To think service charges should be banned?

[Precipice]

I think it totally unacceptable for restaurants to add extra charges onto the bill and put the onus on the customer to have these charges removed.

To me, this is no different than if I went to Lidl or Waterstones and had my shopping totalled up as 20.99 and then the shop added an extra 2.09 automatically and forced me to apply to them to remove it; or if the item price said 12.99, but the till was deliberately set up to charge me 15.99.

I see this more and more. I think this should be made illegal under consumer protection.

YABU - it's fine for any industry to add on whatever extra charge they want as long as they eventually remove it for customers who raise it with them

YANBU - customers should only be charged according to listed price for the item/service chosen

I agree, if I’m happy to pay a tip I’ll add it but I really dislike this habit restaurants have started of adding it on, I want my receipt to be for what I’ve actually had and for a tip to be optional.

Seeing as they are required to pay their staff, adding a service charge on top of this is disgusting. Leaving a tip is a choice in recognition of excellent service, staffing costs are already factored into menu costs so I'm totally with you.

I think it should be allowed for large groups or days like mothers day, if clearly communicated at booking.

I'm indifferent, it's just part of the economic model. It would otherwise be built into the pricing of the consumables so would net out.

Restaurants are hardly businesses where it is easy to turn a profit

Not sure the "YANBU" makes sense on this one, since the service charge will have been listed upfront too (at least it should have been)

Personally I don't mind either way and I'll leave either the service charge or a tip.
What I do mind i seeing a service charge and then being "invited" to leave a tip as well ... they've got to be joking

Can you ask to have it taken off ?
I admit I never have done , but just wondering if it's possible?
I rarely eat out these days as most places are a rip off

If it's on every bill then it should just be added to the menu prices. If in particular situations only then it should be clear beforehand and be a non-negotiable surcharge. There should be no optional charge that can be removed on request.

I'd rather give a tip according to the service and/or food received if tips are 'pooled' amongst the staff. And that any additional costs that the owners/management feel that they need to levy (such as heating/power) are charged separately or factored into the Menu Price.

Most reasonable people understand that the costs of cooking even basic ingredients has significantly increased as well as keeping the customers warm whilst they eat it.

This is why some places charge more for mother's day, Christmas etc, extra pay for the staff factored in to the price of the meal because it's a premium day - one would hope they don't stick a service charge on as well though. But I expect some do.

Although I have to say I've worked many mothers days and although the prices have been higher, they haven't paid any extra because it's a 'normal' day, no extra for BH except Christmas day either, same goes for large parties, extra work for everyone but no extra pay for those doing it, although you do need more staff for the organisation, prep & delivery of a large amount of food in one go. So a service charge there would probably be fair actually, if applied and explained up front. Same as charging for an early check in, if you want the guarantee you'll get the room early we have to ensure it's ready, which may mean putting 2 staff in there and then there's the extra electric etc for the extra time the guest potentially spends in the room.

As someone who works in hospitality, I don't agree with the service charge being put on automatically, I think rarely is it going to the staff doing the work as a reward for doing it well. I don't think expecting tips is on either, although definitely gratefully received when given, for the compliment on a job done well as much as the cash that is very helpful!
I think if people want to tip then they can, putting the customer and the staff in a potentially awkward situation of asking for it taken off and the fall out from that (the customer feeling awkward about it and projecting that onto the staff in the way they ask, which as someone who has no say in the whole thing, from experience, makes you feel like shit and like you're being personally accused of ripping people off) is not fair to either party.

But then I have been asked more than once, to 'justify' prices by customers who feel they're too expensive and that it doesn't cost that, well where I work pays more than nmw for many employees (not just chefs and managers) which is unusual, and it's reflected in a happy and hardworking team, frequently complimented on their level of service - but people discount that, maybe because they feel like they deserve good service but don't want to pay for it.

The service charge is always way more than I’d leave as a tip. If I spent say £50 on two meals and drinks, they would charge 10% or £5 service charge, which seems like a lot for someone who’s doing their job that they’re paid for. They must be getting an absolute fortune if they get 10% of everything they serve. I used to be a waitress years ago and I never went home with more than a tenner from tips! I feel greedy asking for it to be removed from the bill though.

Service Charges do not always = Tips for the staff. Service Charges are a surcharge on the Bill and are included as Sales; often these Service Charges aren't passed on to staff at all.

A cool tenner a night tips on top of wages for a night's waitressing isn't to be sniffed at, even in this day and age; unless it was a 'level up' from your general restaurant.

Had a drink out today, you have to order through an app and the app had a tip question that defaults to giving a tip. Annoying as at that point I hadn’t spoken to anyone or received any service so what am I tipping exactly.

YANBU. It should always be discretionary, particularly considering service in many places post pandemic went to shit. Too many people just don't care that they're shit at their jobs, unfortunately. I don't want to top up their pay with this attitude.

I was out today and the options for tipping were all as a % of the bill. Starting at 10%, 15%, 20% or 25%. No option to say, for example, £5.

Seems excessive to me.

Card readers, this was. Think I'll stick some fivers in my purse in future. The bill was for £32 btw.

I tip 99.9% of the time but it does piss me off when it is added automatically. I feel as if it makes you look cheap to ask for it to be removed.

I definitely do mind it when we go somewhere for a special occasion and we end up with something like a £35 tip. We always tip, but would never leave such a high amount.

If the price of everything were increased by 10%, at least it would be fair. The price per item already has an in-built cost beyond the costs of actually preparing the menu item. The customers are all paying for the costs of running the business anyway: the rent, the gas and electricity, the ingredients, and the staffing costs.

Currently what we get in these circumstances is a two tier model. There is a fee applied, and if you're a confident person you can get it removed. Should there be an extra restaurant fee levied on the meek, quiet, or painfully shy? Or on foreigners who might not understand that it is possible to remove? A PP above asks about the possibility, so clearly not all are aware. I recently talked to another woman in real life who didn't know they could be removed either.

I always tip, and am happy to tip 20% in a restaurant for very good service. I find having a service charge already added as a percentage of the bill doesn’t really work though if you are ordering a bottle of wine with your meal. Paying 20% on a £50 bottle of wine is bad enough, but 20% on a £100 bottle is ridiculous for exactly the same service.

I don’t tip anyone at all in this country. On the principle that many other jobs also only pay minimum wage and their staff are not tipped.

I remember really resenting the service charge being added in Gordon Ramsay’s burger place when I still had to go up to a drinks machine and get my own fucking drink!

I’m happy to tip for good service but this is frequently happening more and more in many places

It’s frustrating as do staff actually get it? For introverts like myself it’s really awkward asking to pay just the bill ( normally we would leave coins for a tip) Eating out is expensive enough now!

Don't go to North America if you hate tipping! It's a nightmare. Minimum 20% is expected for a meal and even places like Starbucks expect a 15% tip.

It annoys me too. Plus the automatic expectation of a tip. DH does, I’d rather do it according to the service.

Yes you can ask for it to be removed but it’s awkward as the implication is that it’s for the member of staff serving you at that time.

I’d rather businesses just upped their prices by x% and just charged what they need to make a profit and pay their staff, the whole tipping concept irritates me.

I’ve had a couple recently where it’s a query on a payment at a bar, I mean I’ve walked up and ordered my drink it’s not even table service why should there be a tip on that?

It’s ridiculous I can’t understand why they don’t just increase their prices to what they want to charge, is it some kind of tax dodge?

I agree it's very wrong. I'm happy to tip (providing the service wasn't awful) but usually I wouldn't tip the amount they add on!

It's awkward to ask them to take it off.

I don't even understand a service charge on a big group - how is it more work to serve a table of 10 than two tables of 5?