12.5% Service Charge

[Too Late]

At the weekend, went to London to celebrate the G/F's birthday, i had a meal booked at floridita (http://www.toptable.co.uk/floridita) after reading some of the reviews on TopTable.

Had a lovely meal and when the bill came in, i was shocked to see they had already added a service charge of 12.5% to it.

Is this common now?

N

[Turn7]

Pretty much in my limited experience. It would have been stated at the bottom of the menu though.

[dazco]

In London you are lucky not to get it on the bill, nearly everywhere we went to added it.

[Too Late]

A little bit cheeky.
The service was great, cant fault the food but with a service charge like that it stops me dead to hand any more money over for a tip!

[randlemarcus]

It is the tip, in my opinion. When I've had particularly good service, I'll ask for it to be taken off, and I'll give it in cash - it's a little more likely to get to the people who've made it a nice evening then.

[rpguk]

Most places do this now. In most places it's a bit like the Ryanair crap and not to be confused with a tip. When I have the presence of mind I'd remove it from the bill and give it in cash to the waiter.

Service charge is something that used to really rile me but I realise now that I barely even notice it

Really it needs a coordinated effort to push against it though, the Evening Standard had a good campaign there but I think that might have fizzled out too.

The main thing is it's discretionary so feel free to not pay it.

[davek_964]

A year or so back, I had breakfast at the Gordon Ramsay place in Heathrow. The service was pretty appalling - so much so, that before the bill came, I had decided I would not tip. I am happy to do so for average service, and will tip higher for good / excellent service - but on the rare occasions the service is truly bad, then I am not willing to pay extra for it.

When the bill came, not only had they included their own tip (can't remember the percentage) - but they had also made a "voluntary" donation to their chosen charity for me.

Overall, it pretty much doubled the bill. I had both the service charge and the donation removed from my bill, and will not visit there again.

[GCH]

It will be a discetionary 12.5%- you can ask for it to be removed, but they prey on the great british tradition of not wanting to cause a fuss, so most people leave it on.

I usually have it removed. I dont tip in the uk unless the service warrants it beyond what they are paid to do- which really is only a handful of places- and even then it is a round up, or a note.

I get enough of % based crap in the US and the hassle it causes (although of course servers in the US are paid nothing and live off their tips, so it a different system), so seeing it creep into the uk is bad in my opinion.

Edited by GCH on Monday 31st December 16:22

[Magic919]

They are quite upfront about their optional service charge and the discretionary music charge, on their website.

[Wadeski]

what on earth is wrong with including a service charge? unless the service is crap, what kind of git doesn't tip ?!!

[davek_964]

Wadeski said:

what on earth is wrong with including a service charge? unless the service is crap, what kind of git doesn't tip ?!!

Personally, I don't like it being assumed the service was good enough - or, how much tip it warrants. I fully agree that unless the service is crap, I will always tip - and it will generally be a minimum of 10% - but whether I will, or how much I will - should be my decision, not the restaurants.

[rpguk]

Wadeski said:

what on earth is wrong with including a service charge? unless the service is crap, what kind of git doesn't tip ?!!

Because often the 'service charge' isn't a tip and doesn't go to the waiting staff. The bill is still given on a silver tray with the expectation of a tip on top. And anyway, it's very presumptuous.

[Megaflow]

In my experience the only places where they add a service charge the service is generally of the standard to warrant it, and they are normally very up front about it.

We have paid it at Foxtrot Oscar, Maze Grill and Savoy Grill, in all three places the service was truely first rate, but neither did I leave a tip, IMO the service charge is there to enable a higher class of service, not your normal minimum wage types, therefore the tip is not required.

If the service was not up to it, then I would have no issue asking for it to be removed, just like I would have no issue asking for a meal to be removed that was sub standard.

[rpguk]

In London it seems the service charge is prevalent in most places from bistro level upwards.

[Terminator X]

I pay one or t'other rather than both. I do push against 12.5% though as 10% has always been enough in the past and of course increases in Pound terms as prices rise.

TX.

[21TonyK]

IME a service charge rarely goes to the staff but is used by many places to reduce their menu prices in order to appear competitive. Personally I don't like a presumed service charge but almost agree with the principal for group bookings and parties. This seems to be the one occasion people either don't tip at all or do so very poorly and it's the most difficult type of booking for staff to handle.

The other side of the argument is that a 20 year old student with little experience or skill can earn £10+ an hour.

I got a £6 tip on a £19 bill before 10am this morning!

[dazco]

Wadeski said:

what on earth is wrong with including a service charge? unless the service is crap, what kind of git doesn't tip ?!!

You have just answered your own question.

A charge is a charge, and a tip is a tip, they are poles apart.

[OzzyR1]

Wadeski said:

what on earth is wrong with including a service charge? unless the service is crap, what kind of git doesn't tip ?!!

A service charge is not a tip.

When a service charge is included on the bill and you pay with a card, do you think the place you are eating at divulges the takings to the floor staff?

Service charge normally 10 - 15% in London which adds up to a substantial extra take for the restaurant on a busy night.

When the bill comes, I normally strike off the "optional" service charge, which, although "optional" is always added to the bottom line.

Pay as normal by cash or card and then leave the tip in cash on the table for whoever has been waiting on you.


ETA: Sorry, actually forgot what the OP was asking but to answer (as others have), its very much the norm in London.

You can do what I said above though and make sure it goes into the pocket of the person who has taken care of you if you had a good night.

Edited by OzzyR1 on Tuesday 1st January 01:17

[jules_s]

Lets face it, you take your missus out for a 'special' meal....the person serving you will invariably on minimum wage, they treat you like gods for an hour or so and you wouldn't tip them or add the discretional service charge?

I'd happily (and do) pay 10% service charge when the service is good. Good service makes a meal out, if the food is brilliant but served by a chump/chumpess it spoils the entire night regardless of the food.

FWIW the only places I eat in that add the service charge on the bill are 110% certain they deserve it; they do as well.

[wiffmaster]

I've never experienced this outside of London. I always assumed it was because London has millions of tourists, many of whom might not understand the concept of tipping (e.g. the Chinese). Therefore, it makes sense for the restaurant to add it, else a significant portion of their customers would leave simply pay the bill and not leave the 'expected' 10-15% tip for the staff.