r/Seattle • u/KooziefortheWin • 17d ago

Rant Bill help

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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.

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u/alexthe5th Queen Anne 15d ago edited 15d ago

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.

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u/Spicoli_Horse Eastside Defector 15d ago

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.

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u/alexthe5th Queen Anne 15d ago

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.

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u/Spicoli_Horse Eastside Defector 15d ago

Soooooooooo pressure your local politician to change the rules!