autograt

n. a tip that is included as a charge on a restaurant bill rather than left to a diner’s discretion. Subjects: English, Food & Drink, Money & Finance

Etymological Note: From automatic gratuity.

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Citations: 2004 [timesnewroman] Waiter Blog (Dec. 1) “Autograt”: An autograt is an automatic gratuity of usually 15 to 20 percent assessed to larger tables, usually of 6 people of more. an autograt affords the waiter the luxury of knowing his/her tip is a fait accompli. some diners tip on top of autograts. 2005 Waiter Rant (Feb. 1) “Cheap Bastards”: When I work banquets where the bqt. manager and head chef get tipped out, I walk with about 11.75% of a 20% auto-grat. That hurts. 2005 [WallStreetGraffiti] WallStreetGraffitiPainter (Saint Augustine, Florida) (Mar. 31) “Phew what a night”: They didn’t leave him any tip other than the auto grat! haha! 2005 Karri Peifer Richmond.com (Virginia) (Aug. 26) “Eat Beat”: Ad grat, or auto grat, as it’s know in the biz, is a restaurant standard that means gratuity is automatically added to a check. Generally the gratuity is 18 percent, it’s added on the pre-taxed total for large parties (between six and eight or more) and the restaurant should note on their menu if they practice this policy. 2006 [Foodgeek] Atlanta Cuisine Restaurant Talk (Georgia) (June 15) “Re: Restaurants adding gratuity when you”: The only way to fairly and legally deal with autograt is to make it truly automatic and not up to a server’s discretion. If a server chooses to grat green people and not purple people, or short people and not tall people, the restaurant opens itself up to charges of discrimination and lawsuits. *2006 Betsy Schiffman @ New York AP (Sept. 12) “Don’t forget to tip the wait staff”: While most restaurants already charge an automatic service fee for large parties, at least one restaurant began the practice of charging an automatic 20 percent gratuity, or “autograt,” as it is sometimes called, on every check.

Posted 14 Sep 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

I am part of a large group of Kansas City fans that gets together once a month or so for a new adventure in dining, someone suggests a restaurant and we either go “no way” or “yes, I’m coming.”

We tend to field an average of 20 people for the event.

We have been treated very crappily by waitstaff. BUT the big caveat: a lot of us have HAD jobs like that. And we appreciate good waitstaff totally and completely.

If we get treated normally or above normally well, we TIP MORE THAN THE ‘AUTOGRAT’ RATE. Some waitstaff figure that out--we’re really appreciative if they’re good-- and don’t add the tip to the bill--and earn quite a lot more than usual. Others don’t and sometimes get left a few dollars more at the table BUT we tend to figure if your establishment insists on a set tip, you won’t get more than that from us. Tips are earned and we resent it if we’re forced to tip, especially when we get really bad service (the guy who complains to the manager is in Puerto Rico right now so some waiters should count their blessings....)

Our favorite place a diner that we hit after every monthly meeting, fields an extra waitress/waiter that night for us. They hit the jackpot, despite the fact that there is nothing on the menu more than $10. Because even the people who might just buy a drink (non-alcoholic) or a dessert leave a dollar at minimum.

by dragonet2 15 Sep 06, 0258 GMT

Okay, so you have worked in the food industry. So how often have you waited on a large group, to have them only leave you a couple of dollars? Less than 10%? It happens more often than not. Also, if you work in a establishment that has a lot of foreigners that just do not tip, then what? Servers make less than minimum wage in most places & in a lot of places the customers do not think of this. There are occassions that groups leave additional tips or extra, but do not think you are of the norm. Don’t get excited or upset that there is an automatic tip on large parties. HOWEVER if they service is horrible, then you have a legitamate complaint. But the fact is, not everyone tips & working a larger party is not easy.

by Betty 23 Jul 07, 0821 GMT