🚀 go-pugleaf

Hello, yetanotherBob!
You wrote  on Sun, 5 Nov 2006 13:15:11 -0500:
 y> Does you regularly do the maths to verify that the tax added
 y> to the food bill is correct for the locality?  Dysnumeric as
 y> I am, I'm still going to try to do so more often, and also
 y> start asking for a receipt, particularly at fast food places
 y> that don't offer one as a matter of course.

As a matter of interest, which fast food places are you talking 
about? I admit I do not patronize those places very much but for 
example, MacDonald's always seems to give a receipt with the tax 
indicated. I assume it is hand-written bills that may have 
dubious artihmetic.

Because of a need to restrict my fat intake, my usual choice if 
I am there is a grilled chicken sandwich without mayonnaise. I 
felt hungry today and dropped into a local branch and the food 
arrived within seconds. I know that meant that the chicken was 
not grilled to order but it really was not bad, especially with 
the available relishes.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations: 
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not 

James, 
I'm hesitant to specify the exact place, given that I didn't pursue the 
matter at the time and don't want to get slapped with a suit of any kind 
for bad-mouthing them.  (I'm guessing that their pockets are a lot 
deeper than mine.)  I'll will narrow it down to saying that it was a 
branch store of a chain restaurant that serves eat-in and carry-out 
"ethnic-ish" food, located in the Kentlands area.  

I didn't get a paper receipt with my change when I paid, which perhaps 
should have been a tip off, but I was hungry, had to get back to work, 
and wasn't think along those lines in any case.  Back at my desk, while 
eating, I got to thinking about the amount I paid, broke out the 
calculator, and saw that the tax added to the meal cost was exactly 6% 
vs. 5%.  Not a big deal money wise, but if 1% were added to all or many 
bills, it adds up quickly to the benefit of restaurant.  (I don't think 
either MontCo or the Kentlands have a higher sales tax rate for 
restaurants, do they?)

My friend's experience was up in Frederick, at a fairly decent, also 
"ethnic-ish" restaurant, also to remain un-named by me.  He was there 
with his wife and four kids on a Sunday afternoon, so there was a 
significantly larger error in the bill, and his ability to work numbers 
in his head is a lot better than mine in any case.  After getting a 
vague response from the server, he called the manager on it.  The 
manager gave him a a hard time, but eventually refunded the difference, 
in cash, without an apology.  My friend noted that the manager came over 
with the cash in hand, which struck him as odd, given how argumentative  
the guy was.  My friend paid by credit card so he at least had some 
documentary proof of the transaction, but I don't think he pursued it 
further either.

Anyway, I just thought I'd pose the issue here to see whether it's a 
common occurrence and/or whether people regularly check the tax added to 
their bill.

Bob
==========================
In article <KtWdnYafd4ZtstPYnZ2dnUVZ_qCdnZ2d@comcast.com>, "James 
Silverton" <not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not> says...

> 
> As a matter of interest, which fast food places are you talking 
> about? I admit I do not patronize those places very much but for 
> example, MacDonald's always seems to give a receipt with the tax 
> indicated. I assume it is hand-written bills that may have 
> dubious artihmetic.
> 

Thanks Bob!

"yetanotherBob" <yetanotherbob@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:MPG.1fb809869a684c2b989686@news.erols.com...
> James,
> I'm hesitant to specify the exact place, given that I didn't 
> pursue the
> matter at the time and don't want to get slapped with a suit 
> of any kind
> for bad-mouthing them.  (I'm guessing that their pockets are a 
> lot

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Details snipped<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I think I am adequately warned and I will look out for the 
practice :-)



-- 
James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland