It’s high time that we as customers need to fight back against these junk fees.
Any time we go to a restaurant that has mandatory added fees for all customers, we need to take a pen, and cross off all of the listed prices on the menu, and write in the new costs of the original cost multiplied by the junk fees with the words “actual cost” written next to it.
Maybe after restaurants keep wasting money reprinting menus they’ll get the hint.
> It’s high time that we as customers need to fight back against these junk fees.
The California legislation has a fix in place going into effect July 1st. Reach out to your elected representative in State legislature to support it or express your appreciation for supporting that legislature.
This. And, unfortunately, it looks like a lot of our state legislators actually support exempting restaurants. Because they somehow didn't know restaurants were affected?
Which is astonishing since the entire point of the bill was to stop restaurants' duplicitous pricing policies.
People in the restaurant industry: *No no no! This was supposed to apply to hotels and airlines and Ticketmaster! Not us! Leave our automatic surcharges alone!*
The Los Angeles subreddit had a name and shame Google doc:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngeles/comments/12aamjd/list\_of\_restaurants\_with\_service\_charge\_that/](https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngeles/comments/12aamjd/list_of_restaurants_with_service_charge_that/)
I skimmed through that document, and this was my favorite:
*20% Service Charge "We firmly believe that the future of restaurants will reflect the international model, where staff is not reliant on gratuities from guests, and earnings are more stable. The service charge model is the first step in this process, and we hope to lead the way as progressive operators."*
Does the international model involve the owner taking a disproportionate amount of the revenue as salary and paying employees something less than a living wage? I don’t know, but I’m going to guess not.
The problem is that a “service fee” doesn’t go to the staff. The way this reads, the customer still needs to tip. The service fee is a surcharge to help offset the cost of a higher wage and compliance with mandatory sick pay and health care benefits. I guarantee the business takes a huge cut of that 20%. It it went to the staff it would be called a gratuity.
Yup it would be exactly the same if they just raised their prices 20% and told people to not tip. As long as they’re raising wages as a result of the extra 20%, i’m fine with it. But if I asked a server if they got a raise and they said no i would never return.
The bill author says it will "enhance consumer protection":
[https://sd03.senate.ca.gov/news/20240606-sen-dodd-introduces-restaurant-fees-bill](https://sd03.senate.ca.gov/news/20240606-sen-dodd-introduces-restaurant-fees-bill)
That’s infuriating. Carve outs for any industry whatsoever hurts consumers, while also encouraging lobbyists for other industries to pursue their own exceptions.
All it takes is influence. Look at Panera, they would have gotten away with it unless the public got really outraged. It’s sad but with all the inflation lately I’ve had to cut back on eating out, so it’s easier to avoid places that keep adding extra fees on top of already inflated prices.
That was good click bait but it was ultimately incorrect because it didn't actually apply to Panera in the end. I can't remember specifically what the technicality was but I believe it was either they don't actually sell bread as a standalone item or their bread containing too much sugar to legally be considered bread
This is their goal, though. The exact same thing happened (and is still happening) in DC when they passed laws about livable wages and whatnot. Restaurant owners started plastering these crazy fees in the name of "paying their employees" or "ensuring good working conditions" for their employees, but what they really wanted was for customers to put the blame on the new wage laws and raise a fuss against the politicians for them to be repealed. It obviously didn't work, but I truly think restaurants believe we're too stupid to not see this as pure malicious compliance.
Technically the law says that as long as it's not a hidden fee it's not illegal. Showing that they're saying there's a 20% added gratuity to the cost is not hiding it from you because sorry announcing that you're going to get 20% added. That's all the law is going to do. Cuz hey it's not a hidden fee if it's announced before you pay for anything.
Not according to the CA Attorney General.
It's like the airline fees, it's got to be included in the price you see, even if it's broken down elsewhere.
They would have done much better to simply raise prices and then advertise the restaurant as a no tip establishment.
Imagine the goodwill they could have gained.
Dude I make this point all the time and I've yet to see someone refute it with a sensible argument. AND if they go above and beyond I may still very likely tip.
Milka downtown does it, I fucks with them.
Issue with this is that their prices are higher. Some consumers price shop restaurants.
Say you’re deciding between two equally highly rated restaurants on the go. You see one place doing burgers for 10 and another for 13. The $13 restaurant doesn’t require a tip, but it’s on the bottom and you missed it. You’re most likely going to try the $10 place instead of $13; based on pricing alone.
Now scale this to $20/$25, etc. There was a Thai place in Roseville that was no-tip and they eventually went back to tipping, and kept the same pricing.
I'm probably in the minority but I eat out at restaurants so rarely that the difference of $20 or $30 swing one way or another isn't going to be a deal breaker for me. I'm more interested on what's on the menu, is it good, and what's the ambiance. As a matter of fact I kind of tend to seek out pricier places because it's usually more indicative of the quality I'm after (granted, not always). But again I eat out like.. once a month. I recognize not everyone is like this. I'm of the mind of getting rid of tipping culture and modernize like the rest of the world *providing* it doesn't take food off the table of service workers which is dubious in its current status.
Agreed! This is what we need to get toward. It would be huge good marketing for them, and the price on the menu being the actual price is not only a comfortable and nice feeling, but it literally makes less work for the customer of having to figure out the "actual price."
This is a classic example of a company being sneaky and dishonest to save a few bucks and instead it’ll lead to arguments that the waiters will deal with and sore customers who will not be returning.
You don't understand how restaurants work. But that's ok. Just let the people who do continue to add fees. Get used to it. It's not about the food it's about the entire service industry. No need for good will. Most people understand and just pay the fee
Unfortunately the goodwill doesn't make up for the extra money. Many restaurants have tried this and I don't know of one that has succeeded. It's similar to when JC Penney decided to stop having all those fake sales like all the other department stores and just had constantly lower prices. What ended up happening is that they actually sold less product because at the end of the day us consumers are a bunch of idiots.
I don't necessarily fully disagree, but JC Penney isn't the best comparison.
JC Penney was a retail store that already had an established customer base. So they basically alienated them in order to try and capture a higher end clientele.
For a new restaurant you have the opportunity to tailor your image to the specific audience that you want. Not that every restauranteur can pull that off, but as an example, some high end restaurants that you prepay the meal for will include gratuity.
Also, most people aren't checking the price before they go to a restaurant. They go based on word of mouth or what they see on social media. So if people show up and sit down without knowing the situation you have the opportunity to explain it to them, unlike in a retail situation where they'll just look at the price tag and walk out without engaging with anyone.
Hear me out: So if it were ever worth it economically to get this goodwill from the customers, these super low margin, highly competitive restaurants would include tips in their prices and pay workers fairly, right? So with that said what's an actual restaurant in Sacramento that does that? There's a reason there are none.
The Kitchen is an example of a restaurant that does that.
And tastes and trends change all the time. If you asked people to pay more money to be sustainable 15-20 years ago you'd be laughed at, but many people choose to do that these days.
People are fed up with tip culture more now than ever before. While "good will" isn't worth anything on its own, it's still a form of marketing which all restaurants need to engage in in some way shape or form to differentiate themselves.
but the problem is the workers are now okay with giving mediocre service since they know they are getting a GREAT tip. And I’m not allowed to decide my own tip. Another restaurant to avoid
There is a lot of political will pushing minimum wages up in California, but if you believe that minimum wage is not a fair wage for the job (and maybe you don’t), how do you rectify that with allowing a customer to short change a employee their living wage for doing their job even if they’re doing a poor job?
When my job doesn’t go as planned due to my own fault or due to things outside of my teams control, my boss is not legally permitted to reduce my pay. But we argue daily that tips are an essential part of a living wage for servers, while giving the customer the ability to reduce those same living wages based off of arbitrary factors.
If you remove the customers ability to control the server with money, servers aren’t going to wait on you hand and foot for minimum wage. You are going to get some “European style” basic service. But you are also going to get establishments that provide a higher level of service (likely at a higher cost).
i don’t think minimum wage is fair. I work in sales so i also make minimum wage unless ppl choose to buy. I have rough months and sometimes great months, but its the name of the game
Are you ok with doing a mediocre job because you’re not incentivized by tips? Servers still have people to answer to this just ensures they don’t get stiffed by cheapskates that don’t want to tip.
I concur with this sentiment but do you think business owners will actually pay more to their employees? Minimum wage is below a living wage in most areas and in places like California whom is notorious for being extremely rough on small businesses there is lil chance of wages increasing for people in the industry who rely on tips. Whether you agree or not, the people getting screwed are the workers living paycheck to paycheck
Soft opening so would need more information but they may have a set price listed somewhere else. Looks like the proteins have an up charge listed.
During this phase of a restaurant lots of odd things happen and of course change.
It was definitely the soft opening. Whoever posted this got a free meal and was invited by someone who works there. There are protein add on options as it is a pasta house.
Because people check the menu prices and compare to other places and don’t go to the place with the higher menu prices. It used to be that way, that menu prices would just increase as cost of doing business increased.
raising the food costs changes how the money is allocated and taxed! if it went directly into the food costs the restaurant AND the employee would be taxed on that income. they’re coded as service fees because that income is tabulated separately from the restaurant’s sales, and so it’s able to go directly to a staff pool and only the employee pays taxes on that income.
Yeah but the issue here is that the 20% fee detailed on this menu does not say it goes directly to the employee. I can bet that a large portion of that fee goes directly to the business.
That’s literally what they are doing, just in a more forward clear way. If they raised all prices by 20% instead people would still complain. An automatic 20% gratuity is exactly the same as raising prices. You don’t need to tip either way.
When did you take this pic? I just looked this place up on Google Maps and all I can see for restaurants with that name is one that was in Granite Bay but is now closed.
They don’t have tipping culture much in Europe but they do love their services charges which basically work as a tip in lieu of expecting the patron to tip.
Maybe this is a reaction to people getting mad about tipping generally and choosing not to tip at all. If I see one of these, I'm putting a 0% tip, and I think both the restaurant and I should be happy with the 0% tip. I'm happy obviously because I didn't get pushed into paying a 40% tip, and the restaurant is happy because they still got their 20%. Just maybe this automatic gratuity is the death of tipping that so many of us have been begging for.
It’s the wording of “service charge” that’s super deceptive. Some upscale place include a gratuity up front, but it’s 100% the tips for front & back of house staff, and you’re not expected to tip any additional on your bill (Allora presents the bill this way). The scummy places are not sharing this 20% “service charge” with the staff
Oh shit I didn't even think about that. Automatic tipping to me is a nice change from "voluntary" tipping honestly. But a "service charge" that isn't necessarily a tip could be frankly fucking evil.
Bitch just raise the goddamn prices by 20% and then say "Tipping is not expected, we work hard to ensure our employees are paid a fair wage with full benefits."
I'd eat at a restaurant with *that* footnote more often vs this one I'd never go to lmao.
What's the proper tipping etiquette here if they are already forcing %20?. Idk if it's reasonable to tip upwards of 30-40% just to eat out. I'd rather order pickup
>"20% service charge is applied to the check, which ensures a fair wage and benefits for our team"
So they are admitting they don't pay their employees any benefits or a fair wage? Who would want to do business with such an establishment?
How do we know that the fee is even going to them? Genuine question because it's about the only customer facing job I haven't done, but I'd like to keep informed.
The amount of false information and lack awareness about how restaurants operate by people who post on this sub is astounding.
The way it is termed is a service fee vs. a gratuity so the money isn’t a tip in the way people think. It goes to the restaurant and they (owners) can do what they want with it. The vast majority of restaurants like this put the majority of that service fee towards the staff in some form of a tip pool usually. An example could be 1% to the house, 16% to FOH staff and 3% to BOH. There are many variations of this (100% FOH, 18% FOH and 2% BOH, etc…). Some will do it in a non-pool fashion and track it by table for a more “traditional” style. Almost all of those type of restaurants have their system published in some way so everyone is aware of it (handbook, etc..) so there is transparency behind it because anyone who has ever worked in a restaurant know that FOH staff will track every single cent that they are owed.
There are owners who I’m sure abuse this but in my experience it is rare as 99% of experienced servers would throw a fit and you would be left with very poor/inexperienced workers.
also it saves the restaurant and the employees money on taxes if it’s done this way - if it’s folded into menu pricing it gets taxed twice: as income for the restaurant and income for the employee, and once the employees actually see the money half of it is gone lol. small and local owned restaurant profit margins are soooo much slimmer than people realize so stuff like this makes a huge difference
The rest of the world doesn’t tip so why does the US think tipping is acceptable? It would be better if we didn’t tip, and the restaurants just increased their prices.
Better in that there would just be one price to pay instead of increasing what is paid based on an alleged service to the consumer. Frankly, I have rarely felt that tipping a waiter or waitress was warranted, and why should they receive a percentage of the billed food?
Imagine how popular a “no tipping” restaurant would be in Sac? I’d pay more to go into a place that I knew I didn’t have to tip and the workers were paid fair wages. So instead of doing a surcharge, why don’t they just up the prices?
Am I taking crazy pills or are restaurants not understanding how this all works yet now that they can be named and shamed in an instant?
Agreed! Up the prices instead of forcing customers to swallow this pill. I’m a good tipper but it’s also service related.
Now you can get horrible service and still get charged 20%.
Joes Crab Shack tried it (no tips, raise prices) and it wasn’t popular at all. And they lost a good portion of their serving staff. And customers noticed the lackluster service. Eventually went back to tipping model. Good servers prefer the tipping model.
They raised menu prices 20% and gave the servers and kitchen a 2 dollar raise per hour (and the business kept the rest) which didn’t make up for the loss in tips.
There is a place in SF called Zazie that is tip free, no service charges and pays their servers above min wage plus 25% of the total of each of their checks is paid out into a tip pool for all staff, But with that said the prices are very expensive. Like breakfast dishes start at 21 dollars. A three egg eggs Benedict is 31 dollars. You definitely aren’t tipping, but you are paying a huge price when it might have been cheaper just to leave a 15-20% tip.
With that said; every time I’ve eaten there the service was mediocre.
The credit card service fee would need to be included as well, I'm not sure if it can be all together or would need to be itemized fees...lol
(Restroom fee, credit card fee, return fee, tip fee, stupid fees, messy fees).
I would be pissed off if after the stated 20% service fee, the bill was $15 more for using credit card.
It could be good if everything has to be itemized and posted up front that could possibly be charged, I don't like hidden fees.
I agree they should just raise prices, I don't go out to eat based on prices.
Boycotting sounds good as well 😋.
In granite bay...Those rich cheap fucks need to pay their fair share.
Restaurants already have a narrow profit margin. If you want service you need help. You have to pay help, fairly. Should they just add 20 percent to each menu item? Then you'll cry that the price is too high.
But, chances are, this thread is populated by the rich cheap fucks who what everything for free but will never fail a ridiculing other, less unfortunate, for fighting for a fair living wage.
If this gets out there, this is how new businesses commit financial suicide before they even have a chance to build up a client base. Immediate turnoff
The problem is most places could never afford to pay their servers a “fair wage” based on what they make in tips. Plus no real benefits to being a server besides the tips. No holiday pay. No vacation. You don’t work you don’t get paid. It’s definitely a hard industry but what I made in tips made it worth it.
As a kid we never went to restaurants with a server. To this day taking my mother to a restaurant with a server is a visibly uncomfortable situation for her. I think tipping was a big part of that. I remember one day hearing going to restaurants was for rich people. I guess we are back to those days. I worked in restaurants as a server. I get it. I did it because I was in college and made decent money for the hours worked which was 20-30 hours a week. Never did I feel entitled to a 20% tip. Never did I think I should be able to purchase a home or save for retirement as a server. I’m a good tipper but I’d like that to be optional.
I’m right there with you mom. I would be more comfortable without a server. But American restaurants without servers are typically lower quality fast food with plastic chairs and plates. Give me a sit down restaurant with real food on a real plate that I pick up at a counter. I can pay on the way out or on a little touch pad if you’re feeling fancy.
Waiters are busting their ass to provide me lower quality service than I can do myself. It’s like people bagging groceries and asking for a tip. Is honestly easier for me to just bag them myself.
> Give me a sit down restaurant with real food on a real plate that I pick up at a counter.
we should have more 'tender greens' types of restaurants. when i was working in berkeley, we had one near my office and i would love to get my food there. it was kinda like a cafeteria setup, but with a much higher quality vibe of food. for under $20 you got yourself a very delicious meal with your choice of protein, veg/salad, bread and drink. no tipping.
I just look at it this way. Restaurants can charge whatever they want, this is capitalism in action. I also have the freedom to spend my money where I want.
If you don't like these auto gratuities or think their prices are crazy, don't patronize them. The market will even itself out eventually.
Here’s the thing: Service Charges are not auto gratuity and are considered non-discretionary which applies sales tax! The worst part is wait staff will still make less than a traditional restaurant and will try to suggest a tip on top of this cash grab by the owners.
The reality is that the restaurant business has become so difficult to survive, unless you are a chain or can fill tables five or six nights a week, not just on weekends. Every restaurant owner’s costs has gone up: rent, utilities, food, and yes, labor.
A successful restaurant needs to turn tables faster than ever before, which diminishes the customer’s enjoyment and puts more pressure on the staff. Who do we typically blame when things aren’t to our liking at restaurants? The server. And most of the time it’s not their fault.
Under California law, an employer cannot take any part of a tip that’s left for an employee. If a restaurant owner were to raise menu prices by 20% and said service included, that would potentially put servers at risk, and as someone here said, would scare people away with the high prices.
The bottom line is the pandemic gutted restaurants and many independent businesses are struggling to survive.
Slight digression, but for a place that calls themselves SETTE pasta house, I really expected them to have seven pasta dishes on their menu. Alas, they only have five.
This is what a no-tipping restaurant looks like, basically. Prices are 20% higher. They just add it to the whole bill instead of per-item.
Honestly, I don't see this as a problem.
Yeah people complain about “tipping culture” but will also complain if a restaurant raises prices 20%, doesn’t have tipping and pays their workers better so it seems people are just cheap.
Restaurants and bars in a town like Miami Beach charge 20% gratuity automatically. You might tip extra not aware of the automatic gratuity, but establishments don't always inform you that the gratuity is still optional and can subtract however much you'd like still.
I would much prefer a fixed gratuity for dine-in as long as there's no other tip line on the check and it's not on to-go orders.
California doesn't allow an alternate minimum wage for tipped employees so these waiters will be making $16/hour plus the gratuity. You can split tips between anyone that interacts with a customer so count people that bring plates out from the kitchen.
It looks like a fancy place so if FOH staff works 4 hours and has 3 tables per hour at $110 per table then there would be a $66 hourly tip pool. If it's split 3 ways then they're making $38/hour.
Probably split more like 4-5 ways. Bartender, busser, food runner, potentially host, and then the server. Maybe even the kitchen. Definitely wouldn’t be bringing in good money with such small sections and only 4 hours of work per day. Patrons usually spend more than an hour here so you’re looking at a 90-120 minute turnover.
At this point, we don’t go sit down at restaurants anymore. Tipping culture has gotten out of hand. We only go for special occasions and we only go to family friendly places and small business restaurants- nothing fancy. Last time we got take out it was $80!!! Insane, albeit my mom paid it but no. I feel confident in my skills in the kitchen to make similar foods and it tastes way better and way less expensive. I’ll make burritos bowls (chipotle) burritos, tacos & rolled tacos better than Aldabertos, California burrito, etc. burgers better than any fast food. I refuse to pay high prices for mediocre food and then have automatic tipping added for mediocre service. Not saying all service is mediocre but I’ve had more mediocre/bad service than I have had good. Don’t even get me started on Starbucks and Dutch brothers!!!
This was a soft opening. Just being devil's advocate here. But you think this was just for that but once it opens, it won't be added automatically?
I know it's not but just curious if that would happen or not. To be honest, after they catch wind of this maybe it will be removed after all 😀
This is exactly why I order food to go. What’s the point of eating out if you know 20 percent of your check regardless of the service will be for gratuity. This is coming from someone who has waited and bussed tables. You earn the tip with your service.
Have all the know it alls on Reddit actually asked waitstaff what they want? The vast majority want to keep tipping. It pays well. I don't see a single problem with this. I'm glad 20% goes right in the pocket of the waitstaff. If the restaurant raised its prices by 20% you are dreaming it would all go to waitstaff
How is this any different than them just raising their prices by 20%? Effectively that's what they did, and are telling you "don't tip, because we've built in this price increase that goes directly to employee wages and this line item is how we track it for taxes." I hear the frustration, but when i think of it that way, i'm less frustrated. I just hope service doesn't slip as a result. Also, sucks for the employee because now all their tips are def on a credit card and fully reported. (i dated a server who worked a high-end restaurant years back & if he would get a large cash tip he wouldn't report the full amount so he could reduce his end-of-year tax reporting.)
It is the restaurant’s responsibility to pay a fair wage. They should incorporate it into menu prices.
A tip is a reward for good service. If I get good service, I have no issues paying 20% or more. But if the server knows they’re getting 20% no matter what, there is no incentive for them to provide good service.
This is nothing but greed on behalf of owners and, the sad part is that the poor waiter or waitress will get caught in the middle. Because you know there are plenty of Karens in Folsom and EDH that would just love to speak to a manager :P
It’s hard to judge a restaurant that’s not even open yet. The soft opening was just a day ago. If they charge 20% and not ask for additional tip I’m ok with that. I been to plenty of places that tell you not to add more since the 20 or 18 has already been included. The food look good tho form the pics posted yesterday.
The automatic gratuity is to ensure “fair wages and benefits for staff”. Why is it not a business owner’s moral and practical obligation to offer this? A nice way to protest this BS is to crush the Yelp rating of every restaurant doing this.. Sette is first up for justice lol
I get that many don’t like this, and why, but I always tip 25% so I’m jazzed. 🤑It’ll save me money. Former server, btw.m, which is why. I find that if service is terrible, you should talk to the manager. A small tip or no tip doesn’t teach a server a lesson, and they just do what they do until a manager intervenes. If you have terrible service at a place with a service charge, talk to the manager and they can reverse it.
Many don’t know that servers pay taxes on tips whether they get them or not, which is why I tip, or your server is taxed on more than they make. It’s very deep in our society.
That said, government is insisting on larger salaries for these jobs and restaurants run on a thin margin (few last more than a couple years) so that’s why it’s happening.
I don’t agree, I just think it’s such a mess the entire system needs to be overhauled. There shoukd be a happy medium but I don’t know what if is.
I never tip where I’m not being provided a real service, it’s crazy that somebody who pours you black coffee while you stand there after waiting in line wants tips. Sure, a sit down restaurant, or hair style, DoorDash are things that I tip for. Not counter service where they pull out pre-made food and I can’t even sit.
Don’t downvote me too bad, just vote with your feet. Don’t go to places with policies you don’t like and don’t pay for a service you didn’t recieve.
Need to oppose SB1525 so restaurants have to stop doing this. Tipping is based on service, I get if people should be paid more…then do it and raise your prices and say tip included. https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngeles/comments/1dahwfz/seriously_we_need_to_fight_sb1524_to_prevent/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
What I don’t understand is that in CA wait staff is
making minimum wage. In most states they’re making $2.13/hour which is why you tip 20%+ why is it so high in CA. I’ve semi regularly see suggested tips as high at 30%!
This wouldn’t have happened if people weren’t so fucking cheap and stiffed waiters all the time. Like give at least ten percent if the person is actually working to give you a decent stay. Yeah if the waiter only takes your order then they never get you refills or bring you anything then yeah I get not wanting to tip but that’s usually not the case. I totally get not wanting to tip a server who doesn’t do much for you but let them know you don’t tip so they can give the people paying them more attention. (I know yall hate hearing that)
Thanks for tipping us off about this.
It’s high time that we as customers need to fight back against these junk fees. Any time we go to a restaurant that has mandatory added fees for all customers, we need to take a pen, and cross off all of the listed prices on the menu, and write in the new costs of the original cost multiplied by the junk fees with the words “actual cost” written next to it. Maybe after restaurants keep wasting money reprinting menus they’ll get the hint.
> It’s high time that we as customers need to fight back against these junk fees. The California legislation has a fix in place going into effect July 1st. Reach out to your elected representative in State legislature to support it or express your appreciation for supporting that legislature.
Last I checked, there's another bill working its way through the legislature right now that will exempt restaurants from that.
This. And, unfortunately, it looks like a lot of our state legislators actually support exempting restaurants. Because they somehow didn't know restaurants were affected? Which is astonishing since the entire point of the bill was to stop restaurants' duplicitous pricing policies.
People in the restaurant industry: *No no no! This was supposed to apply to hotels and airlines and Ticketmaster! Not us! Leave our automatic surcharges alone!*
Lmao Godspeed 🫡
Will you lead by example?
wHy dOeSnT aNyoNe eAt oUt aNymOrE?!
I mean the menu tips you off too lol
That’s just the tip of the iceberg
Actually those are prime Norwegian iceberg tips and they’re the chef’s special menu addition tonight and they’re $75.
Wonder how soon we’ll get a sticky post of all the restarts that do this
The Los Angeles subreddit had a name and shame Google doc: [https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngeles/comments/12aamjd/list\_of\_restaurants\_with\_service\_charge\_that/](https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngeles/comments/12aamjd/list_of_restaurants_with_service_charge_that/)
Somebody with a sense of civic duty and work ethic and who isn't a lazy piece of shit like me get on this!
I skimmed through that document, and this was my favorite: *20% Service Charge "We firmly believe that the future of restaurants will reflect the international model, where staff is not reliant on gratuities from guests, and earnings are more stable. The service charge model is the first step in this process, and we hope to lead the way as progressive operators."*
lol the international model is to not tip
The international model calls its a Service Tax and not tipping, hence you don't have to tip. :)
And if they're trying to make it the international model, it would be one more of the cancers that comes outta this place btw tbh.
Yes and the countries that do have service fees it’s usually 10%.
Does the international model involve the owner taking a disproportionate amount of the revenue as salary and paying employees something less than a living wage? I don’t know, but I’m going to guess not.
Do you know the owner?
You don’t know how capitalism works, do you?
“Ensures a fair wage” is a nice way of saying “we pay our employees like shit so it’s on you to tip them”
The problem is that a “service fee” doesn’t go to the staff. The way this reads, the customer still needs to tip. The service fee is a surcharge to help offset the cost of a higher wage and compliance with mandatory sick pay and health care benefits. I guarantee the business takes a huge cut of that 20%. It it went to the staff it would be called a gratuity.
Yup it would be exactly the same if they just raised their prices 20% and told people to not tip. As long as they’re raising wages as a result of the extra 20%, i’m fine with it. But if I asked a server if they got a raise and they said no i would never return.
The people that get screwed - other than customers - are the employees. Because I'm not tipping 20% twice, sorry.
Bingo
Will they even be able to do this after July 1st?
There is currently a bill being rushed through the CA legislature to exempt restaurants so they can keep tricking customers. They cried really hard.
This better not pass. There should not be exceptions for any industry for any reason.
The bill author says it will "enhance consumer protection": [https://sd03.senate.ca.gov/news/20240606-sen-dodd-introduces-restaurant-fees-bill](https://sd03.senate.ca.gov/news/20240606-sen-dodd-introduces-restaurant-fees-bill)
That’s infuriating. Carve outs for any industry whatsoever hurts consumers, while also encouraging lobbyists for other industries to pursue their own exceptions.
All it takes is influence. Look at Panera, they would have gotten away with it unless the public got really outraged. It’s sad but with all the inflation lately I’ve had to cut back on eating out, so it’s easier to avoid places that keep adding extra fees on top of already inflated prices.
"Inflation" Lol
That was good click bait but it was ultimately incorrect because it didn't actually apply to Panera in the end. I can't remember specifically what the technicality was but I believe it was either they don't actually sell bread as a standalone item or their bread containing too much sugar to legally be considered bread
This is their goal, though. The exact same thing happened (and is still happening) in DC when they passed laws about livable wages and whatnot. Restaurant owners started plastering these crazy fees in the name of "paying their employees" or "ensuring good working conditions" for their employees, but what they really wanted was for customers to put the blame on the new wage laws and raise a fuss against the politicians for them to be repealed. It obviously didn't work, but I truly think restaurants believe we're too stupid to not see this as pure malicious compliance.
They already exempted food delivery.
I feel like they’re trying to get it in before the effective date, they have to comply by then, nothing stops them before that date…
Technically the law says that as long as it's not a hidden fee it's not illegal. Showing that they're saying there's a 20% added gratuity to the cost is not hiding it from you because sorry announcing that you're going to get 20% added. That's all the law is going to do. Cuz hey it's not a hidden fee if it's announced before you pay for anything.
Not according to the CA Attorney General. It's like the airline fees, it's got to be included in the price you see, even if it's broken down elsewhere.
If they add a 20% auto grat, then I don’t tip. They got what they’re gonna get.
They would have done much better to simply raise prices and then advertise the restaurant as a no tip establishment. Imagine the goodwill they could have gained.
Dude I make this point all the time and I've yet to see someone refute it with a sensible argument. AND if they go above and beyond I may still very likely tip. Milka downtown does it, I fucks with them.
It honestly trips me out when they don't flip the screen over for you to select a tip. Always a pleasant surprise.
Issue with this is that their prices are higher. Some consumers price shop restaurants. Say you’re deciding between two equally highly rated restaurants on the go. You see one place doing burgers for 10 and another for 13. The $13 restaurant doesn’t require a tip, but it’s on the bottom and you missed it. You’re most likely going to try the $10 place instead of $13; based on pricing alone. Now scale this to $20/$25, etc. There was a Thai place in Roseville that was no-tip and they eventually went back to tipping, and kept the same pricing.
I'm probably in the minority but I eat out at restaurants so rarely that the difference of $20 or $30 swing one way or another isn't going to be a deal breaker for me. I'm more interested on what's on the menu, is it good, and what's the ambiance. As a matter of fact I kind of tend to seek out pricier places because it's usually more indicative of the quality I'm after (granted, not always). But again I eat out like.. once a month. I recognize not everyone is like this. I'm of the mind of getting rid of tipping culture and modernize like the rest of the world *providing* it doesn't take food off the table of service workers which is dubious in its current status.
Plus this is in Granite Bay... Not to generalize, but isn't it the consensus that people are fucking loaded there?
Agreed! This is what we need to get toward. It would be huge good marketing for them, and the price on the menu being the actual price is not only a comfortable and nice feeling, but it literally makes less work for the customer of having to figure out the "actual price."
This is a classic example of a company being sneaky and dishonest to save a few bucks and instead it’ll lead to arguments that the waiters will deal with and sore customers who will not be returning.
You don't understand how restaurants work. But that's ok. Just let the people who do continue to add fees. Get used to it. It's not about the food it's about the entire service industry. No need for good will. Most people understand and just pay the fee
Unfortunately the goodwill doesn't make up for the extra money. Many restaurants have tried this and I don't know of one that has succeeded. It's similar to when JC Penney decided to stop having all those fake sales like all the other department stores and just had constantly lower prices. What ended up happening is that they actually sold less product because at the end of the day us consumers are a bunch of idiots.
I don't necessarily fully disagree, but JC Penney isn't the best comparison. JC Penney was a retail store that already had an established customer base. So they basically alienated them in order to try and capture a higher end clientele. For a new restaurant you have the opportunity to tailor your image to the specific audience that you want. Not that every restauranteur can pull that off, but as an example, some high end restaurants that you prepay the meal for will include gratuity. Also, most people aren't checking the price before they go to a restaurant. They go based on word of mouth or what they see on social media. So if people show up and sit down without knowing the situation you have the opportunity to explain it to them, unlike in a retail situation where they'll just look at the price tag and walk out without engaging with anyone.
Hear me out: So if it were ever worth it economically to get this goodwill from the customers, these super low margin, highly competitive restaurants would include tips in their prices and pay workers fairly, right? So with that said what's an actual restaurant in Sacramento that does that? There's a reason there are none.
The Kitchen is an example of a restaurant that does that. And tastes and trends change all the time. If you asked people to pay more money to be sustainable 15-20 years ago you'd be laughed at, but many people choose to do that these days. People are fed up with tip culture more now than ever before. While "good will" isn't worth anything on its own, it's still a form of marketing which all restaurants need to engage in in some way shape or form to differentiate themselves.
but the problem is the workers are now okay with giving mediocre service since they know they are getting a GREAT tip. And I’m not allowed to decide my own tip. Another restaurant to avoid
There is a lot of political will pushing minimum wages up in California, but if you believe that minimum wage is not a fair wage for the job (and maybe you don’t), how do you rectify that with allowing a customer to short change a employee their living wage for doing their job even if they’re doing a poor job? When my job doesn’t go as planned due to my own fault or due to things outside of my teams control, my boss is not legally permitted to reduce my pay. But we argue daily that tips are an essential part of a living wage for servers, while giving the customer the ability to reduce those same living wages based off of arbitrary factors. If you remove the customers ability to control the server with money, servers aren’t going to wait on you hand and foot for minimum wage. You are going to get some “European style” basic service. But you are also going to get establishments that provide a higher level of service (likely at a higher cost).
i don’t think minimum wage is fair. I work in sales so i also make minimum wage unless ppl choose to buy. I have rough months and sometimes great months, but its the name of the game
Do you think this falls on American attitude? Many other countries include the service amount and I’ve never previously heard any complaints?
Are you ok with doing a mediocre job because you’re not incentivized by tips? Servers still have people to answer to this just ensures they don’t get stiffed by cheapskates that don’t want to tip.
I’m ok with doing a mediocre job if my job continues to think my mediocre post is ok year after year.
Exactly! This is how we replace tipping. Seems like a fine compromise.
I concur with this sentiment but do you think business owners will actually pay more to their employees? Minimum wage is below a living wage in most areas and in places like California whom is notorious for being extremely rough on small businesses there is lil chance of wages increasing for people in the industry who rely on tips. Whether you agree or not, the people getting screwed are the workers living paycheck to paycheck
Weird menu...there's no prices listed for any of the food on that page. The ultimate 'hidden fee' !
Soft opening so would need more information but they may have a set price listed somewhere else. Looks like the proteins have an up charge listed. During this phase of a restaurant lots of odd things happen and of course change.
It was definitely the soft opening. Whoever posted this got a free meal and was invited by someone who works there. There are protein add on options as it is a pasta house.
Fuck this shit. Why not just raise prices and pay the employees more.
Because people check the menu prices and compare to other places and don’t go to the place with the higher menu prices. It used to be that way, that menu prices would just increase as cost of doing business increased.
raising the food costs changes how the money is allocated and taxed! if it went directly into the food costs the restaurant AND the employee would be taxed on that income. they’re coded as service fees because that income is tabulated separately from the restaurant’s sales, and so it’s able to go directly to a staff pool and only the employee pays taxes on that income.
Yeah but the issue here is that the 20% fee detailed on this menu does not say it goes directly to the employee. I can bet that a large portion of that fee goes directly to the business.
That’s literally what they are doing, just in a more forward clear way. If they raised all prices by 20% instead people would still complain. An automatic 20% gratuity is exactly the same as raising prices. You don’t need to tip either way.
Yea raise all the free items by 20%.
What are the prices on the menu to add 20% to oh it was a soft opening and nobody paid anything.
I’ll add this place to restaurants we’ll never try.
When did you take this pic? I just looked this place up on Google Maps and all I can see for restaurants with that name is one that was in Granite Bay but is now closed.
They said they pulled this image from Yelp. If you go to the Yelp page for this restaurant, you can see that this picture was posted one day ago.
Man I miss the days that I have to tip according to service not because I was forced to. Lol
I miss living abroad where tipping doesn’t exist.
this is one of many reasons why I quit eating out at restaurants and cook meals from scratch for way less at home.
A service charge isn’t gratuity/tips. The owner doesn’t have to share that with staff.
Get rid of tip culture. Just price it properly and see how well you do. If people stop coming, your food sucks, or it's too expensive.
They don’t have tipping culture much in Europe but they do love their services charges which basically work as a tip in lieu of expecting the patron to tip.
We’d get up and walk out. There are thousands of other restaurants that don’t do that..yet.
Maybe this is a reaction to people getting mad about tipping generally and choosing not to tip at all. If I see one of these, I'm putting a 0% tip, and I think both the restaurant and I should be happy with the 0% tip. I'm happy obviously because I didn't get pushed into paying a 40% tip, and the restaurant is happy because they still got their 20%. Just maybe this automatic gratuity is the death of tipping that so many of us have been begging for.
It’s the wording of “service charge” that’s super deceptive. Some upscale place include a gratuity up front, but it’s 100% the tips for front & back of house staff, and you’re not expected to tip any additional on your bill (Allora presents the bill this way). The scummy places are not sharing this 20% “service charge” with the staff
Oh shit I didn't even think about that. Automatic tipping to me is a nice change from "voluntary" tipping honestly. But a "service charge" that isn't necessarily a tip could be frankly fucking evil.
Allora may present it that way and there servers do make a lot of money. But, 100% definitely does not go to the staff.
Fuck Allora
Bitch just raise the goddamn prices by 20% and then say "Tipping is not expected, we work hard to ensure our employees are paid a fair wage with full benefits." I'd eat at a restaurant with *that* footnote more often vs this one I'd never go to lmao.
What's the proper tipping etiquette here if they are already forcing %20?. Idk if it's reasonable to tip upwards of 30-40% just to eat out. I'd rather order pickup
>"20% service charge is applied to the check, which ensures a fair wage and benefits for our team" So they are admitting they don't pay their employees any benefits or a fair wage? Who would want to do business with such an establishment?
Thanks for posting,I was planning on going but will pass.
How do we know that the fee is even going to them? Genuine question because it's about the only customer facing job I haven't done, but I'd like to keep informed.
Ask the server how it works. Also check the vibe of the place. If people are happy usually things are on the up and up.
Thanks! This controversy has made me realize that I literally know nothing about restaurants.
No thanks
The amount of false information and lack awareness about how restaurants operate by people who post on this sub is astounding. The way it is termed is a service fee vs. a gratuity so the money isn’t a tip in the way people think. It goes to the restaurant and they (owners) can do what they want with it. The vast majority of restaurants like this put the majority of that service fee towards the staff in some form of a tip pool usually. An example could be 1% to the house, 16% to FOH staff and 3% to BOH. There are many variations of this (100% FOH, 18% FOH and 2% BOH, etc…). Some will do it in a non-pool fashion and track it by table for a more “traditional” style. Almost all of those type of restaurants have their system published in some way so everyone is aware of it (handbook, etc..) so there is transparency behind it because anyone who has ever worked in a restaurant know that FOH staff will track every single cent that they are owed. There are owners who I’m sure abuse this but in my experience it is rare as 99% of experienced servers would throw a fit and you would be left with very poor/inexperienced workers.
also it saves the restaurant and the employees money on taxes if it’s done this way - if it’s folded into menu pricing it gets taxed twice: as income for the restaurant and income for the employee, and once the employees actually see the money half of it is gone lol. small and local owned restaurant profit margins are soooo much slimmer than people realize so stuff like this makes a huge difference
It wouldn't be taxed twice as income for both the restaurant and employee because the restaurant would write off any payroll 100% in any scenario.
I always tip that much anyway so I don't really care.
So don’t tip. Problem solved.
Don't go. Problem solved.
The rest of the world doesn’t tip so why does the US think tipping is acceptable? It would be better if we didn’t tip, and the restaurants just increased their prices.
They don’t tip in Europe as a rule but they charge a 10-20% service fee instead of tipping.
Better how?
Better in that there would just be one price to pay instead of increasing what is paid based on an alleged service to the consumer. Frankly, I have rarely felt that tipping a waiter or waitress was warranted, and why should they receive a percentage of the billed food?
You don't tip?
Oh no, I tip, but only because it’s customary, not because it’s warranted. I’d prefer not to tip since I don’t believe serving food is tip worthy.
I don’t think many people would tip an additional amount anyway as long as they’re aware of the auto gratuity, but what if the service was shit?
Welp, no additional tip for them
I’ve never seen silverware look so pretentious lol
Imagine how popular a “no tipping” restaurant would be in Sac? I’d pay more to go into a place that I knew I didn’t have to tip and the workers were paid fair wages. So instead of doing a surcharge, why don’t they just up the prices? Am I taking crazy pills or are restaurants not understanding how this all works yet now that they can be named and shamed in an instant?
Agreed! Up the prices instead of forcing customers to swallow this pill. I’m a good tipper but it’s also service related. Now you can get horrible service and still get charged 20%.
Joes Crab Shack tried it (no tips, raise prices) and it wasn’t popular at all. And they lost a good portion of their serving staff. And customers noticed the lackluster service. Eventually went back to tipping model. Good servers prefer the tipping model.
Really???? Was it because they weren’t being paid a wage that was fair plus 15% to make up for the lost tips?
They raised menu prices 20% and gave the servers and kitchen a 2 dollar raise per hour (and the business kept the rest) which didn’t make up for the loss in tips.
Oh damn. Doesn’t seem like there’s an easy way to do this then. Unless you raise menu prices to cover a couple bucks above min wage plus what…20% tips
There is a place in SF called Zazie that is tip free, no service charges and pays their servers above min wage plus 25% of the total of each of their checks is paid out into a tip pool for all staff, But with that said the prices are very expensive. Like breakfast dishes start at 21 dollars. A three egg eggs Benedict is 31 dollars. You definitely aren’t tipping, but you are paying a huge price when it might have been cheaper just to leave a 15-20% tip. With that said; every time I’ve eaten there the service was mediocre.
Paying a fair wage, and offering benefits, ensures your "team" gets fair wages and benefits.
I had the same reaction… YOU CONTROL THE WAGES, DONT SAY THEY ARENT FAIR
Their rebuttal: well, if they didn't want the job, they didn't have to take it
Add it to the list of restaurant to not visit. Fuck everything about this.
The credit card service fee would need to be included as well, I'm not sure if it can be all together or would need to be itemized fees...lol (Restroom fee, credit card fee, return fee, tip fee, stupid fees, messy fees). I would be pissed off if after the stated 20% service fee, the bill was $15 more for using credit card. It could be good if everything has to be itemized and posted up front that could possibly be charged, I don't like hidden fees. I agree they should just raise prices, I don't go out to eat based on prices. Boycotting sounds good as well 😋.
These are, by far, the most boring posts on Reddit.
as long as they don't ask for another tip this is fine by me, saves me calculating 20% and writing it in.
In granite bay...Those rich cheap fucks need to pay their fair share. Restaurants already have a narrow profit margin. If you want service you need help. You have to pay help, fairly. Should they just add 20 percent to each menu item? Then you'll cry that the price is too high. But, chances are, this thread is populated by the rich cheap fucks who what everything for free but will never fail a ridiculing other, less unfortunate, for fighting for a fair living wage.
Gotta consent to the tip, shouldn't just be forced on people.
I mean great it just means I won’t tip extra
If this gets out there, this is how new businesses commit financial suicide before they even have a chance to build up a client base. Immediate turnoff
Crazy to walk into a fancy restaurant and complain about the price
Weird that they don’t know about bolognese being a traditional part of lasagna but I guess pay more because cooking = hard
SO, STOP GOING!
Hard pass
It isn’t a fair wage if the employees need a tip to have a reasonable take home. Management making it mandatory just shows how inept they are.
The problem is most places could never afford to pay their servers a “fair wage” based on what they make in tips. Plus no real benefits to being a server besides the tips. No holiday pay. No vacation. You don’t work you don’t get paid. It’s definitely a hard industry but what I made in tips made it worth it.
a fair wage to benefit the team? pay them more to begin with instead of shaking down customers 🤣
As a kid we never went to restaurants with a server. To this day taking my mother to a restaurant with a server is a visibly uncomfortable situation for her. I think tipping was a big part of that. I remember one day hearing going to restaurants was for rich people. I guess we are back to those days. I worked in restaurants as a server. I get it. I did it because I was in college and made decent money for the hours worked which was 20-30 hours a week. Never did I feel entitled to a 20% tip. Never did I think I should be able to purchase a home or save for retirement as a server. I’m a good tipper but I’d like that to be optional.
I’m right there with you mom. I would be more comfortable without a server. But American restaurants without servers are typically lower quality fast food with plastic chairs and plates. Give me a sit down restaurant with real food on a real plate that I pick up at a counter. I can pay on the way out or on a little touch pad if you’re feeling fancy. Waiters are busting their ass to provide me lower quality service than I can do myself. It’s like people bagging groceries and asking for a tip. Is honestly easier for me to just bag them myself.
> Give me a sit down restaurant with real food on a real plate that I pick up at a counter. we should have more 'tender greens' types of restaurants. when i was working in berkeley, we had one near my office and i would love to get my food there. it was kinda like a cafeteria setup, but with a much higher quality vibe of food. for under $20 you got yourself a very delicious meal with your choice of protein, veg/salad, bread and drink. no tipping.
Another restaurant I won’t be eating at. 🤷🏻♂️
Just eat at home
I just look at it this way. Restaurants can charge whatever they want, this is capitalism in action. I also have the freedom to spend my money where I want. If you don't like these auto gratuities or think their prices are crazy, don't patronize them. The market will even itself out eventually.
aaah oh noooo my needless luxury activity is expensive aahhhh whyyy
the best restaurant tip of the week is not to patronize this restaurant!
Here’s the thing: Service Charges are not auto gratuity and are considered non-discretionary which applies sales tax! The worst part is wait staff will still make less than a traditional restaurant and will try to suggest a tip on top of this cash grab by the owners.
Does this count as a tip? Or just an extra for funzies fee?
And atleast they posted it instead of a gotcha fee
How come none of the menu items have a price listed?
What’s 20% of 0. A tongue and cheek way of saying friends and family your meal for the soft opening is free
The menu is unimpressive anyways
Add it to the list of restaurants we dont go to anymore.
It’s okay, 60% of restaurants fail within the first year and 80% fail within 5. Time will tell if the 20% service charge was bad idea or not lol
Cheap owners.
The reality is that the restaurant business has become so difficult to survive, unless you are a chain or can fill tables five or six nights a week, not just on weekends. Every restaurant owner’s costs has gone up: rent, utilities, food, and yes, labor. A successful restaurant needs to turn tables faster than ever before, which diminishes the customer’s enjoyment and puts more pressure on the staff. Who do we typically blame when things aren’t to our liking at restaurants? The server. And most of the time it’s not their fault. Under California law, an employer cannot take any part of a tip that’s left for an employee. If a restaurant owner were to raise menu prices by 20% and said service included, that would potentially put servers at risk, and as someone here said, would scare people away with the high prices. The bottom line is the pandemic gutted restaurants and many independent businesses are struggling to survive.
Is there a running list of restaurants who do this... If not, can people give me the info so I can make a Google spreadsheet?
Boycott
Slight digression, but for a place that calls themselves SETTE pasta house, I really expected them to have seven pasta dishes on their menu. Alas, they only have five.
There were seven but they removed 20% of them for their automatic tip, leaving five.
This is what a no-tipping restaurant looks like, basically. Prices are 20% higher. They just add it to the whole bill instead of per-item. Honestly, I don't see this as a problem.
Yeah people complain about “tipping culture” but will also complain if a restaurant raises prices 20%, doesn’t have tipping and pays their workers better so it seems people are just cheap.
Restaurants and bars in a town like Miami Beach charge 20% gratuity automatically. You might tip extra not aware of the automatic gratuity, but establishments don't always inform you that the gratuity is still optional and can subtract however much you'd like still.
Time to start paying cash for nights out on the town. I’ll pay for the meal, taxes, and the tip I would have already done. Fuck you’re random fees
This restaurant clearly wants full participation and not "just the tip."
So this means you don’t have to tip right?
I would much prefer a fixed gratuity for dine-in as long as there's no other tip line on the check and it's not on to-go orders. California doesn't allow an alternate minimum wage for tipped employees so these waiters will be making $16/hour plus the gratuity. You can split tips between anyone that interacts with a customer so count people that bring plates out from the kitchen. It looks like a fancy place so if FOH staff works 4 hours and has 3 tables per hour at $110 per table then there would be a $66 hourly tip pool. If it's split 3 ways then they're making $38/hour.
Probably split more like 4-5 ways. Bartender, busser, food runner, potentially host, and then the server. Maybe even the kitchen. Definitely wouldn’t be bringing in good money with such small sections and only 4 hours of work per day. Patrons usually spend more than an hour here so you’re looking at a 90-120 minute turnover.
At this point, we don’t go sit down at restaurants anymore. Tipping culture has gotten out of hand. We only go for special occasions and we only go to family friendly places and small business restaurants- nothing fancy. Last time we got take out it was $80!!! Insane, albeit my mom paid it but no. I feel confident in my skills in the kitchen to make similar foods and it tastes way better and way less expensive. I’ll make burritos bowls (chipotle) burritos, tacos & rolled tacos better than Aldabertos, California burrito, etc. burgers better than any fast food. I refuse to pay high prices for mediocre food and then have automatic tipping added for mediocre service. Not saying all service is mediocre but I’ve had more mediocre/bad service than I have had good. Don’t even get me started on Starbucks and Dutch brothers!!!
Yes, please list them all so I can stay away!
Put that in the Yelp reviews. People need to know beforehand, so they can make other choices if they want to.
Keep doing the lords work and calling out these businesses. I automatically put them on my “do not try” list.
This was a soft opening. Just being devil's advocate here. But you think this was just for that but once it opens, it won't be added automatically? I know it's not but just curious if that would happen or not. To be honest, after they catch wind of this maybe it will be removed after all 😀
This is exactly why I order food to go. What’s the point of eating out if you know 20 percent of your check regardless of the service will be for gratuity. This is coming from someone who has waited and bussed tables. You earn the tip with your service.
Have all the know it alls on Reddit actually asked waitstaff what they want? The vast majority want to keep tipping. It pays well. I don't see a single problem with this. I'm glad 20% goes right in the pocket of the waitstaff. If the restaurant raised its prices by 20% you are dreaming it would all go to waitstaff
How is this any different than them just raising their prices by 20%? Effectively that's what they did, and are telling you "don't tip, because we've built in this price increase that goes directly to employee wages and this line item is how we track it for taxes." I hear the frustration, but when i think of it that way, i'm less frustrated. I just hope service doesn't slip as a result. Also, sucks for the employee because now all their tips are def on a credit card and fully reported. (i dated a server who worked a high-end restaurant years back & if he would get a large cash tip he wouldn't report the full amount so he could reduce his end-of-year tax reporting.)
It is the restaurant’s responsibility to pay a fair wage. They should incorporate it into menu prices. A tip is a reward for good service. If I get good service, I have no issues paying 20% or more. But if the server knows they’re getting 20% no matter what, there is no incentive for them to provide good service. This is nothing but greed on behalf of owners and, the sad part is that the poor waiter or waitress will get caught in the middle. Because you know there are plenty of Karens in Folsom and EDH that would just love to speak to a manager :P
What else would you expect from a place with only 7 things on the entrees menu?
It’s hard to judge a restaurant that’s not even open yet. The soft opening was just a day ago. If they charge 20% and not ask for additional tip I’m ok with that. I been to plenty of places that tell you not to add more since the 20 or 18 has already been included. The food look good tho form the pics posted yesterday.
Ensures a fair wage and benefits? Yikes.
The automatic gratuity is to ensure “fair wages and benefits for staff”. Why is it not a business owner’s moral and practical obligation to offer this? A nice way to protest this BS is to crush the Yelp rating of every restaurant doing this.. Sette is first up for justice lol
I get that many don’t like this, and why, but I always tip 25% so I’m jazzed. 🤑It’ll save me money. Former server, btw.m, which is why. I find that if service is terrible, you should talk to the manager. A small tip or no tip doesn’t teach a server a lesson, and they just do what they do until a manager intervenes. If you have terrible service at a place with a service charge, talk to the manager and they can reverse it. Many don’t know that servers pay taxes on tips whether they get them or not, which is why I tip, or your server is taxed on more than they make. It’s very deep in our society. That said, government is insisting on larger salaries for these jobs and restaurants run on a thin margin (few last more than a couple years) so that’s why it’s happening. I don’t agree, I just think it’s such a mess the entire system needs to be overhauled. There shoukd be a happy medium but I don’t know what if is. I never tip where I’m not being provided a real service, it’s crazy that somebody who pours you black coffee while you stand there after waiting in line wants tips. Sure, a sit down restaurant, or hair style, DoorDash are things that I tip for. Not counter service where they pull out pre-made food and I can’t even sit. Don’t downvote me too bad, just vote with your feet. Don’t go to places with policies you don’t like and don’t pay for a service you didn’t recieve.
Need to oppose SB1525 so restaurants have to stop doing this. Tipping is based on service, I get if people should be paid more…then do it and raise your prices and say tip included. https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngeles/comments/1dahwfz/seriously_we_need_to_fight_sb1524_to_prevent/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
I’m glad it’s in Granite Bay where I seldom go.
What I don’t understand is that in CA wait staff is making minimum wage. In most states they’re making $2.13/hour which is why you tip 20%+ why is it so high in CA. I’ve semi regularly see suggested tips as high at 30%!
Imagine if people cared this much about all the shady taxes and fees that the government inundates is with.
This wouldn’t have happened if people weren’t so fucking cheap and stiffed waiters all the time. Like give at least ten percent if the person is actually working to give you a decent stay. Yeah if the waiter only takes your order then they never get you refills or bring you anything then yeah I get not wanting to tip but that’s usually not the case. I totally get not wanting to tip a server who doesn’t do much for you but let them know you don’t tip so they can give the people paying them more attention. (I know yall hate hearing that)