018 07:47pm
Tipping should be banned and restaurants should pay salary according to the level of restaurant. If i am paying 4k bill, certainly not i would do any tipping... The 4k includes the salary of the workers...
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Malik Aug 30, 2018 07:48pm
A table for four should not mean a table for two. Restaurants should either make space or tell their would be patrons either to wait or tell them that they are completely booked,
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Kaku Aug 30, 2018 09:11pm
The question is, are owners skimming from the tips or if the tips are going 100% to their employees?
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Moin Kamal Aug 30, 2018 09:40pm
Tips are part of salary as these waiters receive fewer wages and tips helps them in this gap. Being in the hospitality business from Four Seasons Hotel and other 5 star hotels, I found it is better to have a 15% service charge added to the bill and divide with all Kitchen and Service employees and provide a better service. Some customers demand too much and they are rude and abusive. A good management is needed to make everyone happy.
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Zahir Khan Aug 30, 2018 09:43pm
Leaving a Rs. 10 tip for a bill of Rs. 3800. The restaurant has no business to complain. They should thank the customer for letting them know about the quality of service. Had the customer not left a tip the restaurant might have thought the customer forgot. The restaurant should pay their waiters decent wages and not make them depend on tips. Any tip should be considered extra bonus. Thanks for bringing this up so that I make sure I stay away from such restaurants
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muhibbewatan Aug 30, 2018 11:09pm
The concept of tipping, as I understand through my experience at "Desi" eateries even in the United States, is something of little or no importance. The 'rule of thumb' , i.e. 10% or higher, is almost non-existent in the minds of our people, especially Pakistanis (sorry to be so blunt) because I have witnessesd servers being non-expectant for tips, and anything that's forthcoming is gladly accepted by them. Having said that, I believe, the 'rule of thumb' should not be applicable in cases of tipping . Rather, it should be the restaurant's policy to add service charge, if that's what they are trying to 'recover' in terms of cost of service. This again is debatable as this concept has never been introduced in the sub-continent so far. In any case, such matters must not be publicized in any manner whatsoever.
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Ahmad Aug 30, 2018 11:15pm
@ABC the fact that one person or a family the evening at the restaurant is because the service was great AND the food was great as well. Here in Canada, servers are paid below minimum wage and the tip is equally divided into the servers and the cooks. the tip compensated for the wage. Servers in Pakistan are not paid great as well. Please understand the tip should go to the workers and NOT the owner of the restaurant. if you are satisfied with the food and the service of a restaurant then the server HAS THE RIGHT to get a tip. IF the tip goes into owner's pocket then it is wrong but if the servers/cooks get the tip then it is their right and they can expect a little generosity from the customers for their extremely likable service.
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Waqar (UK) Aug 31, 2018 12:49am
Generally, in the West it's common courtesy to tip if you have had a good service at a restaurant which is usually reciprocated by a warm smile and appreciation from staff. However, my experiences at high end restaurants in Pakistan is that staff very rarely acknowledge the tips left for them. A simple 'thankyou' for the gesture goes a long way.
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Fahad Bashir Aug 31, 2018 01:21am
I had an experience in a hotel at nathiagali. My paralyzed grandpa was with us. It was ramzan but he did not fast. When i asked hotel management to make a cup of tea for him, the management instantly became furious though they knew that we had a patient. Not only furious, but they started scolding us and used abusive language.
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NorthAmreeki Aug 31, 2018 01:37am
@Rahmat Karim There are no laws in the US that mandate tipping. 10,15,20% tips are expected based on level of service, but no one is going to jail for not tipping. Some restaurants may add a mandatory service charge for larger parties but, again, it's up to the restaurant and not a law.
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Salim Aug 31, 2018 02:45am
@Rahmat Karim There is no LAW in the US to pay tips...however it is customary in the US to tip 15% or more. The reason is in almost all US States restaurants pay waiters $2.33 per hour while the minimum wage is anywhere from $5 to $15. I don’t think Pakistani servers are getting paid that low of a wage. Most of them are on a salary. I don’t think any other country has servers working on such a low wage, hence tips in those countries are usually 10% or less. Take it from a guy who put himself through college waiting on tables in the US.
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Ali Aug 31, 2018 02:58am
@JA-Australia No tips in Japan either!
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Juanid Khan Aug 31, 2018 03:49am
@Rahmat Karim I don't know where in the "US" is it law for 10% tip because as someone living here in the US for 20+ years, I have never seen this "law." A standard for most sit down restaurants is to add 18% gratuity for parties of 6 or more. Still no law. Standard is 15% here in the US. I should know this. I live here.
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Ahmad Aug 31, 2018 04:51am
Surprised to see that Rs 10 tip is not ok, in many countries you dont TIP at all, some cases staff also refuses to take TIP, so it is very subjective, travel channel and 10% rule is very US eccentric. Not to mention TIP is cost to your customer, and you as a restaurant repeat customer, so if your customers doesn't TIP, but is a regular customer, he adds much more value to the restaurant and staff working their. One thing for sure, I will never visit this restaurant any way, as i hate giving TIPS, its brings subjectivity to the service, happy to pay whatever is priced in.
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Salman ali Aug 31, 2018 06:52am
Trip Advisor is a good forum to share experiences/learn about Restaurants. Each individual may not relate to rankings but it is a useful indicator. And outs pressure on Owners if used by future customers
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Samab Ahmad Aug 31, 2018 09:09am
What about that 442 service charges you have hidden the description of items with 10 rupee get a life
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Usman Sohail Aug 31, 2018 10:24am
It is a gross... yes on the side of restaurant owner. Why not restaurant owners pay their staff themselves good enough for their living like any other business. They charge their customer in full for their costs. I would have been considerate if such was a complain of a waiter but how the owner could do that !!
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Bob Aug 31, 2018 01:05pm
@Moin Kamal Tips should not be part of salary and it is not part of salary in many countries, the server are paid proper salary enough to cover essential expenses, so the server don't have to survive on tips, let's start good tradition in our country and pay enough to our hard working servers and ban the tips. Most of the restaurants charge exorbitant amount for the food, should have the decency to pay the server properly.
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JA-Australia Aug 31, 2018 02:19pm
The other problem with tipping is that it is unfair. The tip goes 100% to the wait staff; the kitchen staff gets no part of the tip. If you enjoyed your meal, shouldn't the kitchen staff get part of the thanks?
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Ijaz Aug 31, 2018 03:10pm
Restaurants must not ASSUME the customer will tip. A diner pays for the food and service - the price of the meal should reflect that. A tip is discretionary for the diner and is given on the basis of exemplary service (above and beyond the call of duty). Sadly, most service in Pakistan is well below standard and on that basis I have very rarely tipped.
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Danish Khan Aug 31, 2018 03:33pm
There always is a considerable service charge in all up scale restaurants. What is this for? I think if we are paying service charge, we ought not give the tip. Besides, waiters and other staff are usually not behaving as the DD incident shows. Serving food with hair in it should be enough reason for either shutting down or placing hefty fines on the management. But in the end 'sab chalta hai'
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Tariq siddiqui Aug 31, 2018 06:57pm
Tips are meant to augment the wages of servers. So at 20% the Tipton Rs4000 meal would be Rs800. So if a waiter handles only 8 such tables during the entire dinner rush his take for the night would be Rs 6400. That's is no augmentation that perhaps surpasses the wages of the entire staff for the night. This 15% or 20% tied to tab is not valid for the pay structure in Pakistan. So if a waiter is employed for 15000 or 20000 rupees a month his tips should augment it to 20K to 30K. Tips should be tied to the wages in Pakistan not the tab, and we should make it Uniform, so even waiters working in inexpensive restaurants also could get in the game of tips. " to insure prompt service ".
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Waheed Sep 01, 2018 12:08am
In most Karachi restaurants the staff don’t even get the tips - management take them and say to the staff that this is not their right as they are paid salaries!
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Rafia Sep 01, 2018 12:34am
A tip is not a right, and totally a discretion of the customer. As to the other issues raised, the restaurant owners should give more authority to on floor management to give discounts, redo orders etc. if a problem is pin pointed by customer. In too many cases owners aren't there and the mang isn't empowered to make such decisions. That's why they come up with excuses or downright don't do anything at it
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