Former waitress here. Another reason to write "Cash" in the tip space: protect your server from dishonest bussers who note the "--" or "0" and grab the cash of the table when cleaning it. The server just thinks she got stiffed, but with a "cash" notation, she is at least guaranteed to receive part of the tip you left.
Also, check your math. Restaurants differ in their policy over taking the total you add up, or the tip you note, as the final word. Some restaurants consider that a listed tip is obviously intentional, that you just screwed up the total, and so will change the total to match the tip. Other restaurants don't want to freak customers out when their credit card statement shows a different amount, so they go with your wrong total (unless of course your total is less than the bill--they don't mind messing with tips, but their own bottom line is another story!)
I've worked at several corporate chain restaurants. Every single one fires employees instantly for theft. Credit card slips are usually kept on site, so it shouldn't take more than a few minutes for a manager to locate yours. Don't be afraid to call if you suspect you've been a victim of theft--it's not like the server will be around to spit in your soup next visit!

We always fill out the receipt (all copies) and write TABLE really big on the tip line, so anyone who enters tips will see it. Often, receipts are entered at the end of the night and probably not by the servers themselves, so make it obvious to anyone who might get involved. I've never had a problem this way.

Yes i had a friend who managed a reataurant and he said he'dheard of it done many times throughout the years where a 1 is added on to add on $10 to a tip, or a number is chnged if it was not written clearly enough.

He said the best thing you can do is fill out EVERY line and write VERY, VERY clearly. My DH has super sloppy writing so i always fill out the receipts now.

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Love my little Ashley Lynn (12/14/06)!!!

My husband leaves the tip line blank, and one time his own SISTER gave herself a $20 tip in addition to what he and his brother gave her in cash.

wow.....this is amazing...........i can't believe that someone would do that...now it makes me wonder if ive ever been ripped off on a tip.....wow i'm gonna be extra careful from now on! thanks for the heads up!

That is so bad. I would feel guilty if I did something like that!

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This happened to us on Easter at Olive Garden. We have an acct that we use just for eating out, and I made sure that the amount we needed for that day was in there, then transfered the over amount back out, well the server didn't think we tipped well enough I guess and added another $3.00 (I think it ended up making the total amount even or something, I don't remember exactly), well, because I only left enough in the acct for the amount of the bill that extra $3 made the acct overdrawn! Thats a $25 charge!!! I was so mad! I called and spoke to the manager and told them what happened then I went down and looked at the receipts he had, so not my handwriting!!! He was so apologetic! He refunded the wrong amount and gave us a gift card, but we haven't been back yet. Now I am super careful to mark out that line! That is so frustrating though! I can't believe how dishonest people are and think they are entitled to more oney than we gave them!

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~~Shawn~~ Wife to John 7/6/95~~Mommy to Sydney, Jordan and Brooklyn~~

Just last Saturday dh and I ate at Denny's. I got the bill, put the tip on the table. Took my bill to the front to pay. Everytime I get the receipt to sign I write "On table" in the tip section or I slash a line through it with a 0. I never leave it blank.
I never would have thought people would have just wrote something in after you sign the receipt!

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Alex & the spider monkey

My brother, sister, and I went out to eat. My sister and I paid in cash, but my brother had to charge his part. The service was TERRIBLE. In fact we talked to the manager about it because the service was SOOO bad. We did NOT tip the waitress at all. She took the cash that was left for the bill (nearly $100) and added it to my brothers cc. The part my brother signed was obviously much less. She actually cancled the first transaction and then went back and ran his card for the whole total. She told the person running cc's that night the rest of the table had decided to keep the cash and wanted it added to the cc. When my brother got his CC bill he was livid. Turns out the waitress quit her job before he had gone back, but the resturant gave him a full refund for the whole amount charged plus gave him an additional voucher for two complimentary meals.

It is always very scary to use CC if the slip leaves your sight with the ability to be changed.

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Grace

Wife to Stoney

Mommy of Sarah (8.5), Hannah (7), and John(4.5)