Credit Cards To Waiters – People in USA once dining out at restaurants have generally adopted the practice of handing their credit cards to the waiters. It has been a part of the culture of dining out in the restaurants of the USA. To give the credit card for different purposes to the waiters. While dining in for food or for take away or delivery of the food.
Introduction
It has long been a part of the culture of the restaurants, cafes and other eateries of the USA. To give credit cards to the waiter. In other words, it is a standard practice in the USA for the client. At the restaurant to give the waiter their credit card. It is usually given when the food has been served on the table of the customer. The waiter then goes back to the terminal or the cash counter to do the billing for the customer. The credit card is scanned by the waiter and then the receipt of the bill is submitted to the customer.
In short, the credit card is giving to the waiters. The customers for making the payment of the bill of the restaurant. Paying on the credit card enables the customer to gain extra rewards and enhance the credit transaction history. The receipt issued to the customer of the credit card’s payment comprises a gratuity section. Which is like a tip of working effectively for the fulfillment of the amount. After obtaining the gratuity, the waiter tends to collect the tip placed in the diary. And then the customer leaves the restaurant.
The low-context culture of USA focuses a lot on mannerisms and ethics. Pleasing the staff especially the waiters at the restaurants is inevitable for the customers. The best way out to please the customers is by giving them a tip. It is an expression of gratitude and good ethics extended towards the restaurant’s waiters and the staff.
Process of giving the credit card to the waiters in USA
Usually when the waiter has served the food on the table in the restaurants or the café. The customer gives away his credit card to the waiter for making payment of the restaurant’s bill. The customer also provides a tip to the waiter privately by giving his or her credit card. The waiter then returns by bringing the receipt to the customer, which is duly signed by the customer. The customer also states an amount of the gratuity. Tip require to give to the waiter stating an amount to give on the signed receipt of the bill. The amount of the tip is also added to the credit card charged for the customer. And this is added to the same credit card charge terminal.
Therefore, it can be asserted that the process of making payment. To the waiters of the restaurants via credit card is hassle-free. It involves less fuss and is easy and convenient to handle and use.
Usefulness of handing credit cards to the waiters in USA
The waiter usually have the credit card terminals in front of them in the restaurant, café and eateries. The waiters are standing in front of the restaurant’s customers. And are easily able to seek the payment and the tip from the customer without any hassle using the credit card terminals. These terminals have the characteristic of being transparent, accurate and precise.
Problems of handing credit cards to the waiters in USA
The method of handling credit card to the waiter’s restaurant’s customers of USA involves an invasion of privacy of the customer. There is usually no element of privacy or any boundary granted to the customer. For providing a tip or a gratuity to the waiter by credit card if the waiter is around. It creates an awkward situation for the customer in presence of the waiter by placing extra pressure on customer’s mind. It also entails a sense of poor customer experience from the perspective of Americans.
There is a possibility of a scam or a fraud happening by making payment via a credit card. Often personal details of the customer are leaked or revealed once a customer gives credit card. To the waiter for making payment of the bill. The chances of an online scam or fraud are common. And hackers might steal information of the customers when credit card is submitted for payment of the bill.
From the point of view of the restaurant’s management. It is likely that some managers may not pay the waiters. Their required gratuity assigned to them by the customers upon the credit card. Often receiving the tip or the gratuity via cash payment is plausible than paying it via credit card. When cash in hand is paid to the waiter by the customers. Then it is likely that the waiter can receive the amount for sure. And chances of it being skipped are rare or seldom.
Perception of non-Americans about customers handing over credit card to waiters in America and the actual reality
Generally, it is perceived that USA is not tech savvy. It is technologically backward as compared to Europe and Canada. Non-Americans are of the view that credit card terminals are not used freely in the restaurants of USA.
Now to clearly assert, this fact is not at all true. Nearly almost all restaurants of USA are utilizing credit card terminals in order to receive the billing of the customers. Credit card terminals are a source of bridging the gap between customers and the waiters at the restaurants. In fact this widely prevailing culture of making payments via credit card. In the restaurants has improved the etiquettes of restaurants.
The views of the non-Americans are nullified as the tipping component by handing credit cards. To waiters in America is well-integrated with each other. Tipping generally is not a big issue in other countries across the globe. As per the research studies conducted on the restaurants’ payment methods.
General statements on embracing the culture of handing the credit cards to waiter
Generally, the culture of paying restaurants bill through credit cards in USA has been introduced pretty much late. Non Americans have considered American system of payment obsolete, old-fashioned and backward since ages. It is because tipping culture and payment through credit cards was introduce really late in America. Payment by cash for the bill of the restaurant. And paying tip to the customers by cash in hand has been a common practice in American restaurants since years. This method has been deem as obsolete and backward non-Americans.
Paying at the counter by cash at American restaurants has long been a culture. Paying both for the restaurant’s bill and to pay for the tip is equally a part of old culture of American restaurants. In fast food restaurants while paying at the cash counter for the food ordered, generally customers prefer paying in front of their eyes. Rather allowing the waiter to pick their credit card and taking it to the cash counter for providing a receipt of payment of the bill, customers prefer paying by cash.
In short, it can assert that the choice of paying through credit card depends on the nature of the restaurant. In fast food restaurants, generally customers prefer paying by cash due to the nature of delivery of meal. While in Italian, Chinese and other continental based restaurants, which takes a long time to process order, serve and eat, customers feel secure to pay via credit cards. This way paying for tip and gratuity is also make via credit card.
A sense of royalty and luxury in the culture of USA if the customer
Moreover, it also entails a sense of royalty and luxury in the culture of USA if the customer of any restaurant gives credit card to the waiter for making payment of the bill of the food eaten. It is a part of the philosophy of American restaurants for the waiters to take the credit card from sir or madam dining in for food at the restaurant. It reveals a sense of good mannerisms and ethics.
The act of handing over the credit card to the waiter to process it for billing enables the people dining in to continue interacting with the people they are dining with without any interruption or distraction. Usually due to the privilege of paying through credit card, several people enjoy the idea of dining in at the restaurants of America. Many people like serve exclusively from ordering food to making payment for it till the end.
Another major reason for paying through credit card in US restaurants is that restaurants have a single credit card machine at the point of payment at the counter. It is tie to an electrical outlet or any land line telephone booth. These machines are generally not portable. Therefore, it is plausible to carry the credit card to the machine of the restaurant rather carrying the machine to the credit card. This encourages the customer to give the credit card to the waiter of the restaurant for making payment of the food taken.
The credit card machine in practice at present in USA
The credit card machine in practice at present in USA is lightweight. Earlier than this, the credit card machine was bulky and it required manual swiping. It has been require for making an imprint with the carbon copy of the paper. Due to its benefits of usage, the credit card had been easy to use the waiters in different restaurants of America. The waiters generally take the credit card and swipe it and return back to the customer.
Usually, the banks of America provide for better protection on the usage of credit cards. The cards are secure and protect against theft, fraud or scam. As contrast to European and Australian banks, the credit cards provide for American banks are far more insured. They provide greater general security and defense. An instant notification is receive on the mobile phone of the customer once payment is make via a credit card at the restaurant. Such benefits are always encouraging for the customers dining out at the restaurants to use credit card and to give them to the waiter for making payment of the food eaten and for paying the tip.
Technology of American countries has advanced to an extent that usually the waiter does not have to touch the credit card. Chip and pin of the credit card is contactless by the waiter, which makes it secure and safe. Many times, the customer is able to keep a strong eye on the usage of his or her credit card by giving it to the waiter for processing payment. Like this, the chances of theft or scam are minimized.
A few interesting reasons for the people to give their credit card to the waiter
Other interesting reasons for the customer to hand over their credit card to the waiter in the restaurant for making payment of their bill is that they are like pretty much lazy to pay for the bill of the food on their own. They are lazy enough to walk to the cash counter or point of sale terminal for making payment by cash on their own. Therefore, they consider it feasible to pay via their credit card by calling the waiter, and submitting the credit card to make payment of the restaurant’s bill. They are also able to pay for the tip by signing off the amount of the tip to be given on the bill of the restaurant.
Some customers do not like to feel interrupted from their ongoing conversation with their friends and other acquaintances while having the food. Getting off from the table to make payment on the cash counter is tedious and involves hassle in the sight of some of the customers. They hence rely on the usage of the credit card for making payment by giving the credit card to the waiter. Tipping is also facilitated easily by the use of the credit card.
The businessmen consider it a bit insulting to pay via cash
Usually, on the business meetings and the conference’s meet ups for lunch, dinners and tea at the restaurant; it is a matter of great privilege and honor to use the credit cards for making payment of the restaurant’s bill, and to pay for the tip on the bill. The businessmen consider it a bit insulting to pay via cash and consider paying through premium credit cards as a source of their esteem and honor.
The business personnel dining at restaurants get an additional value-added benefit of several rewards while making payment on their credit cards by handing them over to waiters in restaurants. Such rewards and benefits comprise special discounts and concessions on travelling, booking, shopping on groceries, fuel stations etc.
Recommendations
Overall, it is recommended to the customers to hand over their credit card to the waiters at the restaurants of America. It saves time, effort, energy and provides a source of relief to the customers while dining in at a restaurant. The business men especially avail special privileges and benefits from giving their credit card. To waiters for clearing their billing of the food eaten. In addition, it is suggested that the people safely and carefully use their credit cards. While giving them to the waiters in the restaurant. At times, the chances of theft, robbery and any relevant scam is common upon making payment on credit card.
Special protection and safety measures should be taken while giving right to the waiter to clear their billing on it. Some scams had been common in New York’s restaurants. Where some of the customers had their personal details and related information leaked out. By using the credit cards once given to the waiters for the payment. It not only posed the customer in trouble and hassle. But also created issues of repute of the waiters and the management of the restaurants. The staff and the management were blamed for poor use of the credit card. And some of the restaurants had to dismiss their waiters for this recklessness.
Conclusion
It is safe to conclude that the culture of giving the credit cards to the waiters in USA is prevalent since quite long by now to sophisticate the payment process and method in the restaurants. This method is becoming increasingly common in USA to respond to non-Americans claiming that Americans are quite obsolete or backward in their payment for the bill and tipping at the restaurants.
The customers must always ensure that their credit cards are fully and well secured while making payment on them to the waiter of the restaurant. In an event of any fraudulent issue arising, the customer must inform the bank about it and subsequent steps must take to avoid the scam from growing ahead. In addition, the customers should endeavor their best to leave some amount as tip for the waiter. This could do specifying some amount on the sign bill’s receipt for the tip and then it should give to the waiter.
