A SCOT was left incredulous after being charged 10% gratuity on a restaurant bill without being warned, prompting debate amongst others online.
In a post to social media yesterday the diner asked others if tipping had now become mandatory in Edinburgh after a 10% gratuity charge was added to a meal they had in the city.
The charge had been added to the bill without the diner’s knowledge, and they were only made aware of it after reading the bill in full.
Presented as an optional charge, the gratuity could be removed from the bill, but the diner would have to request it be taken off.
They said that doing so would make them feel uncomfortable, adding that it “left a sour taste” and that they didn’t intend on returning to the restaurant, prompting them to ask other locals on social media if this was standard practice.
Their post made to social media yesterday reads: “So, I haven’t been out for a while and that struck me as really odd.
“Went out with some friends earlier tonight to a place that looked decent. Food was okay etc. Nothing fancy, but decent, nonetheless.
“Generally, if the food is good and the service is not horrible, I’ll always tip a few pounds.
“Now, when the bill came, I noticed a 10% discretionary gratuity tip for £11.50.
“None of us were asked about it before it was added to the total and I didn’t want to challenge it, since it would make me feel like an a*****e. But it really left a sour taste in my mouth.
“Is that standard practice these days? Because while I thought that we discovered a new place to go to, I don’t want to visit the place after that.
“Am I being weird about it or it happens everywhere (sic)?”
The post quickly received over 160 likes and more than 255 comments from social media users.
One wrote: “I own a cocktail bar and we made the decision when we opened to not add an automatic service charge. It just didn’t sit with me well.
“If folks want to tip, they are welcome to, but we pay our staff more than average and anything above that is a bonus for their hard work.”
Another replied: “I was interviewing for hospitality jobs and was told the wage for one was £13/hour, so obviously I took this over other options paying min wage.
“When I got my first payslip and saw I was paid £11.44/hour, I queried it and was told that ‘with the service charge you get it equals out to about £13/hour’.
“They are 100% using this to avoid paying a decent wage and passing it onto the customer.”
A third said: “Calling it a service charge is more tasteful, imo. Calling it a gratuity is highly loaded; gratuity is something that should be given not taken.”
Another commented: “It’s discretionary in the sense that you can ask for it to be taken off.
“Then the manager will come along and quiz you about what was wrong, until you’re so embarrassed that you give up and pay the gratuity.”
A fifth added: “I was in a £350 a night hotel (pre-paid as a gift) and a discretionary 5% room service charge was added to the bill.
“£17.50 for what? It’s already been paid for. Social blackmail, should be illegal.”
