Being a restaurant employee is challenging, often thankless, with the occupational hazard of dealing with entitled people. Most don’t get paid enough for their work, which unfortunately leads to some cases of theft through the tipping system. 

This was an experience for a customer who caught a restaurant cashier adding a few dollars “stealthily” to the bill. The person escalated the matter to top management, who were in disbelief about what happened. 

You’ll find the entire text below and some similar stories from the readers. 

Some employees in the service industry engage in petty theft through the tipping system

Image credits: Drazen Zigic / Freepik (not the actual photo)

This restaurant cashier added a few dollars to the total bill after the customer had already tipped him

The author escalated the matter to top management

Image credits: svetlanasokolova / Freepik (not the actual photo)

But isn’t counting on achieving a resolution

Image credits: IncidentCultural896

Shortcomings from restaurant owners likely cause tip theft

Any form of theft is inexcusable, and necessary sanctions must be imposed on the erring employee. However, such cases could be avoided by restaurant owners. 

Employee-focused law firm Herrmann Law blames the restaurant’s credit card-based tipping system. In a recent article, the firm pointed out how this kind of system gives owners a “false sense of ownership” over tips that legally belong to servers. 

Some employers also steal their staff’s tips. A 2017 report by the Economic Policy Institute revealed that restaurants pocketed $5.8 billion worth of tips. 

Salaries could be another potential reason for tip theft, as restaurant employees earn between $14.39 and $17.11 per hour. These figures show a disparity with the employees’ average hourly wage of $28.16. 

Restaurant owners must take a proactive approach to prevent employee theft

Image credits: Image by Freepik (not the actual photo)

At the end of the day, it’s the employer’s responsibility to take care of its employees and take necessary steps to prevent theft. In the story’s case, using the credit card system for tips indirectly enabled the restaurant staff to steal, albeit a meager amount. 

In an interview with SHRM, lawyer Zoe Argento advises preventing employees from gaining access to valuable information as a form of prevention. Restaurants that use credit cards for tips should reconsider these methods. 

Added surveillance measures can be considered if the situation calls for them, especially in common areas. However, owners must exercise caution. 

“Surveillance can also damage morale if too intrusive,” Argento said. 

Speaking of employee morale, better treatment of staff members may also help prevent theft. Business.com suggests providing staff meals, at the very least, if raises aren’t possible. It also makes employees feel like they are part of a family. 

In the story, the restaurant’s top management could have been more hands-on in dealing with the employee theft. But because they are a known brand, they are likely doing damage control, which isn’t a good look for them.

Readers offered their reactions to the story

Some shared similar experiences

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