I had just finished visiting a friend in the hospital and stopped by a burger drive-through for lunch to eat on the way back to work. I ordered the #1 combo (burger, fry, coke) for $4.29.
She said "that'll be $4.83, please drive forward."
"$4.83? For a $4.29 meal? That's 54 cents tax! That can't be right," my mind raced.
Tax is 8 cents on the dollar in Huntsville and for 4 dollars that would be 32 cents plus 1/3 (29) of 8 cents would be 35 cents max. I'd heard of window workers overcharging drive through customers and skimming the money for themselves. Someone did just that to me at a Hardees couple of years ago. I didn't have my calculator watch (I lost it a while back) so I got a pen and paper and did the long division since there were 2 cars ahead of me. Let's see ... 483/429 ... over 12 percent tax!
When I got to the window I handed her a 5 and said "what's the sales tax in Huntsville?"
She didn't know. I said "$4.83 for a $4.29 meal is 12 percent tax. That can't be right. Can I talk to the manager?"
She gave me my change and called the manager.
So the manager comes over.
I ask what the sales tax is in Huntsville, and she says 8 percent.
I say that I just paid $4.83 for a $4.29 meal and that's over 12 percent sales tax.
She got a funny look on her face and said that maybe the computer had rung it up wrong or had charged me for the biggie size. (biggie upgrade was 35 cents - which would be 4.64 plus tax which would put it over $5).
She admitted it was supposed to be 4.63, and opened the drawer to give me my extra change.
"HA!" I thought to myself. "Six years engineering school has so heightened my mental mathematical adeptness that I can do percentages in my head and my superior intellect has foiled a feeble attempt by a drive-through worker to overcharge me."
I took the twenty cents she handed me, proud of my staggering genius, and smugly drove off without my food.
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11 comments:
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahaha you made my day Jimmy
hahahaha..great punch line..,...
Did everyone forget about Scotty Bowman, I beleive he only played Junior before he got hurt.
Margo
Hi Margo, Cannot understand why these items appear under "take out" but who am I to question. Scotty was playing either junior hockey or in the QHL when he was slashed over the head which ended his hockey career. The player that slashed Scotty was Jean Guy Talbot who played for Shawinigan Cataracs who was suspended for life for this incident. Yes he was the great Montreal Canadian defenseman who was reinstated to play hockey by Scotty Bowman who in turn was given a permanent position in the Montreal Canadien organization. He then became coach of the Jr.Canadiens and then subsequently to the Sr.Habs. Reggie Paine
You are so right about the scams, Give me one. I question the tax thing a few times as well. Watch your chnage too. Sometimes they give you change for a $10 when you hand over a $20. I've uncovered a few other scams over the years as well. scam #2: You order a meal with your wife and when you get the bill at the end.....it adds up alright except check the price of your meals again. Alot of times they are $1 or $2 higher than the menu's prices. This seems to be a usual case at Casa Greque here in Montreal and at more than 1 outlet. Needless to say we don't go there anymore. scam #3: You're presented a bill at the end of the meal and with tax it comes to $53 lets say. You hand over your credit card and when you go to sign....all you have is the amount and tip area. No bill with it. Be Careful!! They then add tax of 7% GST and 8%Provincial on top of the $53!!! Double Taxation. It may be honest mistakes but it seems to happen quite frequently. You gotta be careful folks. Mac
Hi Give me one 1, Where is Huntsville ? Do they charge GST there? If not you are lucky. But for a $4.29 meal in Ontario it would cost you $4.94. I don't know where you were because in Alberta there is no sales tax but if you were in Quebec or Ontario you should apoligize. Reggie Paine
Alberta charges GST ..........no provincial sales tax, but the Grab& Steal Tax......is charged in every province......
Hi French Mac, Your example of scam 3 "double taxation". In Quebec your tax is not 7% and 8%.It could be that 15% gratuity is added to your bill automatically so the server gets a tip. This is very common in the USA where the tip is included in your bill but it is in very small print and you the customer usually doesn't read the small print you add an additional 15%. When we go to Montreal we usually go to Casa Greque and we find it very good. Also my brother can bring his own wine to this restaurant. Reggie Paine
Hi RegtheRetiree1
I live in Ottawa,Ontario and I don't remember
saying anything about the taxes.
Give_me_one_1
Steve
From: RegtheRetiree1
Hi Give me one 1,
Where is Huntsville ? Do they charge GST there? If not you are lucky. But for a $4.29 meal in Ontario it would cost you $4.94. I don't know where you were because in Alberta there is no sales tax but if you were in Quebec or Ontario you should apoligize.
Reggie Paine
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Hi Give _me_one_1, When you bought your burger,coke and fries you asked the Manager in Huntsville if the taxes were 8% because they overcharged you. In Ontario the taxes would be 15% so you actually got a bargain. Reggie Paine
That was a joke that I sent in Reggie.
I sent that in it was under Jokes.
Sorry you miss understood.
Steve
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