Following a decent meal we had the other night, I was a bit miffed that the bill had added a service charge of 15%. As such I paid the bill and did not leave a cash tip (I am not that rich!)
Am I allowed to ask for the service charge to be removed and then leave the 10-15% as a cash tip?
The reason being that I want my 'tip' to go into the pocket of the person who has been working hard serving the table (and probably isn't paid great deal) rather than the house who are proabably making enough money from the meal anyway.
Many thanks
2006-10-24 01:16:26 · 16 answers · asked by Chris G 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
The service charge was the tip. It goes to the wait staff.
2006-10-24 06:14:07 · answer #1 · answered by Gorilla 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should state this to the management just like you have here. Then find a different restaurant until they change the policy. It's probably a tactic to be able to say to the waiters and waitresses that they have a guaranteed gratuity and don't have to depend on cheapscate patrons who leave 5% or 10%. It is a little unrealistic to expect people to leave extra on top of a built in gratuity though, and I agree it makes sense to tip the one who worked for you.
Another thought is that perhaps the restaurant has been auditied by the IRS and now wants to have control over reporting all tips. The IRS will impute that a waitress makes a certain level of tips regardless and this might be a way around a potential income tax problem.
2006-10-24 01:30:10 · answer #2 · answered by Kokopelli 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually restaurants only add the service charge on large parties to ensure that the server gets their tip...because many times in large parties (usually thought of as 8 or more people) people split the bill and forget to leave a tip! Servers almost always get paid a nominal hourly rate ($2.50 an hour) to motivate them to earn good tips. And to keep great servers this trend was born. If you want to ask the Manager if, in fact, the service charge does go to your server. If not, why not and what is it for. A good manager will be willing and able to answer your question quickly and professionally. Enjoy.
2006-10-24 01:30:45 · answer #3 · answered by Barbiq 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you are more than entitled to choose how and when you are going to tip after a meal. the previous post must of been placed by the type of person who would not have recived many tips, and is it really the case that 10% is no longer exeptable when myself and my partner can go out for a meal costing £80 be in there for barley an 1hr1/2 and be expected tip more than i get paid an hour.
2006-10-24 03:36:53 · answer #4 · answered by Ant12 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You sure can. It is law to state on bill DESCRECTIONARY Service charge. Maybe some managers will be offended. But if you are happy to state why then read on.
You are doing the right thing by leaving a cash tip. Most staff have service included in their wage, no matter ow busy or quite they are. Cash tips are something else.
We still do have to pay 7% tax on cash tips. But its tottaly different to a wage.
2006-10-24 01:28:27 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
YOU CHEAP SON OF A ......
the reason many servers put a 15% service charge on the bill is because of people like you. 10% has not been acceptable since 1972. 15% is the norm for a decent meal with decent service moving up to 18% for a good job and so on.
did you have a problem with the food? talk to the manager to have that taken off. the service charge goes to the server, so that they don't get stiffed by cheap bastards like you. most waiters make LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE. we are expected to earn up to minimum wage through our tips.
if you aren't "that rich" you shouldn't be going out to eat. if you can afford to go to a restaurant, then you can afford to appreciate the service you get. otherwise, order out, go to mcdonalds, cook at home.
you sorry son of a b!tch. you don't deserve to be waited on by a hard working, bill paying person and i don't know how you can feel good about not leaving an extra tip yet ranting about how the management is taking all the money. you cry that you don't make much money, but you're unwilling to pay someone else who is working for you.
this is exactly why we (the service industry) put a service charge on bill, because of cheap a$s people (10%???) like you.
2006-10-24 02:19:13 · answer #6 · answered by Natlie Y 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
The service charge is the tip for the waitress. Some restaurants are going to this because a lot of people are not tipping, or are tipping very poorly. Don't get mad at the restaurant. Get mad at the people who cheated the waitresses.
2006-10-24 01:32:46 · answer #7 · answered by sheeny 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes you can ask for it to be removed from your bill, generally best to do this after you have eaten though, its just another play on exploitation for restaurants and hotels, I prefer to tip the person who has done the hard work of serving me and not the restaurant or hotel, stick by your guns its your right to choose.
2006-10-24 02:14:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the tip is automatically charged, they probably split the tips at the end of the night between all employees, or the server gets all his/her tips that were automatically charged. Don't ask to remove the tip.
2006-10-24 01:26:12 · answer #9 · answered by hello 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
UK: If you think (reasonably) that any part of the meal was well below standard, and this includes the service, you are entitled in law to remove part of the cost, inform the restaurateur of your reasons, give your correct name and address informing him/her that if they disagree with you, they can take you to the Small Claims Court. It then becomes a Civil matter, rather than a Criminal one..........
2006-10-24 01:28:56 · answer #10 · answered by thomasrobinsonantonio 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋