Service charge + tip? How much tipping is too much tipping? Are you fed up eating out?
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As much as I love my job writing about restaurants and the perks of dining out, my stress level always rises when the check comes.
My inbox indicates many of yours do, too.
My head spins, wondering where my wallet might take an additional hit.
Google tipping stories and you'll find hundreds of options for your reading (dis)pleasure.
Prefer something funny? Check out comedian Sebastian Maniscalco's social media feeds for his truthful takes on restaurant charges.
Tiresome guilt-tipping
Every time I do counter-service takeout then encounter the tip prompt, I remember restaurant owner Louis Mele of Bicyclette Cookshop (a retired McDonald’s president) chiding me at Five Guys, where we were ignored for two minutes after walking in for tipping staff on the job they’re paid to do.
Several months ago, Ori’s Bakery & Café didn’t have a tip prompt because co-owner Tom Reed didn’t want his patrons to start their experience with negative vibes.
That has changed ‒ and it’s because his customers requested it.
Reed shared that because Ori’s is a counter-service spot, tip prompt percentages range from zero to 15%. There’s also a new-ish sign posted that says tips are "not expected but are welcome, all directed to non-owner employees."
Like a Magic 8 ball, what will the tip prompt read?
Other than Ori’s, in the past two years, I’ve encountered a range of percentages, from a low of 15% to a high (at a restaurant where I had the worst service of my life) of 28%; 20% wasn’t even on the prompt.
Reader Tilo Weger noted that “to tip 24% basically makes the tip higher than the average wage per hour.”
Florida’s minimum, not average, wage for tipped servers is $8.98 per hour. The state’s minimum wage is $12 per hour. Restaurant owners must make up the difference in pay when tips don’t fulfill the requirement.
Why is there a credit card surcharge?
One restaurant owner who prefers remaining anonymous but doesn't add a surcharge at his restaurants explained that when he looked at his P+L sheet in March, fees tacked on by the credit card companies totaled more than $20,000, averaging 2.9% of every check paid with a credit card.
That charge, plus automatic gratuities and service charges at restaurants, must be disclosed on the menu and again on the face of the bill provided to the customer, according to Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Reader Gary G encountered that lack of disclosure during a recent visit to an East Naples restaurant. My call and email to the restaurant were not returned so we are not naming them.
Not only was Gary upset because of the lack of proper notice, but when he asked his server, the manager and the owner, he got three different replies.
I forwarded him my note from DBPR that said, “If an automatic gratuity or service charge was not properly disclosed, the customer may file a consumer complaint against the food service establishment with the DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants.”
Gary did just that.
The Division's reply: “We are sorry to hear of your experience. However, we have no authority over the situation you described. Florida law limits our authority to matters of routine sanitation and safety in such facilities. Please understand that this is a result of statutory limitation(s) rather than a lack of concern.
Based on the information you provided, this appears to be a civil dispute. A civil court may be able to help you. You may wish to seek legal advice to determine your rights and options. The Florida Bar offers a Lawyer Referral Service (800.342.8011) if you need assistance in pursuing your claim.”
Via email he said, “No one wants to take responsibility. It’s disheartening.”
More: Feds: Fifth Avenue South restaurant ordered to pay $184,000 in back wages
What about the charge for ordering online?
Reminiscent of Ticketmaster, "convenience" charges and those mysterious resort fees, one of my favorite pizza joints (Twisted Sheep) adds a $1.50 fee to order online.
I thought technology was supposed to streamline the purchase process.
Silly me.
And yes, I tipped on that counter-service pickup order.
Other recent guilt tips include tipping on a meal I never received at No. 1 Wok and, inadvertently, the robot at Thai Thai Sushi and Sports Bar on Marco on my one-and-done takeout visit.
Will there be a service charge PLUS a line for extra gratuity?
Sometimes. Andy Hyde's Hyde N Chic has one, encouraged but optional.
Four years ago, he “recognized that servers only want to work for cash tips because historically, most servers don't report their cash tips on taxes. This model has become a challenge as over 95% of service sales are on credit cards.”Shifting from a traditional gratuity to a fixed service charge changed that.
“With a service charge, the business automatically pays sales tax. This helps operators better forecast labor for the season.”
It also helped him attract better servers because they can expect to make "between $20 to $35 per hour instead of working minimum wage and relying on tips to make up the difference."
Related: Tipping out of control? Etiquette expert's advice for minimizing your financial pain
Why are counter-service staff staring at my fingers while I’m paying?
I don’t read minds and can’t answer that.
Care to share your restaurant gripe for publication? Connect with this reporter via diana.biederman@naplesnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Why are tipping prompts suddenly everywhere
