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Original poster

Optional service charge added to restaurant bill...cheeky?

126 replies

wetlastfoor · 04/04/2022 14:17

Went out for a meal with my friend on Saturday night.
It was her birthday so it was my treat.
Bill came to £70.00
Plus a £7.00 "optional service charge"
So altogether £77.00

Now am I wrong in thinking this shouldn't be on the bill? If you want to tip it's your choice..them adding this to the bill makes it awkward to ask for another bill with it removed.
They must know most people (me included ) wouldn't ask and have to explain why I want the service charge removed.

Aibu to think it's cheeky to put this on?

OP posts:
froi · 04/04/2022 14:18

Hardly new though, is it.

Original poster
wetlastfoor · 04/04/2022 14:21

It's actually the first place I've ever went that has had a tip on the bill.
Normally I just leave a tip if it's been good service.

OP posts:
Sofasogood1 · 04/04/2022 14:21

Very normal and surprised it was only 10 pet cent

Sapphirejane · 04/04/2022 14:22

I would say this is increasing. It used to be only groups of 8+ etc would have it added automatically but now I notice it is everywhere and I agree with you OP. I have only once had the nerve to get it removed and that was when the service was so bad/rude I half expected it to be some sort of prank show.

Original poster
wetlastfoor · 04/04/2022 14:23

I'm in the north east and here it's deffo not normal for places to have a service charge added to bill.
Maybe big cities it's normal ..we are just a small place.

OP posts:
Original poster
wetlastfoor · 04/04/2022 14:24

@Sapphirejane it's presumptuous isn't it that the service was good.
Tbh we waited 20 mins just for someone to ask what drink we wanted and it wasn't busy

OP posts:
Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 04/04/2022 14:24

Normal here. Doesn't bother me, it's rare I don't tip, but if I don't want to, I'll take it off. It does say optional.

dementedpixie · 04/04/2022 14:25

The place we went in Glasgow on Saturday added the service charge to parties over 6 people. Under that it was discretionary

GooglyEyeballs · 04/04/2022 14:26

I'm happy to tip but I agree I don't like it when it's assumed they'll get a tip. I thought the whole point of the tip was to say an extra thank you for the great service. What if the service was bad. Adding it automatically to the bill kind of takes out the element of making sure you give good customer service so you get a tip.

Sapphirejane · 04/04/2022 14:28

@wetlastfoor yes definitely presumptuous and makes me begrudge tipping especially when it’s likely the company are taking a %. I have also seen a couple of times where people paid the bill without the automatic tip and the staff have said they didn’t pay enough until it was pointed out to the staff member the tip was optional.

Glockerspaniel · 04/04/2022 14:28

wouldn't be normal in my experience unless it's for such a small group.

i never tip on a card anyway and i always ask if the staff get the tips before leaving any cash (ex-waitress here).

the only time i've ever seen a table of 2 get an automatic service charge (where i was the customer!) was from a terrible place that mucked up a very basic order before we had tickets somewhere (something as basic as 2 orange juices and 2 burgers with fries). one came out, 2nd one was nowhere to be found. couldn't get staff attention so ended up heading to the front of house, only to be told it was on its way. first diner finished and mine's still not around, only for it to arrive as the first diner's plate was being taken away. i ate mine alone then the "service" charge was added - no way was i paying it. got it removed and didn't leave a cash tip. that was years ago and always sticks out as the sort of place where i doubt staff get any tips, i.e. automatically added, mobile card payment machine, national chain...

i'd have it removed personally OP, and if leaving a tip, ask if the serving staff get it, and if they say yes, leave cash.

Happyhippy99 · 04/04/2022 14:29

Just ask for the service charge to be removed. If I’ve had very good service I give the same amount to the server. If (increasingly) its poor service or service with a bad attitude, then I only pay the food & drink bill.
Minimum wage means everyone is earning a good salary. And tips have to be earned for going above and beyond. You wouldn’t tip the supermarket cashier or the HCA on a hospital ward or a dentists receptionist. They are mostly on minimum wage (I’m one of these). So why tip hospitality staff ? It’s a scam.

Glockerspaniel · 04/04/2022 14:30

sorry i meant i wouldn't be normal in my expeirence unless it's for a massive group. that wasn't clear. reputable places put it on the menu/clearly highlight it

2bazookas · 04/04/2022 14:30

been common for years. You don't have to accept it and I never do.

If |I tip, it's in cash notes, very discreetly passed to the person who served me. Up to them if they want to put it in a common pot distributed by management.

Vallmo47 · 04/04/2022 14:32

I used to waitress and I STILL understand your point OP. When I first waitresses minimum wage was £4.50 (now I’m showing my age!) but even then I used to cringe at this add on. Of course as a waitress I used to give the best service I could and of course I was hoping for a tip at the end. But I stopped adding that message on my bills when a person once said they’d saved up for ages to be able to afford to treat their mum to a meal out and they simply couldn’t afford another £30 on top. It made me really think about the policy and my boss said it was up to me whether I included it or not. Instead I started writing a message on the receipt saying thank you and I hope my service was up to expected standard. It did hurt when a table of £20 left brown change as a tip, but the majority chucked in a £1 each and I was very happy with that!

In other professions you don’t get a tip full stop. The downside of this particular trade is the amount of times the chefs and bar staff used to approach me asking for a share of my tip, completely assuming I’d done well for myself and so I needed to give them a chunk of it. Considering their wages was higher than mine, I was pretty mortified at losing the tip I’d made.

JemimaTiggywinkle · 04/04/2022 14:34

I hate it when they do this.
A tip should be optional - for really good service.
The staff should be paid enough that it’s a nice extra, not something they rely on.

Brainwave89 · 04/04/2022 14:37

Agree this is more common. I will and have asked for it to be removed when the service has been slow or poor. For some meals though it is less than I might tip- had a really good night at a birthday party recently really looked after us and we were happy to leave a really good tip. If I were cynical, this puts tips much more under staff rather than restaurant control?

WeCouldBeSpearows · 04/04/2022 14:39

I like it when they do this, because they usually ask for less than I would tip. So their cheekiness for adding it actually means I pay less.

NoSquirrels · 04/04/2022 14:40

them adding this to the bill makes it awkward to ask for another bill with it removed.
They must know most people (me included ) wouldn't ask and have to explain why I want the service charge removed.

This is literally why they do it.

Linnet · 04/04/2022 14:42

I always ask for them to remove the service charge and then leave my own tip. I also always leave a tip in cash, if you put it through on a credit card the waiter/waitress doesn’t always get it.

LegMeChicken · 04/04/2022 14:43

YANBU.
No guarantee that money goes to staff.
I always ask for it to be removed and tip in cash (if worthy).
I also don't see why bigger tables need it - surely it's the same service?

Tipping is an idiotic American practice that should be outlawed. I say this as a former waitress...

WeCouldBeSpearows · 04/04/2022 14:45

I also always leave a tip in cash, if you put it through on a credit card the waiter/waitress doesn’t always get it

To be fair, you can't guarantee that your tips make it to the person you think it should go to. Usually (based on my experience doing payroll) they are shared between waiting, bar and kitchen staff.

newbiename · 04/04/2022 14:47

Completely normal. Quite often 12.5%. It is optional.

user75 · 04/04/2022 14:48

I always ask what happens to it, very often it is not passed on directly to staff so I have it removed. Ask every time.

Liverbird77 · 04/04/2022 14:49

I hate that the tipping culture has become prevelant in the UK.

People are paid a living wage. Why are we tipping in restaurants, cabs, hairdressers'???

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