‘Don’t get bamboozled’: Woman exposes sneaky restaurant billing scam that could cost you hundreds if you’re not paying attention

A content creator just exposed a major problem with restaurant payment kiosks that could make you pay way more than you should. Kim, who posts videos as @kimexplains_ on TikTok, showed how a restaurant’s digital system tried to charge her almost 50% tip on her meal. This is a serious issue for people who quickly tap and pay without checking the numbers carefully.

According to BroBible, Kim is warning everyone to look closely at the pre-calculated tip options on those touchscreens. Her bill came to $60.50, and normally an 18% tip would be about $11. But the system suggested she pay $29.88 for an 18% tip, which is actually a 49.4% tip on her real bill amount.

Kim said on TikTok, “Don’t just punch in 15 or 18% because my check came out to 60, and they’re saying 18% is almost $30 out of 60. That’s a 50% tip. So they’re trying to trick us.” For that $29.88 to actually be 18%, her bill would need to be around $166, not $60.50.

The problem goes deeper than a simple billing mistake

Kim posted another video explaining what caused this error. The restaurant had been adding other customers’ food to her bill. When she got her digital check, the suggested tip amounts were based on this higher total that included meals she never ordered.

The itemized receipt the restaurant texted her made the problem even more obvious. It showed food items she didn’t order and even had someone else’s credit card information on it. Kim only ordered food for her group of four people, but the tab was much bigger. This kind of deceptive practice isn’t new, similar to how some mechanics promise repairs but deliver something completely different.

“It also has somebody else’s credit card information,” she said. “And then it’s comped. It actually says credit. And it says $325 credit and I think a $15 one. This is from the restaurant that’s crediting the meals that weren’t mine.”

This mistake hits customers twice. Kim explained, “Not only are you paying a higher tax… Not only are you paying or being suggested a higher tip, you’re also paying a higher tax.” The tax was calculated on the full inflated bill, so people were paying tax on food they never ate before being asked to tip on that same inflated amount.

Kim pointed out how easy it is to miss this error, especially when you’re out with friends. “If someone’s drinking and unaware of what’s going on, click, click, click, click, they’re paying 50% for their little meal,” she said. When technology fails to work as expected, passengers can face dangerous situations, and the same applies to payment systems that don’t function properly.

A server at the restaurant admitted they use this practice of running multiple customers on one bill, but they didn’t know the tip suggestions were being calculated on the full amount before credits were applied. Servers need to understand this practice is causing customers to pay much higher tips and taxes than they should.

The normal tip for good restaurant service is usually 20% to 25% of the pre-tax total. To protect yourself from these faulty kiosks, always check your bill total against what you actually ordered before looking at the tip screen. Review any itemized receipts for charges that aren’t yours and calculate your tip manually based on your real food and drink total. Don’t let yourself feel rushed into clicking the wrong button. Take your time with digital kiosks and ask for fixes right away if you see something wrong.