Service charge in restaurants

[Rumlover]

According to locals I know and trust the service charge can be anything the restaurant wants it to be. Sometimes shared, usually not. If you want your tip to go to your server hand them cash separate from paying the tab. Even when I use a credit card to pay for dinner I give cash to the server. It will be appreciated. Tourists from certain countries tip nothing as that's the way it works for them at home where servers are paid a livable wage. I've always found it hard to believe those tourists don't know tips are what help feed the families of the bartenders, servers, housekeepers, etc..

[Rob]

According to locals I know and trust the service charge can be anything the restaurant wants it to be. Sometimes shared, usually not. If you want your tip to go to your server hand them cash separate from paying the tab. Even when I use a credit card to pay for dinner I give cash to the server. It will be appreciated. Tourists from certain countries tip nothing as that's the way it works for them at home where servers are paid a livable wage. I've always found it hard to believe those tourists don't know tips are what help feed the families of the bartenders, servers, housekeepers, etc..

Rumlover,

The service charge is NOT anything the restaurant wants it to be. It is a line item on the business accounting and is shared among all hourly employees. That includes the servers, the cooks, the dishwashers, the groundskeepers, the maintenance folks, etc. It is illegal to have a service charge on the bill if it is not shared. The fine has been raised to discourage any misuse of these shared service charges to the employees. Unfortunately you were given wrong information.