Restaurant service fees

I recently enjoyed a lunch at the Mona Rosa (pink monkey) in downtown Las Vegas, where I have been several times before. The name and ownership recently changed, but it seemed much the same to me. All went well until I noticed a 5% service fee added to the check. Although the service was quite good, I deducted the 5% from what I was intended to tip, so about 12%. I left cash in the folder, so don't know how my waitresses felt about it.

I post this to warn others about surprise service fees as well as to ask what you would have done in my shoes. The question for the forum is how much of a tip adjustment would you have made based on the 5% service fee?

Was it the servers fault the 5% fee was added? Unless you know the fee goes to the server then all you did was stiff someone that makes already low wages and you didn't affect the business's bottom line at all. I would have demanded a manager and demanded the fee that was not started prior to ordering be removed.

I would definitely let management know and not return for a while.i went to a diner and got carryout and noticed their was an entertainment fee. I asked and got a shrug of the shoulders and said it was a standard fee. When I travel out of county I don't see this fee. I figure it is to subsidize the local sports team the colts.perhaps the service fee is to subsidize the raiders.i just wouldn't return and let the waitress know the reasoning

Quote: Wizard

I recently enjoyed a lunch at the Mona Rosa (pink monkey) in downtown Las Vegas, where I have been several times before. The name and ownership recently changed, but it seemed much the same to me. All went well until I noticed a 5% service fee added to the check. Although the service was quite good, I deducted the 5% from what I was intended to tip, so about 12%. I left cash in the folder, so don't know how my waitresses felt about it.

I post this to warn others about surprise service fees as well as to ask what you would have done in my shoes. The question for the forum is how much of a tip adjustment would you have made based on the 5% service fee?
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i would have done the same, except 10%.
easier math in my head.
i never pay entirely in cash. at minimum, the bill on credit card and the tip in cash with me writing CASH in the tip portion of the receipt.

a couple decades ago, i was at a busy bar. i paid cash for my 2 beers + tip.
a week later, i came back and the waitress informed me i didnt pay my tab.
i stood my ground and she dropped it. i then paid by credit card everywhere ever since.

at least the tip suggestions in your pic was BEFORE the tax.
i hate it when restaurant's tip suggestion was on the amount after the tax.

I would wonder if it was on the fine print of the menu. The online menu implies a service charge but the PDF menu does not show it. I have been to restaurants where they print it on the bottom and I may mentally grumble, but if they do it this way I think it's fair to deduct it from the tip.
https://www.lamonarosalv.com/menu

First thing is ask what the fee is for. It might not be for "tips" but for their base wage. Second, I would not return.

On one hand, this is how it is in the USA. We prefer line-item fees while EU citizens prefer hidden fees. But these line items are getting out of hand. To be charged for "labor" at a restaurant same as getting work done on your car just feels weird.

Quote: Talldude90

Was it the servers fault the 5% fee was added? Unless you know the fee goes to the server then all you did was stiff someone that makes already low wages and you didn't affect the business's bottom line at all. I would have demanded a manager and demanded the fee that was not started prior to ordering be removed.
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Don't always assume servers don't make much money. Almost every server in the world would choose to accept tips over having a higher pay rate and no tips.

I have a daughter that is a server in a breakfast/lunch restaurant. She is a single mother and recently cut back to working only four days because she makes such good money that working a fifth day was not worth it to her. I don't know her exact finances but she has a $1900 a month apartment and a $600 car payment and still has plenty of money to travel. I would be shocked if she wasn't making at least $80,000 a year when working five days.

I was shocked on occasion when she would say how much she made in tips on some days. Let's just say that $200 a day in tips is a bad day. I paid for her to get a bachelors degree and am sad she is not using it but while she is young I don't blame for for taking the low hanging fruit.

(Quote clipped to not duplicate picture)

Quote: Wizard

I recently enjoyed a lunch at the Mona Rosa (pink monkey) in downtown Las Vegas, where I have been several times before. The name and ownership recently changed, but it seemed much the same to me. All went well until I noticed a 5% service fee added to the check. Although the service was quite good, I deducted the 5% from what I was intended to tip, so about 12%. I left cash in the folder, so don't know how my waitresses felt about it.

I post this to warn others about surprise service fees as well as to ask what you would have done in my shoes. The question for the forum is how much of a tip adjustment would you have made based on the 5% service fee?
link to original post

I don't know what the service fee was for, but I would speculate that it doesn't go to the server on direct.

The first thing I would do is demand to see where this 5% service fee is advertised and ask them what the service they provided me was. I would also ask if it is a, "Service," that I could opt out of on a future visit (even though there won't be one).

Eventually, I would most likely get the service fee deducted from my bill.

I wouldn't get the margaritas even if I was on the sauce, so let's assume $4.00 for an unsweetened ice tea and my bill is at $46 plus 8.375% tax so $49.8525, but the restaurant probably rounds it to $49.86, which is after I get the service fee removed, of course.

Was this a lunch for two? I wouldn't have eaten at this restaurant if that was the cost for one person anyway. Suppose it was a lunch for two, my bill is effectively $50, so my tip would be $20.

From that point, I would never eat at the place again. I also would not ever eat there again even IF they get rid of the service fee. They have lost my business forever and I would encourage everyone I talk to (offline) to also not eat there.

Quote: DRich

Quote: Talldude90

Was it the servers fault the 5% fee was added? Unless you know the fee goes to the server then all you did was stiff someone that makes already low wages and you didn't affect the business's bottom line at all. I would have demanded a manager and demanded the fee that was not started prior to ordering be removed.
link to original post

Don't always assume servers don't make much money. Almost every server in the world would choose to accept tips over having a higher pay rate and no tips.

I have a daughter that is a server in a breakfast/lunch restaurant. She is a single mother and recently cut back to working only four days because she makes such good money that working a fifth day was not worth it to her. I don't know her exact finances but she has a $1900 a month apartment and a $600 car payment and still has plenty of money to travel. I would be shocked if she wasn't making at least $80,000 a year when working five days.

I was shocked on occasion when she would say how much she made in tips on some days. Let's just say that $200 a day in tips is a bad day. I paid for her to get a bachelors degree and am sad she is not using it but while she is young I don't blame for for taking the low hanging fruit.
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Good gosh!

That at least makes me feel less guilty for making what I do writing.

Quote: Mission146

Good gosh!

That at least makes me feel less guilty for making what I do writing.

where can I read your articles___________?____________thanks


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