Lia wrote on 10/16/2004:

<snip>

>McCormick & Schmick! I'm amazed. Were you able to figure
>out if the up charge was just something the server or bartender
>invented in an effort to steal or if the charge was something >management
tried for a while, then abandoned?

I don't know. I tend to think the latter. It printed out on the tab like
it had been programmed into those computer type thingys they use
in restaurants. (Do they have a name by the way - other than "com-
puter type thingys"? - hate to betray my ignorance of restaurant nomenclature)
I don't know how much leeway (if any) individual
servers or bartenders have to make up their own entries on those
things without a manager's approval, although even the tightest run
organizations seem to have opportunities for mischief.

I have been acquainted with Bill McCormick for some time and was
at that time (Never met Schmick - Doug, I think). McCormick's a
good guy (not like my best friend - just someone I know and chit
chat with a bit every now and then). I ran into him in a bar (not a
McCormick's) shortly after my first experience with the "up" charge
and he bought me a drink - a gibson up as it turns out. He was having
a martini up. This way my chance to gripe (in non-surly manner, of
course) about this charge.

I asked if he was aware of it (not that I expected he was aware of
every jot and tittle that goes on in the restaurants that bear his name). He
looked a bit puzzled. He looked at his tab to see if there was a similar charge
(there wasn't). He asked the bartender whether he charged more for an up than
an over. Bartender said "no". We left it
that he didn't know about this and moved on to other topics. All I know
is that shortly after that (a month or two, say) the up charge went
away.