If I’m paying for my goods and services with actual money, but using prop money for tips, is that bad? In my understanding, tips are given of one’s own free will and would be considered a gift to the recipient, the same as if I gave flowers or cookies as a tip. I’ve also seen fake money passed off by religious people that looks fully real on one side, and has church propaganda on the other side.
This is a hypothetical question that came up when assembling a gag gift for my kid from my parent. I don’t plan on doing it (though, there are some instances where it’d be VERY tempting…), but it does make me curious.
I’m not positive about that. Possessing obviously fake money is not a crime, but passing it off as if it were real money in a transaction itself may constitute a crime. Back before sensors became more sophisticated, I had a friend who used photocopied bills (which were obviously fake) in subway token machines, and he got into some trouble for it.
this is a bit different. at the point that you’re paying for goods or services with it, yes, that’s definitely trying to pass counterfeit bills. But tips are not payment for the food or wait service. You don’t pay a tip in lieu of a bill, you pay a tip along with the bill. While socially it’s understood there will be a tip… there’s no legal obligation for there to be one; or even what is to be given as a tip.
Oh, I know. It’s not necessarily a crime, although I wouldn’t recommend it without reading what actions specifically would trigger those laws. It’s the wording of the laws that I’d want to be comfortable with.
But morally speaking it’s not even a grey area. It’s absolutely worse than just not tipping at all. If I were a restaurateur I’d ban this person on the first offense, no questions asked.
Absolutely.