There’s a video of two creeps in a Mexican restaurant where a patron had left a $20 cash tip on the table. The woman who left the tip stood up and looked around because she wanted the staff to know she had left a cash tip (since this is generally considered better, because some restaurant owners skim credit card tips) and she obviously thought that she had made eye contact with her server to let her know the tip was there.
So the customer left, and the female creep, who looked like the larger creep in this current incident, pointed the tip out to her male friend. He leaned out of the booth and looked around to make sure the coast was clear, gave her the high sign, and then she lumbered over and grabbed the tip.
They were probably caught because the server knew that the customer wouldn’t have stiffed her, so the restaurant went through the security video, and there they were...
I worked in a restaurant for years, throughout college, and it infuriates me when I see people doing this to restaurant staff. It may be classified as petty theft, but it’s insulting and really hard to bear if you’re waiting tables for a living and have these privileged freaks come in and not only treat you badly but steal from you.
I put any cash payment directly in my waiter’s/waitress’s hand. Less chance of thievery that way.
If you leave a good tip then giving it in cash will help because they do not have to declare it on the taxes. Even though they will have to pay taxes on a percentage of their total tickets they can sort of pocket the rest.
He leaned out of the booth and looked around to make sure the coast was clear, gave her the high sign, and then she lumbered over and grabbed the tip.
My wife and I once watched a Spanish speaking family leave their table and they took tips from two tables as they passed them. I now always give our waiter/waitress their tips directly as I always over-tip and do not want low-life thieves stealing the hard-earned money from the wait staff.