Honesty

Granted it's an in the moment feel, but I'd would have probably kept it due to my current financial conditions.

Years ago I worked at a gas station and people would somewhat frequently leave their phones there. I'd call them or one of their contacts stating this so they could have their phone returned to them. I've accepted and turned downed tips simply because it was the nice thing to do.

Now if someone asked for it back realizing it was an accident, because of how my state of mind is, I'd have no issue returning it. Assuming it wasn't too late.

Would you:

A: Assume it was an accident.
B: Assume it was intentional.
C: Not care either way as it is yours now.

Hypothetically:

The customer calls up realizing they have made a mistake. You are asked if this is true.

Would you:

A: Admit it has happened.
B: Deny it happened.
C: Say it was given to you and is now yours.

The customer requests the money back

Would you:

A: You give it back.
B: Still deny, and walk away.
C: Something along the lines of {That is too bad.}


-----------------------------
You hear of stories all the time where some group/person/individual came into a restaurant and left a large tip some times its intentional sometimes its by mistake. Either way if they leave a suspiciously tip, best to ask the customer if its correct to clear up any misunderstanding. However if they leave and left you the tip and later they called it an accident asking for it back, you're not legally obligated to give back. So its up to you on that point if you want to give it back or not. imo i'd keep the large tip and put it towards something nice/useful.

I am the type that politely (but adamantly) refuses gratuity out of principle--not so much of not relying on others' largess, but rather to not to create a sense of obligation in others to give things to me (especially if the obligation results in hardship to them.)

My natural assumption would be that if they gave it unintentionally, then would go through the effort to track it back to 'fix' the situation, it would be because they actually needed the money for something important. Whether that is actually the case or not would likely be immaterial to me--I'd just assume their lives would be harder without that money, so I'd have no issue returning it.

So in my case, I'd A) assume it was an accident, A) readily admit that it occurred if someone asked, and A) give it back if asked.

I think the point of contention (to me) pragmatically-speaking, is the point at which I no longer think of the money as "theirs" and now "belongs to me" instead. I would think after just a few hours, I am not attached to the gratuity in any way, and don't even think of it as mine (and it would be easy to give back.) However, after a few days or especially a week, it would mentally move into the "mine" column. :p After a month, if they asked for it back, I'd be "um...what now?" ^_-

With you Squishy, it is always accidental.

A tip like that sounds nuts, I've never heard of something like that in the UK. In everycase I'd assume it was unintentional, and in everycase I'd take it and refuse to return it. If people are careless with money like that, then I deserve it more anyway.

I've never really held a job where tips are common. Most I ever get are some baked goods for fixing a personal computer on the side. So I would definitely assume it was a mistake and probably ask directly when it was given if it was a mistake.

If I did somehow miss that it was a large amount and they asked, I'd give it back, though I'd be sad about it for sure.

1.) B
2.) A
3.) A

I've been in such a situation. I gave it back. You can say it was mine fair and square, or whatever, but the relief on their face when I gave it back.. I'm not so noble as to say it was reward in itself, but I could see they looked visibly relieved, I patted myself on the back.

As for the cabby that recently found 300k in his cab and turned it in.. Idk, I'd be in Thailand before my shift was over.

Depends. What are the consequences? Are my employers aware of the situation? I'd take the money if I could see a consequence-free way of getting it, but I wouldn't do anything that would put my employment at substantial risk.

I'd probably pick C for the first answer, but assuming I had the employers I'd probably have in a job where I got tips, I'd play dumb and say I thought it was intentional and that I was fully willing to give it back if the customer called my bosses.

The story about the driver returning 300k to the owner genuinely blew me away, such honesty would never exist in me. In some ways I'm happy it doesn't though, because my family is more important to me than some fool I'll never see again, and that amount of money can really help.

That being said though, it makes me smile(in a good sense) that there are people like that driver existing in this world.

B
A
A

lol