Went to a restaurant in LA today and when I got the check I noticed that it was a bit higher than it should be. Then I noticed this 18% service charge. So… We, as customers, need to help pay for their servers instead of the owners paying their servers a living wage. And on top of that they have suggested tip. I called bs on this. I will bet you that the servers do not see a dime of this 18% service charge. [deleted a word so it wasn’t a grammatical horror to read]
Demand they give the service charge to the server. I’ve done this with a manager recently and he was so embarrassed when it was brought to public attention he promised he would. Then I said, it was simply disgraceful to see an attempt to double dip with a mandatory charge a server wouldn’t see. But I’m a large man, so might not be easy for everyone.
I think it’s okay if there’s a service charge, but it should be obvious like this and tipping afterwards shouldn’t even be brought up. It’s not the best solution for everyone but it’s a step in the right direction of no fucking tipping
That’s absolutely insane. I would let them know that it’s the last time I ever set foot in their establishment
This would be one of those rare times where I would wish I had cash.
I’d tip the staff directly, based on the original amount, then leave exactly the price of the ordered items, not including the service fee.
Then I’d leave.
“We want to charge you more, but we want to make sure you blame our wait staff for it.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if the QR code sends you to a website bitching about “the current administration”.
From the site they link to:
What About Tips?
If customers have exceptional service, we encourage them to tip our employees at the percentage or amount they feel comfortable with.
Maybe they should change the “Suggested Tips” with “Had exceptional service? Feel free to add a tip.” and start at 5%
Also, they should be clear if all or part of the “service charge” goes towards employee salaries.
From:
I’ve stopped going to restaurants because of shit like this.
My favorite Mexican place that I’ve been eating at for 15+ years is still offering a fair price. I’ve never really paid attention to prices before but it’s been a real kick in the balls lately to dine out! My wife and I can eat there for $20. Vegetable fajita and garden quesadilla with waters. Their delicious salsa is made in house too, not sure about the chips. The kitchen doesn’t always hit a home run but most of the time it’s phenomenal. Not kidding, I feel like I’m taking advantage of them, $20! That’s literally what I paid on date night in 1994.
The woman was cheap though
What do they actually pay their staff?
If they do pay them above the norm, idgaf how they show the pricing; on menu is better, but not vital.
But if they’re paying the same shit pay as everyone else, they need to have the shit sued out of them for something
That place is already out of my price range before the 18%!
What is this nonsense? I mean, since the customers are the only source of income for a restaurant, of course the customers pay for the wages.
But why hide that behind obscure markups (that’s all a service charge/tip is)? Why not just price the food 18% higher and drop the service charge?
That way, the restaurant earns the same money, but the customers actually know what they are going to pay and the restaurant visit doesn’t end on a down note when paying.
Does anyone now if the restaurant pays different taxes on food/drinks sold and tip/service fees?
In Washington (everywhere is different) a service fee is taxed as income to the restaurant. A restaurant is not taxed on tips. It’s better for the restaurant to not do a service fee (less taxes) than tips
If a Washington restaurant is charging a service fee, it has to be posted. The verbiage has to say how it’s being used/if the restaurant is taking any portion
You’re stating the obvious. The owners are making a political statement.
People look at the menu, decide the prices are reasonable and eat. They then get hit with an 18% service charge and (in the US) a 20% tip on top.
The restaurant could increase their prices by 18%, but then people would decide to eat elsewhere. Of course they’ll do that anyway after being hit with all the charges, but the owner thinks it’s worth it to get the custom once.
Wild that somebody would decide $22.25 is reasonable for chicken wings. Maybe for 100 of them …
They seem to be massively overcharging, which makes the whole thing a lot wilder. At those prices they could afford to pay their staff well and abolish both tips and service charge…
Suspect the owner is just a knob.
It’s in LA, everything is expensive and well is very relative. Minimum wage is almost $17.
Why would you tip when the restaurant just pre-charged an 18% tip? They say it isn’t a tip but it goes to the employees so, unless the service staff was beyond exemplary, just don’t tip. It’s less than I would have anyway.
I wouldn’t tip on that either.
All I want to know is … What the flying fuck is a “shazzy” and is it delicious?
Wait, $17 for Lettuce??
Let the manager know that you won’t be returning and make sure they understand why, then never return.
I thought the point of paying servers a living wage was to make tipping unnecessary.
This line of thinking is just making serving a less attractive job for millions of people to save yourself a small amount of money.
This line of thinking is what let’s wage thieves sleep at night.
Tell me you don’t understand wage theft without telling me you don’t understand wage theft.
If they have started charging this service fee customers will be less inclined to tip on top. So if the money from the service fee is not entirely being used to increase staff wages, then the restaurant management is effectively stealing their tips. That is wage theft in spirit if not legal definition.
This conclusions requires two separate assumptions from you that are not evidence-based
The sun’s core being filled with a quark plasma soup instead of, for example cotton candy, is also an assumption that is not evidence-based.
It’s almost like we as humans can use logic and reason to determine things to be extremely significantly probable without having proof in our hands.
Our understanding of the sun’s composition is absolutely evidence-based.
You’re making the assumption that
1: this money is embezzled by the owner
2: people are less likely to tip
You’re also making a third: that servers receiving less pay won’t go elsewhere
Whereas we extrapolate from data to understand the Sun (moving from evidence to conclusion) you are starting with your expected result and then manufacturing caused (embezzlement, lack of tips)
This is the opposite of using “logic and reason”
Prices for food in a restaurant is not that hard to calculate: you figure the cost of one plate of food, multiply it by four and that is price to be charged before taxation.
One part is for the pantry. One part is for the kitchen staff. One part is for the room staff. One part is for the house.
Not hard to figure.
Drinks and beverages are basically all profit, unless you want to drink water with a refined meal (the healthiest/best option but most people won’t), so you will pay for a soft drink twice or triple what it costs you at the store and lets not start talking about wines, beers or, even worse, spirits.
More than 10% service charge is unacceptable already where I am. Let alone asking for a tip on top.
