Yes, I want my change!

I put out $20 for a $12 bill at a local cafe. Wait person open up folder looked at the $20, smiled at me and asked, "Do you want your change?"

Well, call me cheap, but I do! I tip 20% not 58%! That question really gets to me. Makes me want to leave no tip at all.

End of rant.

IMO the server should always say, "I'll be right back with your change," and it's up to the customer to say "keep it." The server should never ask like that. Very rude. I would be upset too.

I probably would have had to say something like ...WELL DUH!!!

'As opposed to...what?'

Yes I would like my change. However, I'm willing to reconsider if you can convince me why you deserve an 8 buck tip on a $12 tab.

I put out $20 for a $12 bill at a local cafe. Wait person open up folder looked at the $20, smiled at me and asked, "Do you want your change?"

Well, call me cheap, but I do! I tip 20% not 58%! That question really gets to me. Makes me want to leave no tip at all.

End of rant.

I probably still would have left the tip but I'm sure all would have gone down based on that comment

Last weekend:

Bill: $10.70, I hand waiter a $20.

As with OP, the same conversation occured, and yes, I want my change back.

Was planning on tipping $2.

Got $9 back. Well, congrats, you get a $1.30 tip instead.

Is it really that hard to bring me a quarter and a nickel? If the bill had been 10.95 or 10.98, it would have just irked me and I still would have dropped $2, but for some reason 30 cents really, really annoyed me.

When a server asks me this, I don't get the feeling that they've looked at my bill, looked at how much cash I put down, evaluated whether it's a reasonable tip or not, and then decided to ask if I need change. I get the feeling it's just a habit, something they do every time someone pays with cash.

Now, perhaps as Kari says the presumption should be that you always bring the change back unless the customer says otherwise, but that's a separate discussion. In my opinion, enough people hand over enough cash to just cover the bill and the tip without needing change that I think it's a reasonable question.

Nah, nah, you keep it. You like my watch too? Here are my cars keys, thanks again.

the server should always bring change unless told to keep it , iv waited tables 20 years and that the way i would do it( bring your change back with out asking if u want it or not , its your money until u leave it to me)

Mistake number one was looking at the server wallet/folder at the table. Just pick it up, smile, and announce that you will be back shortly.

Return with correct change (or credit card slip if it turns out there is a card in there). If you don't have correct change, round up, not down.

The dumb question in question (if you will) is due to the inexperience of the wait staff and/or insufficient training by management. This question should never be asked under any circumstances.

The dumb question in question (if you will) is due to the inexperience of the wait staff and/or insufficient training by management. This question should never be asked under any circumstances.

I agree with you 100%.

I also think I know why servers do it. It just takes something off the to do list and lets them move on to whatever else needs to be done. If you ask the question and the customer says, "Nope, we're good," the server is thinking, "Great. done with that table." And I'd feel that way if the "change" left me with a buck or eight bucks. I'd just cuss the people under my breath if it was a buck.

Works fine at lower and mid-level establishments. I bet I did it back in the day, though I knew I shouldn't and was trained not to. I probably especially did it if I expected a bad tip or didn't really care for the table. Lot more willing to take risks when there's less at stake.

Well, call me cheap, but I do! I tip 20% not 58%!

Well, I waited a while for it to be pointed out that $20 on a $12 check would be a 66.67% tip, eight being two-thirds of twelve.

Everyone seems to agree that a server should always announce change will be brought back. Definitely.

One other thing is it seems few of these kids (no offense to those without any grey hair) just can't do simple math in their heads, maybe even on paper. As an AARP guy I can tell you we had to learn all math through algebra and geometry doing it by hand on paper. Of course by practice it became quite a time saver to just do the obvious stuff in your head. Our high school science lab got half a dozen expensive hand-held calculators that we were allowed to use / share for physics equations. They had just become available in our relatively poor county in Indiana a couple of years before I went on to college.

I don't know how many times I've pointed out gross mathematical absurdities in stores or restaurants to staff with empty, uncomprehending eyes. Well, just think about it I'd say. Blank. Manager comes. If my age or older it's often, well, duh, clearly that's not right. If much younger there is much consulting of the all-knowing calculator Oracle. Furrowed brows, much concentration and, of course, the divine instrument keeps affirming that 2+2=4, or something equally obvious to those of us who went to school when they actually taught you how to do math. I've caught my bank (rarely) when balancing my checkbook in math errors but it has saved me some bucks.

While the server should just say he/she will be back with the change, sad to say the person may have no more idea if the remainder on the check tray is a reasonable tip than they understand the math on their paycheck deductions or smart phone bills.

Most businesses in the world can't wait till my generation dies off...

The dumb question in question (if you will) is due to the inexperience of the wait staff and/or insufficient training by management. This question should never be asked under any circumstances.

I agree with you 100%.

I also think I know why servers do it. It just takes something off the to do list and lets them move on to whatever else needs to be done. If you ask the question and the customer says, "Nope, we're good," the server is thinking, "Great. done with that table." And I'd feel that way if the "change" left me with a buck or eight bucks. I'd just cuss the people under my breath if it was a buck.

Works fine at lower and mid-level establishments. I bet I did it back in the day, though I knew I shouldn't and was trained not to. I probably especially did it if I expected a bad tip or didn't really care for the table. Lot more willing to take risks when there's less at stake.

Right. But it's just as easy to say (as I used to) I'll be right back with your change. If they wanted me to keep it, they would tell me so at that time.
I find that question to be crass, personally.