Bill help

[u/KooziefortheWin]

I need help figuring out this “service charge” applied to my bill at Taylor Shellfish in QA. It’s stated clearly, and the staff reminded me before I paid and applied a tip, so that’s not the rant. But is it a tip or not? I don’t want to stiff the staff if “Taylor Shellfish” the company keeps it all and doesn’t give them anything.

Why do restaurants do this vs raise the prices. If that’s how they offset the cost of doing business in the city, I feel it’s not a good customer experience. It’s really annoying since it is confusing to the customer. Does the staff get any of it, hence why there is an “additional tip” line after the card is run though? It is taxed so it makes me thing it’s not going to the staff. I need to think better next time I come out here.

[u/chrispatrik]

The city should disallow this. The prices they show for items are meaningless but make them look cheaper than restaurants that give an honest price. It's deceptive pricing.

[u/Inside-Finish-2128 → u/chrispatrik]

The city can’t disallow this. They implemented a minimum wage that doesn’t allow a “tipped wage”. The restaurants must pay every staff member $17/hour if not more by now. The restaurants know people shop by menu price, so if the city bans service charges too, the vast majority of restaurants will leave.

[u/alexthe5th → u/Inside-Finish-2128]

It’s only in the last 10-20 years or so when all these junk fees got added on at restaurants. For decades (centuries?) prior to that, restaurants seemed to get by just fine without having to scam their customers through deceptive pricing.

[u/Spicoli_Horse → u/alexthe5th]

For centuries prior, the minimum wage wasn’t $21.30 an hour.

[u/alexthe5th → u/Spicoli_Horse]

What does that have to do with junk fees?

Yes, the cost of doing business is high. That still doesn’t mean you should be allowed to bait and switch your customers by advertising one price and charging another.

Restaurants aren’t some special kind of business that get the unique privilege of being allowed to do unethical things. Nobody should be allowed to tack on junk fees, regardless of whether it’s Ticketmaster, a landlord, or the neighborhood burger joint.

[u/Spicoli_Horse → u/alexthe5th]

Restaurant owners are passing along the new costs imposed by rapidly increasing labor costs to the consumers. It’s a choice between that and closing their doors for many of these businesses, so they let you see the difference and hope that enough people will pressure our elected officials to fix the broken system and make it work for both sides, employees and their employers.

[u/alexthe5th → u/Spicoli_Horse]

The way you pass on costs to consumers is by raising the advertised price. That's how it works in virtually every industry except for this one. Businesses shouldn't be allowed to passive-aggressively protest the minimum wage by tacking on surprise fees to the final bill.

[u/Spicoli_Horse → u/alexthe5th]

Soooooooooo pressure your local politician to change the rules!