A chain dining venue has sparked outrage after introducing an automatic gratuity that diners say they didn’t explicitly agree to. The surcharge, labelled as a “service fee,” appears by default on customer receipts and amounts to a sizeable extra cost on top of regular menu pricing.
Several patrons say they were caught offguard by the policy: one diner noticed the fee while checking out, queried the server, and was informed that staff wages had been adjusted so that the imposed tip was “non-optional.” Others reported that cash tips handed to servers were also being collected by management prior to transcript of payment.
The establishment’s management defended the change by citing rising labour and operational costs, stating that the added charge allows the restaurant to maintain staff pay without steep menu hikes. However, critics argue that the automatic nature of the fee removes customer choice and transparency — and potentially misleads diners into assuming the charge is voluntary.
The backlash has gone viral online, with screenshots of bills and heated commentary drawing scrutiny from consumer advocacy groups. Industry observers say such tactics may invite regulatory review if customers continue to claim they were misinformed.