I was in a store recently and while checking out I noticed the cashier had failed to ring up an item but had already placed it in the bag. I told her about her error and she then rang up the item. She said something I found strange, “Thank you for being honest.†She then added, “Most people don’t do that.â€
Later that same day I was in a restaurant and along with the meal my wife and I ordered two side dishes of an item (coleslaw to be precise – I just thought you simply had to have slaw with fish and chips – any comment from you guys in Ireland or the UK?)
Well, when the bill came there was no charge for the coleslaw. I called the waitress over and told her that there was a problem with the bill… she got a bit defensive, oops. “You forgot to charge us for the coleslaw,†I said. “Oh, I am not used to having someone tell me when I undercharge them, thank you.†She replied. :-2
Yikes!
It would appear that our expectations are more for dishonesty than honesty, how the heck did that happen? Is someone else’s honest mistake your gain? What’s fair?
I have heard the rationalizing like, they will never know, it’s a big company what does it matter, or they cheat me more than I cheat them so we are even, tough luck it’s their mistake or the ultimate, everyone does it. :-1
Ah, not everyone does it.
What do you say?
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." George Bernard Shaw
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking" Gen. George Patton
Quinnscommentary
Observations on Life. Give it a try now and tell a friend or two or fifty.
Unfortunately, Quinn, human nature does quite often do dishonest things, with the excuses you mentioned. Sad, really. I have always been brought up to be honest. To respect other people, and their property. Oh I was a mischievous child, and even now, decades further down the line, I am still mischievous - you only need ask my hubby :wah: I remember on one holiday I was standing at the edge of a harbour, admiring one of the many fishing vessels tied up at the harbour, when I noticed a bulge which did not seem right, it was black and sitting right at the outer edge of the rubbing strake (this is actually on the outside of the hull). I leant down and picked it up, it was a man's black leather wallet ! I looked inside and it was full of paper money, seemed like £150 plus. Also some credit cards etc. There was also the owner's name and it looked like he was off the oil rigs! My husband and I went to the local police station and the desk officer checked the wallet's contents, counted the money etc, in front of us, we signed various documents, and we had to leave our address etc. in case the wallet wasn't claimed within 4 weeks, when it would be sent to us, probably minus the cards of course. It was claimed apparently, a few days later on because we rang the police station to check, after about a week, just before we returned home.
We never heard a thing from the owner, not even a thank-you. Sad that really, because it would have been nice to have got a thankyou.
Had I not taken the wallet to the police station and kept the money for myself, I would never have felt comfortable about it at all, I just never considered doing that. My thought was that some poor bugger out on the oil rigs had just lost his wages, and how would he pay for his rent or mortgage and stuff.
I could never cheat people like that, even large companies, it isn't honest, and I would not have the conscience for it.
Firstly and most importantly, Coleslaw and fish and chips ?
NO !!!!
The only thing to have with fish and chips is salt and vinigar, possibly a pickled onion or a wally (pickled gherkin) eaten with your fingers, anything else is sacrilige.
Now then about this more trivial honesty thing.
I tend to react instinctively when I find something such as a lost wallet, and hand it in. When under charged I own up.
But given the opportunity to "borrow" a phonecall, a pen, or a handful of screws/nails from work, I do, as my need is greater than my employer.
I believe most people believe they have half shares in property from their places of work, and take it as part of the perks of the job.
I thought I knew more than this until I opened my mouth
Bruv;878978 wrote: Firstly and most importantly, Coleslaw and fish and chips ?
NO !!!!
The only thing to have with fish and chips is salt and vinigar, possibly a pickled onion or a wally (pickled gherkin) eaten with your fingers, anything else is sacrilige.
Now then about this more trivial honesty thing.
I tend to react instinctively when I find something such as a lost wallet, and hand it in. When under charged I own up.
But given the opportunity to "borrow" a phonecall, a pen, or a handful of screws/nails from work, I do, as my need is greater than my employer.
I believe most people believe they have half shares in property from their places of work, and take it as part of the perks of the job.
I have to agree with you about the work thing, I must plead guilty to a few pens and pencils, a pad of paper or two, but since I do a lot of work on my own time, it is easy to rationalize.
As far as the fish and chips go, I now know the correct protocal, slaw is out and a wally is in. I have got the vinegar thing right though.
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." George Bernard Shaw
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking" Gen. George Patton
Quinnscommentary
Observations on Life. Give it a try now and tell a friend or two or fifty.
G#Gill;878966 wrote: Unfortunately, Quinn, human nature does quite often do dishonest things, with the excuses you mentioned. Sad, really. I have always been brought up to be honest. To respect other people, and their property. Oh I was a mischievous child, and even now, decades further down the line, I am still mischievous - you only need ask my hubby :wah: I remember on one holiday I was standing at the edge of a harbour, admiring one of the many fishing vessels tied up at the harbour, when I noticed a bulge which did not seem right, it was black and sitting right at the outer edge of the rubbing strake (this is actually on the outside of the hull). I leant down and picked it up, it was a man's black leather wallet ! I looked inside and it was full of paper money, seemed like £150 plus. Also some credit cards etc. There was also the owner's name and it looked like he was off the oil rigs! My husband and I went to the local police station and the desk officer checked the wallet's contents, counted the money etc, in front of us, we signed various documents, and we had to leave our address etc. in case the wallet wasn't claimed within 4 weeks, when it would be sent to us, probably minus the cards of course. It was claimed apparently, a few days later on because we rang the police station to check, after about a week, just before we returned home.
We never heard a thing from the owner, not even a thank-you. Sad that really, because it would have been nice to have got a thankyou.
Had I not taken the wallet to the police station and kept the money for myself, I would never have felt comfortable about it at all, I just never considered doing that. My thought was that some poor bugger out on the oil rigs had just lost his wages, and how would he pay for his rent or mortgage and stuff.
I could never cheat people like that, even large companies, it isn't honest, and I would not have the conscience for it.
Many years ago when I was young, I found a wallet in the street with $88 in it, & took it home & showed it to my dad. He looked inside & found the owner's name, got their phone number from info, & called them to come & pick it up. They did, I got a dollar reward! :-2
Before Sunset;878993 wrote: Well, sheesh, there's gratitude for ya!
Kinda wants to make you sometimes second guess yourself!:wah:
Getting back to the OP, if I felt that the person who made the mistake would actually have to pay for their mistake out of their own pocket, then I would correct it. However, like in the case of a large restaurant's slaw not being included in the bill, I think that fact would not put them out of business. And that the server would not have to pay for it. As most likely all the unserved slaw that day, would probably be thrown away anyway! So . . . .
I went to the shop the other day and I just pile everything on top of the stroller...anyhow I paid for everything...or so I thought, and when I got to the car found I hadnt paid for a tin of baby food:eek: so back I went and explained what happened and paid for it
I have handed in wallets, credit cards, looked after lost dogs, knocked on nieghbours doors to warn of car lights left on ect ect. Normally I will say if I'm undercharged but lately Ive taken a bit of a rebellious turn.
There are some places where if I'm undercharged I feel its their own fault for employing staff that can't count.
I can't stand to go into a shop & a young checker can't count back the change to you - has no idea how to count back the change - screws up with the amount they're trying to give back - and has to wait & look at the cash register to tell them how much change to hand back - and they still screw it up....
I seldom pay attention to every item going past the scanner.
Assuming that 'most people' wouldn't alert you says more about the cashiers view of the world then it does about the actual world. There is no way the cashier could actually know anything about human nature, because either they are intentionally giving items away or the customer could simply be just as unobservant as the cashier.:wah:
BTW - I also don't check items off my receipt when I get home to be sure I haven't been overcharged or double charged on an item, although I'm sure I've seen 60 minute shows that prove it happens every day - in just about every store.
I expressly forbid the use of any of my posts anywhere outside of FG (with the exception of the incredibly witty 'get a room already' )posted recently.
Folks who'd like to copy my intellectual work should expect to pay me for it.:-6
Once upon a time I was not such an outstanding role model as I am now, he said modestly. These days I couldn't even unintentionally steal something. I suppose this is maturity, or something like it. Or perhaps it's fear of Karma.
rjwould;879344 wrote: How would she know, unless she is doing it intentionally to observe how customers react?
Again, this waitress is either a total idiot or simply intentionally undercharging patrons to see who would be honest and who would not.
It seems to me that both answers were rhetorical and simply something to say out of embarrassment.
It hasn't happened to most people, you are simply using your tunnel vision and hearing exactly what you want and expect to.
How often have you heard people rationalize this way? Just curious.
Not even most..
As for me, I don't pay that much attention, I figure it all evens out over a life time, and if not, so what...
I would view the observations of both the cashier and waitress as relating to the fact they assume mistakes are made, but are rarely brought to their attention, perhaps on the assumption that if people do bring errors not in their favor to light, there must be some measure of ones in their favor which apparently are not mentioned as often.
I am beginning to think you are one of those people who actually does live in a cave without any direct contact with people (but of course you do have an internet connection so that can't be 100% true) or you have a very generous view of human nature. On the other hand so many years of dealing with people and their perspectives on many issues each day may have soured me a bit too much. I wish you were right, but I doubt it.
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." George Bernard Shaw
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking" Gen. George Patton
Quinnscommentary
Observations on Life. Give it a try now and tell a friend or two or fifty.
Coleslaw with fish & chips? Loathe the stuff:wah:, but I do like fish & chips with ketchup though.
As for the question - I always try to be honest. All 4 of my kids tried lifting something from a store at a young age and got caught by me and I always made them go to the clerk and explain they took the item. It was strictly to embarress them. Well, it worked and now they just ask me if they can have the item or not.
rjwould;879811 wrote: I meant to point out what a good guy you seem to be in your stories. Do you have any in which you are not viewed in such light? I'd like to hear one..
One other observation....in both scenarios, the less, shall we say, acute minded persons is female, while the level headed, accurate person is you, a male.
I have no doubt many of our 18,000 employees and retirees would have a not so good light on me and what I do and many say so on a regular basis, but I never stick to anyone intentionally. I should give more to charity than I do, if that helps, my wife pointed that out to me yesterday.
As far as male and female go, it was actually my wife who pointed out the errors in both cases I was just there by her side when she did it.
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." George Bernard Shaw
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking" Gen. George Patton
Quinnscommentary
Observations on Life. Give it a try now and tell a friend or two or fifty.
qsducks;879858 wrote: Coleslaw with fish & chips? Loathe the stuff:wah:, but I do like fish & chips with ketchup though.
As for the question - I always try to be honest. All 4 of my kids tried lifting something from a store at a young age and got caught by me and I always made them go to the clerk and explain they took the item. It was strictly to embarress them. Well, it worked and now they just ask me if they can have the item or not.
I hope the ketchup only goes on the fries, but as someone from the UK pointed out the correct procedure (at least there) is vinegar and salt only.
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." George Bernard Shaw
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking" Gen. George Patton
Quinnscommentary
Observations on Life. Give it a try now and tell a friend or two or fifty.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY;880112 wrote: I hope the ketchup only goes on the fries, but as someone from the UK pointed out the correct procedure (at least there) is vinegar and salt only.
I thought I was posting on the other thread you started. Mia culpa:)
hotsauce;880115 wrote: When I served I would sometimes "forget" to charge for a side in hopes of a larger tip. Leave it to you honest folks to mess that up!
Hey good to see you back hs, and you're right! When things were in fact left off the bill in a restaurant, I would include that dollar amount extra in the tip!!! (You shrewd little devil you!!! :p)
hotsauce;880115 wrote: When I served I would sometimes "forget" to charge for a side in hopes of a larger tip. Leave it to you honest folks to mess that up!
So you stole from your boss and pulled a con job on the customer who then rewarded you for stealing and then stole themselves knowing they were not charged for what they ordered and presumably ate.
I love it! :rolleyes:
Did you get this one RJ?
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." George Bernard Shaw
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking" Gen. George Patton
Quinnscommentary
Observations on Life. Give it a try now and tell a friend or two or fifty.
JAB;880329 wrote: I would have thought you'd have to make up the difference for what you didn't charge.
I would think how would the restaurant know what was served by the server, if the server didn't enter "it" in the computer, and just serverd "it" to the customer?! :-2
JAB;880341 wrote: Aren't orders spot checked or anything? Doesn't a restaurant ever audit its servers to make sure they are charging what they're supposed to be?
If they do, (never worked at a restaurant, just see servers enter the orders on computer) and the server left something off bill, they were audited, they may try to say the forgot?! Don't know?
QUINNSCOMMENTARY;880316 wrote: So you stole from your boss and pulled a con job on the customer who then rewarded you for stealing and then stole themselves knowing they were not charged for what they ordered and presumably ate.
I love it! :rolleyes:
Did you get this one RJ?
No, I scrwed the business, not the customer. They saw the bill and the amount. They usually just paid over because I gave them a free roll or something and they thought I was extra nice or extra forgetful. Yeah, I think pretty much everyone does it...not saying it is right....just the way it is and what I saw. Nobody brought the forgotten roll to my attention. However, before I got comfy in my position I did charge my grandpa for an exta roll and I could tell that tighwad (man he pinch a penny) was disgruntled about it. Maybe being a crook is a genetic thing for me?
I was employee of the year with a serving staff of over 50. Wonder if they would take away my title if they knew? *shudder*
cars;880336 wrote: I would think how would the restaurant know what was served by the server, if the server didn't enter "it" in the computer, and just serverd "it" to the customer?! :-2
Because the server has to put it on a list to go into the kitchen (often via the computerised till) in order to get the item to serve.
Bryn Mawr;881130 wrote: Because the server has to put it on a list to go into the kitchen (often via the computerised till) in order to get the item to serve.
Actually little things like the bowl of soup, or basket of rolls, or salad, sodas, ice tea, or even the "slaw", is usually handled/gotten by the server themselves in many restaurants here! Only "they" know which customer got what. So it really could be left off the bill, if the server so chooses. :-2
rjwould;881005 wrote: You didn't screw anybody, don't worry about it. The industry accounts for it.
Quinn, I guess it would be a fair assumption that you never let a bartender buy you a drink or a free beer, huh? I can imagine a bar tender giving you one on the house and you going into a diatribe on the morals of why you think he/she is stealing from the boss, and then going to the manager to turn the employee in.
Nope, never have, but then again I am not at a bar that often and I don't recall ever long enough for a bartender to want to do that.
The more I say the stranger I seem, right?
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." George Bernard Shaw
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking" Gen. George Patton
Quinnscommentary
Observations on Life. Give it a try now and tell a friend or two or fifty.
rjwould;881005 wrote: You didn't screw anybody, don't worry about it. The industry accounts for it.
"the industry accounts for it." What does tha have to do with anything?"
Isn't that like saying it's no big deal not reporting half your income because the IRS accounts for the hundred billion or so in unreported income each year?
Oh right, I forgot, if you are paid in cash it is not taxable!
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." George Bernard Shaw
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking" Gen. George Patton
Quinnscommentary
Observations on Life. Give it a try now and tell a friend or two or fifty.
Nope. At least not intentionally... I once had a check from my employer that had a $9,000 error in my favor and noticed it when I was just about to cash it. I reported the oversight and was later told it would never have been caught had I not done so. Unfortunately, it also got someone fired... well, in part... apparently she was already on the firing block. :p
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“You forgot to charge us for the coleslaw,†I said. “Oh, I am not used to having someone tell me when I undercharge them, thank you.†She replied. :-2
