We're going in the other direction. In Seattle it's common for restaurants to tack on an extra "service charge" that's not a tip, just because. It's supposed to be declared somewhere.

With tip your bill can easily end up 40% higher.

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cge 13 hours ago | parent | next [-]

That’s also very common in the UK, and shows up elsewhere in Europe sometimes. In the UK, they are legally but not practically or socially discretionary. There are some tax advantages for the restaurant and in the ideal case for staff.

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GJim 13 hours ago | parent | next [-]

> That’s also very common in the UK

Touristy places in central London maybe. They wouldn't dare try sneaking an undeclared service charge onto a locals bill in Northern England or Scotland :-)

> In the UK, they are legally but not practically or socially discretionary.

Speak for yourself. When entertaining clients at touristy places in London, one routinely asks for this underhand charge to be removed from the bill. (Whether or not we then choose to leave a cash tip is a matter of discretion, but the chances are rather low after such shenanigans).

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pjc50 13 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

IME they mostly only appear for large tables in the UK.

	▲	GJim 9 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Then is should be declared in advance on the menu. Adding an undeclared "service charge" to the bill only when it is presented to you is what we are talking about here. It is an increasingly common underhand tactic in and around London and an charge which one should ALWAYS ask to be removed ("that wasn't on the menu mate").

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yuye 12 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

If I see "service charge" I'm going to assume that it covers the tip. I'm not going to tip on top of that.

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JohnFen 12 hours ago | parent [-]

This is what I do as well. Then I don't return to that restaurant on the basis of shenanigans.

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GJim 9 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Simply ask for it to be removed.

Then, if you wish, tip the staff whatever amount you prefer. (Though at this point, any restaurant that tries sneakily adding an additional charge to my bill probably isn't getting anything).

	▲	JohnFen 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		> Simply ask for it to be removed. No, that's too unpleasant and would put a dour note on the evening. Particularly if I'm there with a date. I'm OK with simply not returning.

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yuye 12 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

It's pretty common where I live in Asia, and they almost always write it on their menu, too. I don't really see it as shenanigans as long as it's communicated in advance. We don't have a tipping culture, though.

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JohnFen 11 hours ago | parent | next [-]

They disclose it in the US as well. It's shenanigans to me because it's sneaky. Rather than being honest an increasing the price of the food, they're using a "service fee" separately to try to trick you into thinking the restaurant is less expensive than it is. I genuinely find it offensive, for pretty much the same reason that I find tipping culture offensive.

	▲	ryandrake 8 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Yea, taken to the extreme, I don't think anyone would think it's fair: Restaurant A's pasta is $14.95, printed clearly on the menu. Restaurant B's pasta is $13, with a 15% service fee written in tiny letters on the menu somewhere. Restaurant C's pasta is $2.99, with a 500% service fee written in tiny letters on the menu somewhere. You're paying the same thing at each restaurant. If you think C is sneaky and unethical (which I hope everyone would), then why is B ok?

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account42 10 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Anything where the sticker price is not the full price you pay is "shenanigans" as far as I'm concerned.