This is the receipt that we got at a restaurant in Hawaii earlier this week. I had never seen this before. Others with me said they have.
If I am understanding, they already added an 18% “service charge” and still expect a tip?
Yes, you are correct. Needless to say, none of us added a damn thing.
I’m sure a lot of people don’t see the 18% $ervice charge and tip on the total. I wonder if the “service charge” goes to the server or the house.
It’s basically a way of masking the real prices. Probably more common in HI and other tourist places that don’t expect repeat business.
At first I didn’t see it either. We were a party of six and they said they could give us three separate checks. For some reason my brain was thinking three people were on that check, and the total looked reasonable. One of my fellow diners then pointed out it was just the two of us on that check, and we then both noticed that surcharge.
I was ready to tip 20% and round-up, but they just got the 18% they added.
Imaging gas station that advertised $4.29 a gallon but added a 18% service charge.
Just to be sure, I checked the menu and nowhere did it say anything about an 18% service charge being added. For comparison, that same week-end we had lunch at another local neighborhood place. It had a 2% surcharge (I don’t remember exactly what they called it), and not only was it on the menu, the server pointed it out to us before we ordered.
Adding an 18% service charge to the bill and then expecting a tip is bullshit. If their actual costs are that high, which I doubt, they should reflect them in their base pricing on the menu.
Edit: For another comparison, a third place I went to did not have any service charge or other surcharge at all. So, based on this I would not say this is necessarily a common practice in Hawaii.
We’ve been going to Fort Myers Beach for almost 30 years and one of our favorite places has an early bird special, buy one get one free before 6pm. They clearly state on the menu and the server usually tells you they will add an 18% gratuity based on paying regular price for both meals, which I don’t mind because I would have tipped 20% based on the regular price anyway.
I don’t get adding a surcharge, just increase the price accordingly. I do under stand a fuel surcharge for shipping and transportation. I visited my kid at school last weekend and used Uber a few times (cheaper than a DUI 
)and it had a small fuel surcharge (maybe $1.50 per ride) but I expect that will go away when gas prices get back to normal.
I would have written “show this to your boss…I usually tip 20%”.
Then left nothing.
It depends if the 18% went to the server or the house. If it said gratuity you’d know, but who knows what the service charge is going to.
Especially at a self-service station.
Was at an athletic event yesterday where you grabbed your own stuff and they rung it up at the counter.
They actually had a tip jar.
If it was at a “full service” restaurant, I’d ask the waiter/waitress if that was for a tip. If they said yes, I would ask that they remove it from my bill and bring me another one. Then I’d tip them 20%. If it wasn’t a tip, I’d ask to speak to a manager. OF course, it being in a tourist area, they likely would give a shit.
Maybe if the proceeds went to the school or team I can see that, it’s more of a donation.
It was at a giant recreation center for State Swim.
I was just asked for a tip on a gofundme, with a 15% as the default option.
OK. As an update, I just looked up their menu online and it does say that a standard service charge of 18% will be added to a party of six or more. We were a party of six. I did not see it on the menu there, but I could have missed it.
Either way, they have no business recommending a tip on top of that.
Agreed. We’ve been out with other couples where the restaurant had the same policy for parties over 6 and I don’t recall the receipt having the amounts for adding 15, 20, etc percent. I have added to the mandatory tip for very good service.
Maybe the restaurants receipts automatically calculate the percentages on all of them, but it should have said gratuity instead of service charge.
To play Devils Advocate, and everyone knows I hate the culture or tipping.
I would assume they have to manually input the “service charge “ for parties over 6, but I bet the receipt printer defaults to print the recommended tip on the bottom, no matter what.