Is it illegal for a restaurant to add service charge in the bill?

Question

why

Answer 1

no, but you should be told before hand.

it is then up to you whether you pay an extra tip or not.

Answer 2

No, it is not illegal. There is usually a note on the menu or in the restaurant that says "An 18% gratuity will be added to parties of 8 or more"  

However, if want to add more of course go right ahead. If you feel you didn't have good service, speak to the manager and they can get it removed for you.

Restaurants tend to do this to make sure that the server gets a proper tip from the table. Big tables require more work and if the server doesn't add gratuity then end up losing money on the table.

Answer 3

No it is not.  However, it is illegal to pay non-service staff with this money.

Answer 4

No, because to many people have had huge parties and had a server wait on the hand and foot for hours, and then not be given a tip...

I agree with the service charge, and i even tip on top if the server did a really good job... we recently hosted a party for 20 red hat socieety members at a fancy restaraunt... our bill was very high, and they got the gratuity from that, but for going above and beyond and even keeping his head cool when these little old ladies would forget what they ordered or complain about little things, he took care of it and had everything down 110%. He got about $200 total in tip, i think the normal gratuity in the bill was only about $60. Not bad for working 2 hours...

I was a Pizza delivery driver, and got mad when i dodnt get a penny, i can only immagine these guys busting thier balls for nothing... so they insure it by putting it in the bill.

Answer 5

To Raymond.. Servers do not make minimum wage they have their own wage ..By June 2009 the server minimum wage will be $4.35 an hour ..Iowa already pays that most other states are still paying 3 something till the June 2009 deadline

Answer 6

service charge must be listed separately from other items on bill. same way the tax gets its own line on bill.

Answer 7

What do you mean by service charge? If you have 8 or more people eating then they can add a gratuity charge( the tip). Is that what you mean??

Answer 8

you mean gratuity?

if the party is bigger than 5 or 8 in most restaurants, then they will add the gratuity onto the bill.

Answer 9

no, because its always on the menu if they add a service charge; check the fine print at the bottom.

usually, they do a service charge for large parties as a way of guaranteeing their staff a tip for all the hard work they've put forth on the large party.

remember, waitresses and waiters make minimum wage; there should be no risk of non-tippers for a party that takes them several hours of hard work to serve.

Answer 10

no, but you should definately be informed of it before hand. They usually have a sign somewhere around the cash register, or even on the menu that tells you. If you don't see anything and are just curious..just ask your waitress/waiter..it never hurts