6 ways to protect yourself from restaurant tip theft
When you go out to eat at a restaurant and pay by credit card, what should you do with your receipts? Leave them on the table? Throw them away?
Paddy Hirsch, senior producer of personal finance at Marketplace, says you should always keep your customer copy. In order to further protect yourself against the rare wayward restaurant employee intent on altering your tip, follow the steps below:
1. Write your tip amount clearly and boldly on the restaurant receipt copy; this will make it more difficult to alter.
2. If you are not going to leave a tip, write “0.00”
3. If you are leaving a cash tip, write “cash”
4. Never leave the “Total” section blank.
5. If you suspect your tip amount has been altered, contact the restaurant first to ask for refund.
6. If the restaurant does not cooperate, contact your credit card company to dispute the discrepancy.
To hear more about how to protect yourself and the future of paper receipts in an increasingly digital world, click on the audio player above.
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