Restaurant service charge automatically added to bill

ForcedToCreateAccount

I've noticed that Yo Sushi in Birmingham Selfridges automatically adds a 10% service charge to the bill. This has happened to me a couple of times there and nothing about it was mentioned by the staff.

I haven't had this elsewhere.

Has anyone else had this in restaurants? Is it even legitimate??

DoaM

If it's not already mentioned (e.g. on the menu) that they'll do this then you can legally ask for the service charge to be removed - you didn't agree to it pre-contract therefore they can't unilaterally add it post-contract.

MobileSaver

ForcedToCreateAccount wrote: »

automatically adds a 10% service charge to the bill.

Has anyone else had this in restaurants?

A brand new Italian restaurant in my town did this so I simply never ate there again. A year later I noticed they'd gone out of business...

Matt_Jones

I've had this happen to me a few times and every time I question it with the bill. Most places remain stubborn about it but I managed to talk/annoy one place into removing it. Try your luck, they might get rid of it if you point out that there was no mention of it on the menu or when you ordered.

ForcedToCreateAccount

The thing is, I'd be too shy/embarrassed to ask them to remove it lol. I might e-mail a complaint to them.

DoaM

Matt_Jones wrote: »

Try your luck, they might get rid of it if you point out that there was no mention of it on the menu or when you ordered.

There's no "might" about it ... if there was no mention of it prior to ordering (pre-contract agreement) then they cannot add it to the bill after the meal is complete (post-contract). The consumer is only legally liable for what was agreed pre-contract.

Matt_Jones

ForcedToCreateAccount wrote: »

The thing is, I'd be too shy/embarrassed to ask them to remove it lol. I might e-mail a complaint to them.

That's what they're banking on.

DoaM wrote: »

There's no "might" about it ... if there was no mention of it prior to ordering (pre-contract agreement) then they cannot add it to the bill after the meal is complete (post-contract). The consumer is only legally liable for what was agreed pre-contract.

Sadly that doesn't stop everyone from being an insistent about it and playing a game of who blinks first with you.

Alfrescodave

This is becoming quite common in restaurants and is often "hidden" in small font somewhere on the menu. Having read the menu, I suppose this constitutes an acceptance of the service charge costs. Though if I was not happy with the service I would certainly make it known when presented with the bill or even before.

takman

ForcedToCreateAccount wrote: »

The thing is, I'd be too shy/embarrassed to ask them to remove it lol. I might e-mail a complaint to them.

If there was extra items of food/drink on the bill that you didn't order would you still be too shy/embarrassed to question it?

thebigstillmeister

I hate it when they add it on automatically,.. much prefer when they hand you the pay machine and it comes up with 'Do you want to add gratuity?',.. much better,

I remember the funniest place i went was some 'trendy' bar somewhere in London years ago for a quick drink while waiting for the theater,

First time round a waitress came to the table and we ordered 2 drinks, mine was just a beer in the bottle,.. had a (large) tip added to the bill,. thought oh well table service, in London only having one,

Then as my wife still had some left and still 20mins to go thought id have another, no sign of the waitress so went up to the bar myself, the bar tender literally took a bottle of beer out of the fridge right next to him (he didn't even have to move his feet), then took the top off and passed it to me. Then gave me the bill with gratuity added again, !

TadleyBaggie

Actually I like it when they do it, saves me faffing for extra money for a tip or trying to work out if the card machine allows me to add a tip.