Thread: Amex black card holders are the cheapest tippers!

I work at a very hot restaurant in NYC Soho neighborhood and I swear everytime any of us our handed an American Express black card we all cringe! They are hands down the cheapest tippers we get! I don't get it. If they have so much money why do always expect the best of the best service and then only give us barely a 15% tip? I have average income middle class couples that come to our restaurant for a special occassion and they manage to tip generously even though they don't have money. They have cheap credit cards like Capital One or some other thing and they can afford it!

Why are the Amex black card holders so freaking cheap like this. The nickname we have for the black card there is "the greed card" because of it!

I have heard similar statements, not always about the Centurion cardholders necessarily, but wealthy customers in general tending to tip less than the average customer.

However being that I do not work in any sector involving tips, I am not qualified to give an opinion on this.

It could also be that you notice and remember these customers more because they are paying with a Centurion card.

I agree! In college I worked as a waitress in a nightclub and it was the VIP AMEX black card holders that were the worst with the tips. And I don't mean to brag, but I was always complimented as being the "nice" waitress, so I don't think this was based on bad service.

Also, after college I worked in sales at a certain (very) high-end jewelry store (I won't say which one for discretionary purposes). I was working with a man who was very difficult and very condescending who happened to be a black card holder. When he handed me his card to ring up his purpose, I asked to see ID, as was our policy for any credit card purchase. This sent him through the roof! He literally told me (and I'll never forget), "I don't know where you're from or how many black card holders you've worked with, but you should know that you're never supposed to ask to check our IDs. It just makes you look cheap and unclassy."

I later double-checked with my manager about the incident and she simply balked at what he said. She stated exactly what I was thinking - that asking for ID is really doing them a favor, as we're double checking that they're not being frauded. Not to mention, she added, most black card holders especially appreciate having their ID checked because that's a card you definitely wouldn't want stolen!

What a jerk!

Most Centurion cardholders aren't nearly as wealthy as you think they are. A lot run business and travel expenses through their cards and get invited. If they travel a fair amount the benefits can be worthwhile; Fine hotels and resorts deal, elite status on airlines they might not travel with but could end up on etc. etc.

I know a few Centurion cardholders and they aren't all exceptionally well off, just in a position to be able to charge a ton of money to their cards.