Do not ever go there.
Typically after work my coworkers and I like to go for a few beer and appys. Lately with the nice weather, we've been looking for a nice patio, and Characters happens to be on our way home.
Last night we had a new waiter, an Australian, that wasn't very good but he was trying hard and had only been there for four days. Because of his effort, we were going to give him a tip anyway. When we finally got our bills sorted out, they had put extra info on each as follows:
15% tip is 3.99
18% tip is 4.79
20% tip is 5.32
22% tip is 5.85
I found that to be pushing things a bit, while some others thought it was sort of helpful. However, at that point, someone said that the waiters there are not allowed to keep their tips. I asked our waiter and he told us that he actually got a salary of about $10.50 an hour, not any of the tips.
So all that helpful information about how much to reward our server was not for HIS benefit, it was for the two owners who hovered like vultures, watching us very closely to make sure we didn't slip him cash (which we tried). They watched even more closely after I went and paid with interac and did NOT hit the tip buttons.
I actually got dirty looks, as did my colleagues, from both owners.
I felt like we were forced to cheat him out of what he'd worked hard to earn and I resent the owners for putting us in that position. I was not interested in lining their pockets, I was interested in tipping a hot Australian who worked his ass off to make sure we had everything we asked for within minutes of asking.
