WARNING: avoid Overland Cafe

[laguerita]

I went there a few days ago, and on top of the food being overpriced and tasteless, I just realized that the waitress charged my card for an unauthorized tip even though we left a generous cash tip! I called the owner to let him know, and he claimed that it was actually my credit card company that assumes a 20% tip when i use it at restaurants. Suuuure, my credit card (which is actually a debit card from a credit union) has always been charging me +20% when I eat at restaurants and I've just never noticed before...shady beyond shady, and the food is so not worth it. I will never go back, and recommend that you don't either.

[mstinawu]

If I leave a cash tip when I've paid w/ cc, I always write 0.00 in the tip line just to be sure.

[Servorg]

I too think their food is nothing special. The tip thing is what credit / debit card companies do to make certain that there is room on your available credit / debit balance to pay the bill with a tip. It falls off when the final settlement of charges is made. Until folks could go home and immediately check their statement via the credit / debit company website they never knew that this was taking place because the charge was gone from their statement when the bill arrived.

[laguerita]

Thanks, but unfortunately I already checked with my card company, and that's not the case...this is the first time I've ever received an additional charge and it was the cafe's call, not my card's.

[Servorg]

Sorry for getting my explanation goofed up. The restaurant doesn't know if you are leaving the charge on your credit / debit card or not when they are running your charge since you would be writing in the tip after you get the bill back from them to sign, so they run it with the 20% tip included to get authorization for that total amount. When you pay cash they only process the meal cost (or if you leave the tip on your card, but less than 20%, they process whatever actual amount you write in on the tip line).

[Burger Boy]

Wait 72 hrs and see if the charge comes off. CC Companies hold X amount + 20% till the card is adjusted, now if the CC Co. told you the restaurant adjusted it to the amount, then write a letter to the owner and get in their face and tell them you are reporting them to the CC Co. and to the Better Business Bureau.