AIBU about baby incurring a service charge at restaurant table?

[AliBingo]

We recently ate out at Bella Italia, 5 adults and a 3 and 2 year old who ate off the kids menu, and a 7 month old who slept through the starter and main course in her car seat on the floor and then used a restaurant highchair to eat some puree and yoghurt we'd taken with us.

Meal was lovely and service good but when we got home I was surprised to see that we were down as a table of eight and had been charged a 10% service charge as a result. Looks like this was discretionary not mandatory and we could have asked for it to be removed if we'd been more careful in checking the bill.

I think that it's unreasonable of them to count the baby as one of the party being served, do others agree or AIBU?

Next time I would query it because it's likely that someone just saw the size of the table, knew you'd ordered from the kids menu and presumed everyone had eaten/was served in some way. While I do agree with them charging you for 8 - high chair/table place still needs cleaning, you probably used the baby changing facilities (even if you didn't, they've been provided for your unlimited use), I think you might have been able to argue your way out of it. But would you want to? I think families have to remember that restaurants don't simply need to charge you for food. I believe as much as 50% of the takings are usually to cover the cost of staffing the restaurant regardless of who ate.

Anyway, you don't have to pay the service charge and if you do then consider it the tip.

Isn't it just the tip, but added automatically? I always assumed that. For me, it usually does the restaurant no help to add it - I often tip above 10% anyway, but if they've decided they're going to add a service charge automatically I usually feel somewhat miffed that they took the choice out of my hands and decide that's the tip they'll get. I have to assume that there are enough large parties that can't figure out the tip properly (like when everyone chips in their 'amount', conveniently rounding down) that it makes economic sense to include it automatically.

murmuration the restaurant keeps the service charge. Win-win for them.

Didn't realise that. Not very nice to their employees, is it? I'm sure many people assumed it was the tip, like me.

I think YABU, its peanut the small charge you would have paid and they did take up space and you probably used the bathroom at least once?

I know. Its really crap. A lot is said about it every now and then but nothing changes. Some companies have been shamed into giving it to staff. Others deduct an admin fee then share it with all staff, not just waiters. Others just keep it all.

Did you leave a tip aswell as you didn't realise at the time?

Its been in nearly every restaurant I've ever been in.
Cover charges in restaurants in the UK? I think not.

how far up your arse is your head?

Yes I've seen cover charge in the U.K., and yesterday as a table of 4 we had service charge automatically added to the bill. Just because you've not come across it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

They are taking the piss. And I've spent years working in restaurants!

"Often these are not discretionary."

Maybe you should educate yourself. The service charge is still optional, even when added to the bill. They cannot legally force you to pay it.

We were about 5p short for a bill at Jamie Oliver's once. The staff were making a big deal about this 5p, I pointed out that the service charge can't be enforced anyway so they could manage without the 5p.

badg3r

Sorry but I think it's a lesson learned to always check the bill properly!

Do you ever read the post properly badg3r? OP did notice that 10% was added on but didn't know if the the waiter did it deliberately.

I suspect she didn't make a fuss as she usually tips 10% anyway.

OP, did you tip extra, as you say you did not notice until you got home? I'd be a bit annoyed in that case, but more with myself for not checking the bill at the time. I do always check the bill, as I want to know whether to tip or not.

I don't really agree with service charges, but if it's the restaurant's policy to add a service charge for a party of 8, then they are NBU to add it to the bill, you were a party of 8, taking up a table for 8, even if the baby didn't buy anything.

I have never heard of a restaurant adding service only for larger tables.
Really. It is standard for most restaurants I think.

'Service' isn't simply serving the food, it's clearing up the tables after you've gone as well. If your child was eating puree and yoghurt on their highchair which they'll then have had to clean, I think they've provided 'service'.

10% is a very low service charge anyway, 12.5%-15% is more usual these days in my experience. You'd presumably have paid >10% anyway as the tip and since 10% of 0 is 0, you haven't incurred any actual additional cost from the baby.

murmuration the restaurant keeps the service charge. Win-win for them.

It depends on the restaurant. I think Bella Italia and most of the other chains give it to the staff so no different to a tip.

I have never heard of a restaurant adding service only for larger tables.
Really. It is standard for most restaurants I think.

It's really not where I live, I don't why it's so difficult to understand that not every restaurant is the same. It's standard round here to add on service charge regardless of how many people are in the party. Hell we were even charged service charge when ordering 2 cocktails whilst at the bar recently in the Charlotte Street hotel. Maybe it's just a London thing?

So, the 10% you would have paid anyway was simply added to the bill instead. I cannot see what your complaint is. If you were not intending to leave a 10% gratuity I would think you very mean.

But I assume you'd have tipped 10% anyway? And that's off the bill price which is what you spent. So no different to what you'd have tipped anyway.

Some very easily confused people on here. Why do you think restaurants add the service charge to the bill for larger tables? Because they know people will find it hard to say they don't want to pay it. even though it is technically optional.

If the restaurant specifies they will add a charge for tables of 8 people or more, and yuo are less than 8 people, then of course you have a complaint.

Whether a baby counts as a person or not is open to interpretation.

But tipping, and the amount, is optional, so those saying it makes no difference because you'd be paying ten percent anyway...you might not want to pay ten per cent. You might want to pay nothing. The service might have been terrible. You might object to service charges (especially when some restaurants pocket them and don't give them to servers).

Some very easily confused people on here. Why do you think restaurants add the service charge to the bill for larger tables? Because they know people will find it hard to say they don't want to pay it. even though it is technically optional.

It's not necessarily optional. That again depends on the restaurant. It can be compulsory and you do have to pay especially if the service was okay.

Service charge is absolutely optional. Always. Cover charge however is not, but is charged as a per person rate. Service charge is discretionary, though most people pay it, because most people don't know, or don't want to cause a fuss.

Service charge is absolutely optional.

No it is not always optional. Sometimes it is discretionary and sometimes it is not. If a restaurant wants to include a compulsory service charge in the price of the meal then they can as long as it is made very clear before you eat.

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/do-i-have-to-pay-a-service-charge-if-the-service-is-poor

OK, I stand corrected. Apologies.