10% Service Charge - a few questions.

Driven · Postby **Driven** » February 16th, 2017, 8:36 pm

Hi everyone,

Since we are automatically charged this on every meal at a restaurant I have a few questions regarding this practice. Hopefully there are some folks in the service industry that can shed some light.

1. Does any of this make it to the server?
2. If it is, is going 100% to the server or is it pooled and distributed among all workers? (cooks, dishwashers, bartenders)
3. Can the service charge be withheld in cases of bad service?
4. Can service charge be applied to take-out orders?

V.

88sins · Postby **88sins** » February 17th, 2017, 12:38 pm

1. Depends on the restaurant
2. Would usually go directly to the server.
3. Usually not, once the waiter/waitress did serve you your order & you accepted their service. Most places here treat it as you paying a s/charge for them to bring you what you want, not serve you well, efficiently & pleasantly with a smile.
4. Yes, I've seen it done here before. Because you not going to the kitchen to make what you want yourself, someone has to go make it/get it for you.

Postby **Duane 3NE 2NR** » February 17th, 2017, 1:09 pm

88sins wrote:4. Yes, I've seen it done here before. Because you not going to the kitchen to make what you want yourself, someone has to go make it/get it for you.

so not paying service charge gives you raw food?

francis1979 · Postby **francis1979** » February 17th, 2017, 2:46 pm

The 10% is marketing scam by restaurants in Trinidad & Tobago.

In all cases the charge does not go directly to your server but is either kept by restaurant owner or shared between employees

It is not optional; however some restaurants will only charge the fee if your are dining in.

In my opinion since it is not optional include it in the price of the food as a regular overhead.

neexis · Postby **neexis** » February 17th, 2017, 3:04 pm

Duane 3NE 2NR wrote:
88sins wrote:4. Yes, I've seen it done here before. Because you not going to the kitchen to make what you want yourself, someone has to go make it/get it for you.
so not paying service charge gives you raw food?

Service charge includes assembly apparently

Slartibartfast · Postby **Slartibartfast** » February 17th, 2017, 3:19 pm

neexis wrote:
Duane 3NE 2NR wrote:
88sins wrote:4. Yes, I've seen it done here before. Because you not going to the kitchen to make what you want yourself, someone has to go make it/get it for you.
so not paying service charge gives you raw food?

Service charge includes assembly apparently

Brb, going to make groceries in woodford.

Driven · Postby **Driven** » February 17th, 2017, 6:12 pm

That's what I don't get, it's application (dine in sure, take away why?) and it's result (going to business or server or entire staff) varies so much that you can't be sure who your money is going to and why it's going!

Personally:
1. If I order takeout I'm not using server time (taking of orders, serving of food, cleanup) and therefore I should not be charged for such. The cost of preparation should already have been factored into the meal!
2. VAT is law.. What provisions are there in place that say we MUST pay a service charge?

shake d livin wake d dead · Postby **shake d livin wake d dead** » February 17th, 2017, 6:26 pm

If there is a service charge....do you still tip?

Driven · Postby **Driven** » February 17th, 2017, 6:49 pm

shake d livin wake d dead wrote:If there is a service charge....do you still tip?

I do.

On a recent visit to a casual dining restaurant the service offered was pretty 'meh' (if I may use the term) and while putting a $10 out for tip I wondered to myself "Do you even know why you're doing this?" lol

So far all I've been able to come up with is that
- I started doing it after seeing other people doing it.
- I don't want to look cheap.

Both of which I don't think are valid reasons to continue doing it.

silent_riot · Postby **silent_riot** » February 17th, 2017, 7:03 pm

I leave a cash tip with the server if I can afford to.
I don't eat out much but usually the servers are nice and courteous but the tip is withheld in the few cases where the server really doesn't care.
It is also helpful for us, the customer, to also be friendly and understanding. We need to treat people like people if we want to be treated like people too.
Sometimes folks are douches for little or no reason, both customers and employees.

neexis · Postby **neexis** » February 17th, 2017, 7:34 pm

Driven wrote:
shake d livin wake d dead wrote:If there is a service charge....do you still tip?

I do.

On a recent visit to a casual dining restaurant the service offered was pretty 'meh' (if I may use the term) and while putting a $10 out for tip I wondered to myself "Do you even know why you're doing this?" lol

So far all I've been able to come up with is that
- I started doing it after seeing other people doing it.
- I don't want to look cheap.

Both of which I don't think are valid reasons to continue doing it.

If service is poor, I don't leave a tip.

Some servers seem to think they are entitled to a tip regardless of the quality of their service. Fire for that sheit

Postby SR » February 19th, 2017, 3:08 pm

If i am being billed for a service charge and then vat on top of it i dont see the need to leave a tip unless i feel that the actual service was exceptional. Tipping is an american cultural trate that trinidadians like to follow to make themselves feel more imortant than others. Restaurant owners capitalise on this and add service charge to your bill as a way to make more money and keep thier prices down to be competitive. I would love to know if any of that service charge actually trickles down to the actual staff including the kitchen staff

desifemlove · Postby **desifemlove** » February 19th, 2017, 4:43 pm

is this a law or just a best practice?

88sins · Postby **88sins** » February 19th, 2017, 4:59 pm

Common business/personal practice. No law obligating persons to apply such charges to paying patrons.
But iirc, restaurants are supposed to inform visitors that they do add a percentage as a service charge before they order. Some put it on the menu, but some establishments just spring this on customers she they ask for the bill, and most customers just accept it as part of the business transaction, out of fear of being perceived as cheap. If they don't state this before you order & you decline to pay it there's absolutely no way they can force a patron to pay it.

That surprise service charge really isn't right.

jsm1985 · Postby **jsm1985** » February 19th, 2017, 8:06 pm

I have received service so poor at one of the US casual dining restaurants here, that I asked for my bill after waiting without receiving my food order after 1 hour.

I asked for the service charge to be removed, paid for my drinks and left.

Average · Postby **Average** » February 19th, 2017, 8:33 pm

I don't like it when the servers ASK if I'm going to tip.

Patience....because I had patience waiting for my meal.

neexis · Postby **neexis** » February 20th, 2017, 5:50 am

Average wrote:I don't like it when the servers ASK if I'm going to tip.

Patience....because I had patience waiting for my meal.

Never had the servers ask about directly about a tip; maybe a couple had asked about entering a tip on the credit card terminal. Then again, millennial entitlement might have some of them being that bold faced yes.

originalbling · Postby **originalbling** » February 20th, 2017, 9:17 am

I usually tip if the service is good. Bad service, definitely no tip

some places charge 12% service charge.

dougla_boy · Postby **dougla_boy** » February 20th, 2017, 9:23 am

neexis wrote:
Average wrote:I don't like it when the servers ASK if I'm going to tip.

Patience....because I had patience waiting for my meal.

Never had the servers ask about directly about a tip; maybe a couple had asked about entering a tip on the credit card terminal. Then again, millennial entitlement might have some of them being that bold faced yes.

only time this has happened is at Raj.........

thats where yuh went oar??

Ted_v2 · Postby **Ted_v2** » February 20th, 2017, 11:27 am

Last time they jam me good at Toppers. Last time i blinging fuh a Utt bird.

10 percent service charges plus vat.

Average · Postby **Average** » February 20th, 2017, 1:19 pm

dougla_boy wrote:
neexis wrote:
Average wrote:I don't like it when the servers ASK if I'm going to tip.

Patience....because I had patience waiting for my meal.

Never had the servers ask about directly about a tip; maybe a couple had asked about entering a tip on the credit card terminal. Then again, millennial entitlement might have some of them being that bold faced yes.

only time this has happened is at Raj.........

thats where yuh went oar??

lol nah Ruby Tuesdays and it was actually when I used my credit card. I told her no, and gave cash instead....but she wuk fuh she tip

Driven · Postby **Driven** » February 21st, 2017, 11:12 am

jsm1985 wrote:I have received service so poor at one of the US casual dining restaurants here, that I asked for my bill after waiting without receiving my food order after 1 hour.

I asked for the service charge to be removed, paid for my drinks and left.

These types are some of the biggest WOFTs when it comes to service charge because their model includes prepackaged meals, they're forever out of stock with certain items and the wait service is limited most times to finding you a table, asking you what you want and bringing it whenever they remember to check if the order was completed. Check-ins are at a minimum except when they want to pelt you out to make way for another group.

The place I visited had a "10% off Entire Bill" coupon and, while it was my fault for not asking at the start of the night, they refused to honor the coupon unless the previous bill was attached. This was not indicated on the coupon and when this was brought to the attention of the server there was a prompt "That's how they do it, sorry".

Fine dining restaurants more often have knowledgeable staff that are able to offer suggestions of menu/drink items, offer some genuine courtesy and feature regular check-ins to find out if everything is okay. I don't mind the service charge here and, more often than not, leave a tip.

RedVEVO · Postby **RedVEVO** » March 15th, 2017, 4:15 am

A Ruby Tuesdays manager informed me that the 12% service charge is NOT paid directly to the servers.
She claims it is just "another revenue scam" since the servers are paid and able to get a free meal.

silent_riot · Postby **silent_riot** » March 15th, 2017, 11:19 am

Anybody tips the doubles man or pholourie girl?

ADONI · Postby **ADONI** » March 15th, 2017, 12:47 pm

^^Nah, them done wuking TAX free, that is a their incentive there

Dizzy28 · Postby **Dizzy28** » March 15th, 2017, 1:05 pm

Apart from the restaurants the only place I leave a tip and not all the times is the car wash guy. If my car was especially dirty I leave a lil $5-10 extra with him.

RedVEVO · Postby **RedVEVO** » March 15th, 2017, 3:19 pm

The service charge of 12% should be optional . Bad service and you still have to pay 12% ?

The customer should decide . The service will then improve .

Some restaurants ( Texas Brazil, Ruby Tuesdays, Rizzoni's) charge 12% even for a "take away" order.

Dizzy28 · Postby **Dizzy28** » March 15th, 2017, 4:16 pm

RedVEVO wrote:The service charge of 12% should be optional . Bad service and you still have to pay 12% ?

The customer should decide . The service will then improve .

Some restaurants ( Texas Brazil, Ruby Tuesdays, Rizzoni's) charge 12% even for a "take away" order.

Same owner not so?

matr1x · Postby **matr1x** » March 15th, 2017, 6:08 pm

The service charge should not be so high. Have anyone had service that match the charge?

francis1979 · Postby **francis1979** » March 15th, 2017, 9:22 pm

Dizzy28 wrote:
RedVEVO wrote:The service charge of 12% should be optional . Bad service and you still have to pay 12% ?

The customer should decide . The service will then improve .

Some restaurants ( Texas Brazil, Ruby Tuesdays, Rizzoni's) charge 12% even for a "take away" order.

Same owner not so?

Yes.

Tgi does not charge the fee for take away orders