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]
Yes. If the minimum wage went up to something livable, do you think the restaurant owners are going to eat the cost or pass it along to you? Them putting an 18% surcharge, assuming that that’s an auto-gratuity that goes to the server, is the exact same as if you were begrudgingly tipping 18%. That being said, that should be announced somewhere as an official company policy. If you want a servant to make and bring you food, you have to pay for that luxury. You’ve just been paying below actual market price for that luxury since you’ve been born.
Read the check, it’s not an auto-gratuity. The gratuity is still expected. This is a service charge. A service charge that is likely not listed on the menu. It’s bullshit. Raise the price of the food and don’t hide costs that you are charging the customer.