Restaurants use 'auto grats' after trend in low tips

Submitted by Anna Marie Hartman, Anchor/Reporter

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013, 11:35pm

MEMPHIS, TN- (WMC-TV) - Most of the time a tip is automatically included with the bill when a table at a restaurant has a large party. Now, some Mid-South restaurants are imposing auto-gratuity polices on parties as small as one person.

The new trend in the restaurant industry is getting an icy reaction from some customers. Gratuities from 15 to 18 percent are being automatically added to checks no matter how big, or small, the party.

"I may have a problem with having to tip 18 or 15 percent if I have bad service," said customer Amber Long.

They are called auto grats.

"If I'm being forced to tip and the service has not been good then that presents a problem," said customer Rick Harrell.

The Half Shell on Winchester Road adds auto grats to every receipt after 10 p.m. East End Grill on Winchester Road also does it after 6 p.m.

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Grizz fan will overcome religious restrictions to see playoff game

Submitted by Andrew Douglas on Wednesday, May 8th, 4:39 pm

MEMPHIS, TN- (WMC-TV) - A Memphis Grizzlies fan is showing how much he believes in our team by walking to FedExForum from East Memphis to see the game Saturday.

The game is already sold out, but Adam Groveman has tickets and a plan to get to the Grizz game, despite religious restrictions.

Groveman is an Orthodox Jew and Saturday is the Sabbath. Because of his religious beliefs, this Grizzlies fan will not be driving to the game, but instead, walking. And he is inviting others to join him on the 11 mile trek.

"There's a lot of laws and restrictions between Friday night and Saturday sundown that we can't ride in cars, use electricity," he explained. "My buddy, Ryan Baum, is going to walk with me again."

Groveman created a Facebook event page in order to invite others to join him. His route is already mapped out. It is the same one he walked two years ago when the Grizzlies took on the Spurs on a Saturday.

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Exotic animal found in E. Memphis home

Submitted by Nick Kenney, Reporter

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013, 5:30pm

Neighbors called police to report dogs barking, but when officers arrived, they found a loose coatimundi instead.

MEMPHIS, TN- (WMC-TV) - Memphis police reported to a call about barking dogs in an East Memphis home, and discovered an exotic animal in the window.

Owner Mason Gudelsky walked up to his home Tuesday to find a yellow notice on his front door requesting he call the shelter about his exotic pet.

The coatimundi, named Archie, is something animal officials are not accustomed to encountering. A coatimundi is an animal belonging to the raccoon family.

Gudelsky said no one else, to his knowledge, owns one in Memphis.

"Me and my ex-girlfriend, we were looking. She wanted, like, a cat. And I saw that and though it would be a lot more fun, so we got it," he said.

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March of Dimes celebrates 75 years

Submitted by Bernadette Davis, Freelance Writer

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013, 2:54pm

The Tennessee chapter of the March of Dimes held a party to celebrate its 75th anniversary today. March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Follow the link to donate and to read more about the national organization.

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U of M students give to Goodwill

Submitted by Bernadette Davis, Freelance Writer

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013, 2:47pm

University of Memphis students will get a chance to donate their non-perishable and gently used items Wednesday, May 8th through Friday, May 10th. Memphis Goodwill and the U 0f M Sustainability Staff, have partnered with each other to give students a chance to donate to Memphis Goodwill before leaving campus for the Summer.

The donation locations are only for University of Memphis students. Follow the link if you would like to donate to Memphis Goodwill. You can also drop your donations off at any of the donation centers across Shelby and Tipton County. Donation locations can be found here.

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National Train Day in Memphis

Submitted by Bernadette Davis, Freelance Writer

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013, 2:05pm

Memphis will celebrate National Train Day at the Amtrak Central Station on Saturday, May 11th, with a passenger train and kid's activities from 11am to 4 pm. "This celebration will be the biggest observance of National Train Day that Memphis has ever had," said William B. Strong, vice president of the Tennessee Association of Railroad Passengers.

A diesel locomotive train will be on display along with a coach and a sleeping car from Amtrak’s Chicago / Memphis / New Orleans Superliner passenger train, "The City of New Orleans." Strong said, “the train will give the public the opportunity to see and sample firsthand what a modern 21st century double-decker passenger train is really like,”

Travel experts will be available to answer questions about modern day passenger train travel and plans. Amtrak route schedules, timetables, and vacation guides will also be available to visitors.

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Zumba Party fundraiser held for slain mother's children

Submitted by Megan Pope on Tuesday, May 7th, 7:58 am

Friends of Mid-South mother Heather Palumbo-Jones, whose estranged husband is charged in her murder, are holding a Zumba party to benefit the two children left behind, Connor and Ava.

A $5 minimum donation will get you three hours of Zumba, something Palumbo-Jones loved to do.

The Zumba Dance Party for Heather's children is Saturday, May 11, from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 pm. at Church of the Holy Communion, 4645 Walnut Grove Road.

Participants are encouraged to wear purple, which was Heather's favorite color.

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