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Service Charge - Included but i don't agree

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    #32
    Procrastastudy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,224 ✭✭✭Procrastastudy


    Melendez wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    This is exactly the confusion I am referring too. A service charge is not a tip, a tip is not a service charge. The 10% thingy that gets added to parties of six or more malarkey might or might not end up going to the staff as extra.


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    #33
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    Melendez wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.
    Not true. They are taxable.

    Whether they are fully declared or not is open to question.


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    #34
    Melendez
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭Melendez


    This post has been deleted.


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    #35
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    Melendez wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.
    No disagreement there.


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    #36
    Pkiernan
    Registered Users Posts: 4,310 ✭✭✭Pkiernan


    Stheno wrote: »
    They are perfectly within their rights to include them

    How did you come up with this piece of misinformation?


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    #37
    ct5amr2ig1nfhp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,019 ✭✭✭ct5amr2ig1nfhp


    I should state that I don't agree with any service charge. ;)

    However I worked in the service industry a number of years ago and with large parties coming in, they would always take that little bit more effort from serving staff. Especially after a few bottles of wine had been consumed.
    In my opinion if a service charge is to be added to a bill, it should always be optional.

    Otherwise, just include the "serving" in the price of the food/drink.
    rubadub wrote: »
    Why is this? When do you think its acceptable to kick in? 40 coffees?

    I think service charges in general are ridiculous by the way, just tell me what I have to pay. But if there is going to be one I see no reason it should be applied to only higher value items, esp. as its a percentage. If something is low price like the coffee then the service charge is low.

    If anything the service charge should be more on lower volume items, e.g. it probably costs more per cup to make and serve 4 coffees than 40. So you should be paying the opposite of a bulk discount, a low volume surcharge.


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    #38
    mfceiling
    Registered Users Posts: 12,844 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    P. Breathnach wrote: »
    So when you ordered the coffees, you had no idea of how much they might cost? And when asked to pay for them, you regard the way the bill is made up as an issue?

    If the coffees were charged as €2.20 each, that would have been okay, but if they were charged at €2.00 each + 10% SC, that's a problem?

    Next time, look at the menu before you order.

    For 4 quick coffees...would you ever f**k off.:rolleyes:

    Was the closest place for us all to meet...went upstairs and met the waiter at the top of the stairs - one of us just asked him "could we get 4 coffees please?

    Place was busy - was hardly going to sit down and wait 5 or 10 mins for the waiter to come over with 4 menus, so we could read through them when all we were having was a coffee each.


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    #39
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,382 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    mfceiling wrote: »
    What's the story with included service charges?
    mfceiling wrote: »
    For 4 quick coffees...would you ever f**k off.:rolleyes:
    So you've now been told the story about service charges. In future are you going to ask if there is one? you don't need a menu -you can ask the server. I would also recommend asking the price too since at first you seem concerned, but reading your last post you might not be :confused:


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    #40
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    mfceiling wrote: »
    ...would you ever f**k off.:rolleyes:

    Watch your language and please remain civil to other posters

    dudara


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    #41
    UDP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,188 ✭✭✭UDP


    mfceiling wrote: »
    For 4 quick coffees...would you ever f**k off.:rolleyes:

    Was the closest place for us all to meet...went upstairs and met the waiter at the top of the stairs - one of us just asked him "could we get 4 coffees please?

    Place was busy - was hardly going to sit down and wait 5 or 10 mins for the waiter to come over with 4 menus, so we could read through them when all we were having was a coffee each.
    You seem like a very civil person.

    You could have checked their price lists on their website before you went. There you would have seen not only the price of each of their coffee drinks but also "Plus 10% service received entirely by staff".

    You don't really have a case here since the prices and note about 10% service charge appears to be on their menus.

    You also do not know the difference between a service charge and a tip.


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    #42
    Morph the Cat
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 368 ✭✭Morph the Cat


    Doom wrote: »
    Ring them up, tell them it's crappy to look for a service charge for two coffees and tell them their business is DOOMED because you posted it here.....:pac:
    Trigger Happy wrote: »
    Agreed that it is very crappy. I have never seen a service charge applied for a couple of coffees.
    I will not be going there again - thanks for the warning op!
    Trigger Happy wrote: »
    Agreed, but the difference is that with a tip you have a choice. With a service charge you dont.
    I have no problem paying a service charge in a restaruant when there is a party of 6 or more. But paying it for a couple of coffees....nah - I dont like that.

    It was 4 coffees. If you're not even going to read the original post properly, then you should probably avoid replying.

    I don't work for Avoca - but I have been there a good few times. OP - Avoca have a huge chalk board over the serving counters with their price list & menu on it - at the bottom of this, it states that a 10% service charge applies to tables or 4 or more. So not sure what the issue is. It's there for all to see. And they don't have menus - just this chalkboard price list. So the fact is, you never looked at the price of the coffees, because the 10% service charge info is there for all to see.
    P. Breathnach wrote: »
    I have often asked in restaurants what happens to the service charge (and I'm no so naive as to ask the proprietor, who might want to mislead me).

    Woah! Look out! Nothing gets past this guy!


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    #43
    j8wk2feszrnpao
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,438 ✭✭✭j8wk2feszrnpao


    Morph the Cat wrote: »
    It was 4 coffees. If you're not even going to read the original post properly, then you should probably avoid replying.

    I don't work for Avoca - but I have been there a good few times. OP - Avoca have a huge chalk board over the serving counters with their price list & menu on it - at the bottom of this, it states that a 10% service charge applies to tables or 4 or more. So not sure what the issue is. It's there for all to see. And they don't have menus - just this chalkboard price list.

    Thanks for the update Morph.

    So Avoca doesn't have menu's, just a large chalkboard with the service charge mentioned for tables of 4 or more.

    Personally I think it's a bit much to have a service charge for 4 coffee's, but I guess that's the way they run the place.


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    #44
    Morph the Cat
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 368 ✭✭Morph the Cat


    Estella Cool Tracer wrote: »
    Thanks for the update Morph.

    So Avoca doesn't have menu's, just a large chalkboard with the service charge mentioned for tables of 4 or more.

    Personally I think it's a bit much to have a service charge for 4 coffee's, but I guess that's the way they run the place.

    I'm neither agreeing or disagreeing with the charge. I'm just clearing up the misinformation being spouted. The only place you can see the menu & prices in Avoca is that huge chalk board - and it states it right there. If the OP cared about how much he was paying, he would/could have checked the price list. Moaning about it afterwards is moot, because the info was readily available & displayed where it legally needs to be.


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    #45
    mfceiling
    Registered Users Posts: 12,844 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    rubadub wrote: »
    So you've now been told the story about service charges. In future are you going to ask if there is one? you don't need a menu -you can ask the server. I would also recommend asking the price too since at first you seem concerned, but reading your last post you might not be :confused:


    Stopping for a quick coffee...realise a coffee won't be more than €2-€3...i don't particulary like avoca but it was the closest place for us all so hey ho.

    UDP wrote: »
    You seem like a very civil person.

    You could have checked their price lists on their website before you went. There you would have seen not only the price of each of their coffee drinks but also "Plus 10% service received entirely by staff".

    You don't really have a case here since the prices and note about 10% service charge appears to be on their menus.

    You also do not know the difference between a service charge and a tip.


    Seriously...a few friends say they are meeting in avoca for a coffee.."sorry guys has anyone run a website check to get the price of the coffees...maybe we could spend the next 40 minutes checking the coffee prices of all the local eateries"

    I do know the difference between a service charge and a tip....i don't happen to agree with adding a service charge....i would rather tip for good service than pay a 10% "service charge" which is supposed to be going to a poorly paid waiter.

    Mods can you close this thread as i'm off to run a website check on coffee prices in every restaurant in dublin...


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    #46
    UDP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,188 ✭✭✭UDP


    mfceiling wrote: »
    Seriously...a few friends say they are meeting in avoca for a coffee.."sorry guys has anyone run a website check to get the price of the coffees...maybe we could spend the next 40 minutes checking the coffee prices of all the local eateries"
    Didn't check prices before purchasing a product/service then go online and give out for being charged more than you wanted to be. Lol.

    Btw a regular coffee including the service charge is 2-3 euro in avoca so still not sure what you are complaining about.


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    #47
    mfceiling
    Registered Users Posts: 12,844 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    mfceiling wrote: »
    What's the story with this?

    Went to meet friends for a coffee in Avoca in dublin today. Paid the bill then looked at the receipt later and noticed that a 10% service charge had been included.....however...i didn't agree to this.

    There's no such thing as opt in for this charge. Opt out is fine but who gives permission for me to pay this 10%....

    Didn't see any signs anywhere advising of this. Didn't receive a menu as we just ordered 4 coffees straight from the waiter.

    What's the story with included service charges?
    UDP wrote: »
    Didn't check prices before purchasing a product/service then go online and give out for being charged more than you wanted to be. Lol.

    Btw a regular coffee including the service charge is 2-3 euro in avoca so still not sure what you are complaining about.


    Read the OP there again....didn't give out or mention anything about being charged more than i wanted to be.

    You pay a couple of quid for a coffee - that's fine.

    You want to pay a tip for good service - that's fine.

    The employer pays as little as he can to his employees and then sticks on a "service charge" so you can cover it - not really fine with that.

    I was in a restaurant one night and between us we gave the waitress close to 30% - she was brilliant and couldn't have given better service....that's really my point - i would rather "tip" for good service than have a charge forced on to me...


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    #48
    Nanazolie
    Registered Users Posts: 867 ✭✭✭Nanazolie


    So if the coffee is 3€ you are ok with it, but if the receipt says 3€ including 10% service charge, you are not? The service charge IS included, regardless whether it is clearly displayed on the receipt or not.


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    #49
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,866 ✭✭✭daheff


    I do not agree with service charges in restuarants...surely this is already included in the price of what I buy????I cant order a meal and not be served it as part of the purchase!!

    Its like buying a plane ticket and then having to pay extra to be allowed to board the plane :mad: (i hope mick ol isnt reading this!)

    as far as i'm concerned the price you are quoted should be the price that will bring you the minimum needed to provide the product to you. If I order food i dont expect to pay more for the chef to cook it & the waiter to bring it to my table.


    tips are a different thing. If somebody provides a service that enhances my experience then i will tip them. Again thats my determination as to whether they have done so (or if its in my budget)


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    #50
    lanber man
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭lanber man


    service charges are something i could never get my head around. especially where it applies to say a group of 10 or more people. yes it takes more work to cater for larger crowds but you are getting in that multiple of money. its as if they'd rather one person take up a table of four rather than have it utilized.:confused:


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    #51
    sunny2004
    Registered Users Posts: 2,538 ✭✭✭sunny2004


    There is no mention of the service ??
    Its a service charge, to me that is like a tip, I tip if the service is good... if its bad my tip is "change jobs" ;)
    I understand the principle of service charges, but I would dispute them if the service is bad.........


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    #52
    the culture of deference
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭the culture of deference


    In the UK service charge is optional.


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    #53
    RoboRat
    Registered Users Posts: 2,559 ✭✭✭RoboRat


    Surely if the price includes a mandatory service charge then that is the price that should be displayed... not €2 and 10% service charge, it should be €2.20 end of.


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    #54
    Evie Flabby Bobsled
    Posts: 0 CMod ✭✭✭✭ Evie Flabby Bobsled


    Service charges are usually removed if you disagree with them, aren't they? someone said they had one removed before
    I mean for small groups not large ones


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