Does anyone else refuse to pay service charge before they have even been served?

[Totallybannanas]

I really don't get it, and initially I did because I am afraid they will spit in my food or give me a bad service! But why do a lot of these places where you order at the table with a QR code give you the option to pay a tip before you have even been served. They are even taking your order so it's very hard to judge the service.

I have never ever ever come across this

is this a chain or an independent?

Totally agree with you! My DS was inputting our order and using my card. He asked if I wanted to leave a tip. My response was, “I don’t know, yet!”

Unfortunately, neither of us had cash to give a tip afterwards, and the staff had been great. I did ask if I could give a tip by card and the person I asked didn’t know.

I would not tip in the kind of place you order yourself on QR code anyway tbh - that’s mostly fast food surely?

I wouldn't be paying a top or a service charge if I'm putting my own order in on my phone.

It’s a flawed system and I keep cash in my bag just for tips. I’m cashless everywhere else! 😂

Also…those tips don’t always get fairly allocated—at some restaurants, the salaried manager gets a cut of the card machine tips.

I've only ordered on a QR thing once at the airport, but I would not be giving any tip or service charge at all. Especially when I'm having to download yet another bloody app, do the order myself and in this case the meal was handed to be directly from the chef.

I just don’t tip at these sorts of places. I will leave a tip at a proper restaurant but if I am ordering from my phone from a large paper menu then I just pay for what I am ordering - it has never been an issue

Unless service is atrocious, I always take the optional service charge off the bill if it’s been added, and leave a 10 or 12.5% tip in cash. I feel much more confident that the money will go to the waiter/waitress doing this. I would be reluctant to use a restaurant where you have to pay at the table using a QR code but would still want to leave a cash tip of the service was good.

What kind of places ( with presumably table service or there wouldn't be a service charge) make you pay in advance using a qr code? I eat out quite a lot and with table service I've only ever given a verbal order to the waiter and paid after the meal.

Yeah, we have a chain around here that does that - order on the QR code and the option of leaving a tip, but no I don't! As you say, you don't know what the service will be like, but if I'm doing it all myself why would I leave a tip for them bringing it out?!

The Lounges chain does this. I think you can order at the bar if you want to, but if you order via QR code there is the option to add a tip.

Independent cafe near us started this.

Haven’t been back . Plenty of other options,

I’ve never been anywhere where you order on a QR code but certainly would not tip if I hadn’t received any service at that point.

Pretty sure alot of chains do like Nandoes, lounge bars, Boston tea party etc

Gourmet Burger Kitchen—you get taken to a table, they give you menus, you order from a QR code, and they bring out your food/drinks, and clear your dirty dishes.

What do these restaurants do if you don’t have a mobile phone? 😆

I guess syou can order at the bar 🤔

I struggle too understand the justification for tipping and service charges these days, just puts me off eating out.