Pizza Express charged me hidden "optional service charge"...

uktim29

moonrakerz wrote: »

That is being somewhat mean, you are taking your annoyance out on the staff not the restaurant.

If there is an "optional tip" I never pay it; but give a tip in cash to the staff, this makes sure they get it.

I do agree with that. Didn't you realise the staff don't put it on themselves!

Plasticman

moonrakerz wrote: »

That is being somewhat mean, you are taking your annoyance out on the staff not the restaurant.

If there is an "optional tip" I never pay it; but give a tip in cash to the staff, this makes sure they get it.

Not necessarily the case. It has been reported that a number of organisations pay under the minimum wage and top up with tips. No tip and the employer has to make up the difference. Example here:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/carluccios-staff-paid-163160-an-hour-below-the-minimum-wage-449630.html

Although I seem to remember that the law has / will be changed to stop this. I may have to start tipping again.............

moonrakerz

Plasticman wrote: »

pay under the minimum wage and top up with tips. No tip and the employer has to make up the difference. Example here:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/carluccios-staff-paid-163160-an-hour-below-the-minimum-wage-449630.html

If you don't give the tip to the restaurant, they have to make up the shortfall, if at the same time you give a cash tip to the staff they "gain" twice.
The reason that HMRC "allow" the practice of making up the pay with tips is so that they get Tax & NI on the tips then !

CharliesDad

I go to pizza express quite often and seem to remember seeing this at the bottom of the menu, i think it is for parties of 6 or more they automatically add a %. I love their pizza's but i really dislike this practice.

uktim29

Plasticman wrote: »

Not necessarily the case. It has been reported that a number of organisations pay under the minimum wage and top up with tips. No tip and the employer has to make up the difference. Example here:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/carluccios-staff-paid-163160-an-hour-below-the-minimum-wage-449630.html

Although I seem to remember that the law has / will be changed to stop this. I may have to start tipping again.............

Again though, that is the company not the staff.

When you tip you're tipping the staff not the company aren't you?

Plasticman

uktim29 wrote: »

Again though, that is the company not the staff.

When you tip you're tipping the staff not the company aren't you?

Not in the case of the link that I provided above. The company take the tips, and use it to pay the staff at the minimum wage. Even if you gave no tips, the staff would still be paid the same.

uktim29

Plasticman wrote: »

Not in the case of the link that I provided above. The company take the tips, and use it to pay the staff at the minimum wage. Even if you gave no tips, the staff would still be paid the same.

Yeah I know. But when you said

Plasticman wrote: »

If I go anywhere that automatically adds an 'optional' service charge, I always remove it and don't leave a tip.

That looks like you're taking it out on the staff where you've said "and don't leave a tip". It's not the staffs fault that their company does this.

Dreamnine

I would ask about their tipping policy- do the company take the tips, or do they go straight to the staff. Either way, I would always want the waiters to get my cash tip.

Fairydust_3

WELL AS I WORK FOR PIZZA EXPRESS, LETS CLEAR THIS UP!....

Waiter's receive minimum wage when working for pizza express, unlike someother companies such as Carluccios, Zizzi's etc etc. So, P.Exp waiter's are not affected by this loophole -whereby the tips left on credit card go on to the wage slip at the end of the month (to make up the pay to min. wage)- as in other restaurants.

SO, PLS don't feel you're contributing to some kind of justice system, by not tipping up, either way the minumum wage is pitiful, and the only person losing out is the poor waiter. The company pay the same wage to the waiter regardless, you're tip is separate from this.

Pizza Exp, do impose a near enough 10% admin charge onto any tips left by card, then they're subjected to tax & N.I. so the waiter gets about 70% of any credit card tip, about a month later, on the next paycheck. CASH tips are kept and not touchable by the company.

Hope this clears stuff up a little : )

waitress88

h0ney wrote: »

think you may have to put it down to experience. you should have checked receipt at the time i think. I always have them remove the service charge then leave my own tip.

I suppose you could complain, you may get lucky and receive something.

xx

This is a good idea as the server may not get a part of or even any of said service charge. If you want to tip good service then it's better to do it directly to the server as opposed to paying the service charge.

:j