3 guys go out to eat and order a steak. The steaks cost $30 total so each one gave the waitress $10. The waitress was walking to the register and she realized that she had a $5 coupon. So she got $5 singles out of the drawer and gave each guy back one dollar and she kept $2 for herself. The guys then paid $9 each for the steak which is $27 plus the $2 the waitress kept is $29. What happened to the last dollar?
135184
because the analogy at the end is incorrect. the 2 dollars that the waitress had is part of the 27 dollars that the guys paid. if you look at it from a different  and correct perspective, the guys paid $27 each and kept 3. Or, now the waitress has 27 dollars thand the guys have three
176024
When the manager gave them a $5 discount, the net price per person ended up at $23.33 each. (that is $75 minus $5 divided by 3) When they took the dollar back, that brought the individual amount up to $24.33 (*3 = $73).  Add the $2 and you have got your $75
596942
There's nothing left over.\n\nIf they each paid $10, then that's $30 all together.\nThe room costs $25, so they get $5 back.\nThey give the bell hop $2, which leaves them with $3, and when each of them gets $1, the remainder is 0.
419743
no, its not right for the cashier to do it, and 30% isnt the usual amount, only very few restuarants include a gratuity, and if they do,, its added in before you receive your bill, and they let you know,,,,,,,, i would make sure and let the owner/or manager of that restaurant know what happened,,,,15% is the standard for good service, less if service is bad, more if the server does/gets extra things above what would be normal service
580285
The total cost of the room was not 30 dollars.  Its 25 dollars because they overcharged them (30-5)=25 dollars was the cost of the room.  Since the clerk kept 2 dollars of it the total cost of the room is 27 dollars.  This works out since each man put in 10 and was refunded 1 dollar each paid $9 and all three 9 x 3 = 27 dollars.  So the problem with this brain teaser is that the total cost was not $30 and that extra dollar did not magically disappear.  The actually total cost of the room was $27 (25 + 2 dollar clerk's cut).
46744
You don't add the 2 dollars to the 27 dollars. The men paid 25 dollars for a pizza and 2 dollars to the boy. That's the 27 dollars.
603554
Your math is cheating.  =0)\n\nThe room didn’t cost 27, it cost 25 – although they paid 27 for it.\nBecause the bell boy took the extra 2.\nSo\n$25 to hotel\n$3 to the guys\n$2 to the bell boy.\n=\n$30\n\n(but I do love to see how people’s minds work.)
132162
The cost of 7 hamburgers and 3 slices of pizza would be\n20 - 1 = $19\nThe cost of 8 burgers and 2 slices of pizza would be\n20 - 0.5 = $19.50\nLet x = cost of a burger and y = cost of a slice of pizza\nThe first statement implies\n7x + 3y = 19\nThe second statement implies\n8x + 2y = 19.50\nNow solve these two equations either using substitution of elimination.\nAfter you solve for x and y, you will see that\nx = 2.05 for one burger and y = 1.55 for one slice of pizza\nThus, the cost of 5 burgers and 3 slices would be\n5(2.05) + 3(1.55) = $14.90\nYou paid with a $20, so the change would be\n20 - 14.90 = $5.10
178727
End result they paid 24 coins each 3 x 24 = 72\nDisbursed as follows: Cashier 70 coins + waiter 2 coins = 72 coins all accounted for.
622130
3*$9 = $27 paid for a $25 room... the son kept the $2\n\nso.. $25 room + $2 to stupid son = $27 paid by customers
138677
The trick is how the question is asked. However if you look at it objectively, the three men spent a total of Rs. 270 which includes the Rs. 20 that the waiter kept for himself. So the total is 250 (restaurant bill) + 20 (waiter) + 30 (money that they got back). \nThe question has been asked in such a way so as to trick the reader. You don't have to add the 20 to 270 because the 20 is already included in 270.
356756
The facts in this riddle are clear: There is an initial $30 charge. It should have been $25, so $5 must be returned and accounted for. $3 is given to the 3 friends, $2 is kept by the bellhop - there you have the $5. The trick to this riddle is that the addition and subtraction are done at the wrong times to misdirect your thinking - and quite successfully for most. Each of the 3 friends did indeed pay $9, not $10, and as far as the friends are concerned, they paid $27 for the night. But we know that the clerk will tell us that they were charged only $25 and when you add the $3 returned with the $2 kept by the bellhop, you come up with $30.
302030
Where did the missing dollar go? Nowhere. A dollar only goes "missing" because the statement "each man paid $9 for the room" is wrong -- each of three men paid out a total of $9, but that $9 included both the room charge and the bellboy's tip. All in all, each man paid out a total of $9 and had $1 left over, completely accounting for the $30 they started with. \n\nThe room cost $25, so each man paid one-third of that cost ($8.33). The bellboy kept a tip of $2, so each man paid one-third of that cost ($0.67) as well. Overall, each man paid out $9 ($8.33 + $0.67) and had a dollar left over: (3 x $9) + (3 x $1) = $27 + $3 = $30.
643334
That problem is the way you state the question.  They each paid $15 * 3 = $45.  Her returned $5, so the total paid to the store is $40.\n\nNow each got one dollar back, so they paid in $14*3 = $42, and the one boy has the extra $2 which needs to be split.  There is no extra dollar:  $42 - $2 = $40!!
208325
the other dollar is in your pocket.... you spent $97 dollars and had 3 dollars change... you payed back $2. of the $100.  you spent $97..... no matter how you look at it you had $3. and if you payed back 2 of the $3. the other Dollar is in your pocket.  the equation is 100. - 97 = 3 then 3 - 2 = 1 the dollar is in your pocket
520706
My suspicion is that the "shady" guy was "casing the place", so he can come back later.  Several thoughts come to mind:\n\n1.  First, call the police and relay your concerns to them.\n\n2.  While you're on the phone with them, use an old Donut Shop trick and offer the cops big discounts so they come eat there.  With them hanging around, you're place will be pretty  safe.  FAX over a menu with the Policeman's discount in big letters on it.  They'll post it at the station.\n\n3.  Get the cash register and any money counting out of the public areas.  You're only tempting someone by doing that in front of them.  It will mean that your waiters/waitresses will need to bring the customer's money into the back somewhere to make change but it'll be much safer.\n\n4.  When Mr Shady comes in again, call the cops to do an immediate "drive by".  Also, if possible after they hang up, keep talking - talk loud enough that Mr Shady can hear you - "Oh, Officer McClen, of course... three of you??  twenty minutes??  sure... will the Sergeant be coming this time??"\n\n5.  If you're really worried, hire a uniformed Private Security Guard for awhile.  Just have him hang around - it'll set a new image and then have him come on your big nights (Saturdays?).  The robbers are after big money.  They'll figure out your big nights (lots of cash) and hit on that night.
646660
You are adding the bellboy when he should be subtracted.  $27 -$2 = $25, which is what the room cost.  Since the room cost only $25, each man should get ~$1.66 back, but the bellboy robs them of $.33 each.  The total should be the cost of the room, which is $25, not $30.\n\nYes it is a riddle.  The trick is in telling the person that it adds to $29.  Without that, most people would probably just figure out that they had to subtract the $2, not add.