Service charge on UK restaurant’s £51 bill is causing huge debate

There’s hardly much surprise expected when dinner at a London restaurant comes in on the pricier side.

But usually that’s because of the prices of the food or the splashing out on one too many bottles of wine - not necessarily because of a little added extra cost.

However, the service charge on a UK restaurant bill has caused a huge debate on Reddit.

Typically, in London this additional charge is around 12.5 percent of the cost of the meal and is for, well, the service. It’s technically different from a tip which you can choose yourself and if in cash, can specifically hand to a certain server.

Service charges are not always a necessary, mandatory cost - you just have to do the awkward asking of the staff to take off the charge when the bill comes.

Reddit/curepure

Discretionary service charges have become more usual in recent years but only about a decade ago would we rarely see them printed out and included in the final bill.

And one user on Reddit shared their bill from London restaurant L’Escargot including a 15 percent ‘discretionary service charge’.

The three-course meal with a glass of wine came in at £51 with £7.65 added on.

Alongside the snap, they wrote: “London restaurant service charge inches up.”

The comments led to a real split in reaction, with some saying it’s ‘crazy high’.

Another even put: “Make this s**t illegal. Either state prices up front of f**k off.”

One wrote: “Honestly 10% for a friendly table service? Fine. 12.5% for a dining experience, proper attire for a posh evening, wine suggestion, coat hanging? Hmm ok.

“15% ? No. Unless there’s a cook doing tricks Benihana style.”

Pexels/cottonbro studio

But others just advised diners to take it off if they didn’t want to pay it.

One also wrote: “I don’t really mind tipping around 10%, assuming it goes to the staff, but an upfront minimum tip of 15% seems a bit OTT. Sure, you can ask for it to be removed, but who wants to be that guy.”

The Straits Times report that a 2021 government report showed that many businesses 'that add a discretionary service charge onto customer’s bills are keeping part or all of these service charges, instead of passing them onto staff’.

Would you pay a full 15 percent in service charge after a cheeky meal out?

LADbible has contacted L’Escargot for comment.