auto grat
n.— «Ad grat, or auto grat, as it’s know in the biz, is a restaurant standard that means gratuity is automatically added to a check. Generally the gratuity is 18 percent, it’s added on the pre-taxed total for large parties (between six and eight or more) and the restaurant should note on their menu if they practice this policy.» —“Eat Beat” by Karri Peifer Richmond.com (Virginia) Aug. 26, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Lucy in Louisa, Virginia, recalls that if her mother was exasperated when the kids were misbehaving, she’d announce I’m going to put you both in a wet paper bag and see who falls out first! This is part of a complete episode.
Related
Rose in Lebanon, Virginia recalls a phrase passed down from her great-grandmother: The night before the first day of school, parents would come into the children’s bedroom and say in a singsong voice: School butter, school butter. This...