DS Forums

 
 

Restaurant Service Charges - what's the 'done' thing?


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 24-07-2008, 11:48
Victoria Sponge
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: UK Garage, GoT, Brasil & steak
Posts: 10,505

I know that the restaurant 'service charge' is optional, but is it generally frowned upon not to pay it?

Do you always pay it?
Victoria Sponge is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 24-07-2008, 12:34
ontheloop54
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: The Big Smoke
Posts: 2,747
My advice, from being a waiter in a number of places over the years (not anymore thankfully) is to not pay it under any circumstances (unles it states on the menu it is shared between the servers), as your waiter will usually receive only a small fraction of it, if any. Some places pay staff below minimum wage and then use it to top-up wages, when the service charge should be on top of what they're being paid.

One place i worked in raked in a fortune in service charges and then paid staff a set hourly rate (above minimum wage, but we would have made a lot a lot more if we could've kept our own tips. )

Waiters will probably not be too keen on you not paying it as they will be questioned by the manager as to why they're removing it and suspect the service isn't up to scratch....my advice is to discreetly give the waiter who served you a cash tip...so they can pocket it....that wat the unscrupulous bosses won't be able to get their greedy paws on it
ontheloop54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-07-2008, 12:43
Victoria Sponge
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: UK Garage, GoT, Brasil & steak
Posts: 10,505
Thanks for your post. I had always wondered what was actually done with the 'service charge'. I would definitely rather have some control over who my tip goes to, should I decide to leave one.
Victoria Sponge is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 24-07-2008, 13:17
jmclaugh
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Devon
Posts: 48,040
Should be discretionary and I really only leave one, 10%, if the service has been very good and as ontheloop says give it directly to the waiter/waitress. I don't like places that include a service charge in the bill so hardly ever patronise them.
jmclaugh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-07-2008, 13:24
Gogfumble
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Swashbuckling on Melee Island.
Posts: 21,624
All tips should be discretionary and I don't think any waiting staff should have to share their tips. If I give my waiter a tip it is because I want to thank that person for doing a good job for me. The other waiters/waitresses didn't serve me so they shouldn't get a look in on any tips I give.
Gogfumble is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 17:34.