NAME AND SHAME. Restaurant service charges

Altarf

ak27cr wrote: »

is this the biggest service charge?

I had a meal at a small Italian restaurant (Sapore Italaliano) and they added a 30% service charge is this the biggest reported so far?.

Yes that restaurant (http://www.saporeitaliano.co.uk/) does have some fairly rubbish reviews.

However I once had a service charge that was an infinite %.

I used a Groupon voucher in a restaurant, and had exactly what was included on the voucher. Nothing more.

At the end of the meal, with very poor service as they clearly didn't want to take the voucher, they presented me with a bill for a substantial service charge that had calculated on the menu prices of the items that had been included on the Groupon voucher.

They were told to whistle for it.

Disabled_Rights_For_Me

I am not on here to name and shame anybody who does service charges. I DO NOT go to restaurants that have them. I don't see why I should pay it and so I don't. I would rather stick to a place where I know what I am paying for.


If I go to McDonalds, sometimes the service is very good, bringing meals over etc. The Tesco man when he delivers my shopping might bring it into the house. The boiler inspector comes and so on and so forth.


If I am with my family and we have a meal, and it says fish £6.95, chips £2.49, and so on, I want to know exactly how much I am going to pay.


Adding an amount on at the end such as a service charge is an absurdity. I have food delivered and it comes nice and hot and I might pay by card or cash but why should we give extra money for doing their job? They may be on minimum wage, but so what, so are many other people.


I would rather avoid these restaurants completely. Either include it within the price of the goods or I don't go. Harvester is good, they don't have a service charge. It makes the experience much better.

JReacher1

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth wrote: »

Once went it pub in Cornwall, reknown for its sausages. We had quaff of ale, and nice meal. Time came to pay, and they did not accept cards. Eh? Nor cheques! Had a cash machine that paid out in £30 lots, and charge £5 for the privilege! Bill was just a tad over £30. Not only one who stood their ground. Local gendarmerie turned out, not in force. Minded us customers of bill, though we had offered to pay.


Was advised by orfisor of the law to drink up and leave. We, and a few others did so. Never been back, nor paid.

This doesn't sit well with me. You've basically stolen a £30 meal. I think the decent thing to do would have been to pay the £30 at a later date. After all you seem to have enjoyed the meal.

It doesn't seem to be fair that because you didn't have any cash and refused to pay the cash machine charge that this restaurant should be robbed of a £30 meal.

I am surprised you seem quite proud of your actions

DKLS

flashg67 wrote: »

All well and good, and my 2 waitress stepdaughters moan about this too,

However, part of you being able to give good service relies on so many others behind the scenes, so why shouldn't they get a share?
Also, they have often worked their bums off for no tips and sometimes got a huge tip for just doing their job - surely it's fairer to share in these instances as what goes around comes around?

The concept of fair is a myth, they way it works and should work in that sector, is the Head chef gets his bonus for achieving targets, the waiting staff get the tips as they are the ones who are up selling and cross selling. People like the pot wash and junior chefs simply should wait their turn.

I never shared my tips, if waiting staff were too daft not to spot the richest person in the restaurant and serve them accordingly more fool them.

Poppy9

ak27cr wrote: »

I had a meal at a small Italian restaurant (Sapore Italaliano) and they added a 30% service charge is this the biggest reported so far?. I tried to say it was illegal and not pay but they insisted and unveiled a hidden small sign behind the counter. At no time did the waitress inform us and there was no indication on the menu. Beware fellow customers!

You should report them to your local trading standards if the only sign mentioning this was not visible to you before you ordered your food.

Disabled_Rights_For_Me

DKLS wrote: »

The concept of fair is a myth, they way it works and should work in that sector, is the Head chef gets his bonus for achieving targets, the waiting staff get the tips as they are the ones who are up selling and cross selling. People like the pot wash and junior chefs simply should wait their turn.

I never shared my tips, if waiting staff were too daft not to spot the richest person in the restaurant and serve them accordingly more fool them.

I wouldn't have give you a tip at all and this attitude of entitlement makes me even more determined that I never will.

Where do you think the clean plates come from that you serve? You are serving other people's hard work. You get paid to do your job like anyone.

Kim_13

Zen. Chased out of the door for (unwittingly) being 2p short of the service charge!

I didn't think you were legally obliged to pay it anyway?

keelo

I saw this on Niche London's menu:
A discretionary service charge of 12.5% will be added to bills over £5 and is used to ensure all our full time staff are paid the London Living Wage or more.
From the Gov website, it states:
From 1 October 2009, service charges, tips, gratuities and cover charges can no longer be used to make up national minimum wage pay This means that all eligible workers must receive at least national minimum wage in base pay with any tips they
receive being paid on top.
Bit much expecting customers to pay the staff's wages when they should be doing that themselves?

Heliflyguy

Unfortunately the law only covers the minimum wage.

http://www.livingwage.org.uk/faq

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Well done to Niche London, for passing on their guilt of paying slave wages to their customers. In forcing them to feel guilty in paying the service charge.
AVOID