Computerwise said:
It's insane the number of ways restaurants will slip in extra charges. My wife and I took our 2 teenage sons to Europe to experience life and culture in other countries. Dining was always an adventure, extra meals added to the bill, extra drinks, table charges, unitemized bill that was 30 pct more. Some are more subtle but legal. Meals listed on chalkboard say at 20E, not bad, but a coke was 10E. Also beware of the 5% tax tax some restaurants add in St.Maarten and asked to have it removed, as there is no 5% tax. Also condo renters, the tax is 5% not 9 or 10 or 11% that some companies charge.
A number of businesses have begun adding their turnover tax to invoices since the turnover tax was last increased. Whether they are allowed to do this is not entirely clear. My understanding is that (at least on the Dutch Side) businesses are discouraged from the practice but there is no law explicitly against it.
This is obviously different from dining fees and service charges.
