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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: Cleobeach]
#85898
02/11/2016 11:14 AM
02/11/2016 11:14 AM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 200 Oklahoma
LivinLarge
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 200
Oklahoma
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We have always considered the service fee as a tip. As long as the service was good, I will add a gratuity to bring the amount charged for the service fee up to 20%
Last edited by LivinLarge; 02/11/2016 11:15 AM.
Allan
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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: LivinLarge]
#85899
02/11/2016 11:37 AM
02/11/2016 11:37 AM
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,901 Maine
Breeze
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,901
Maine
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If you are being charged for service, then it is out of your own generosity to add to the service charge......
Always has been our practice to make sure any additional " gratuity" was done in cash directly into the hand of the server, not by credit card, or left with the hostess or cashier on the way out.
Last edited by Breeze; 02/11/2016 11:38 AM.
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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: Cleobeach]
#85901
02/11/2016 12:19 PM
02/11/2016 12:19 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601
Central Florida!
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To me, this is a despicable practice, IF that service fee does NOT go to the employee. Regardless, if there is a service fee added to a check, if the service is good, I will leave a few dollars more in cash for the server. I usually don't bother to check to see whether the service fee goes to the server or not, as often you don't get a straight answer. If the restaurant was only fair, I generally don't go back.
Carol Hill
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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#85904
02/11/2016 01:13 PM
02/11/2016 01:13 PM
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999 Macon, Georgia
GlennA
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
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For everyone's information: Acording to the BVI Labor Code of 2010 any gratuity added as a percentage of the bill has to be distributed to ALL the employees less taxes and an administration fee not to exceed 7.5%. For any restaurant with more than 5 employees, how it is distributed is set by a committtee of the employees.
My basic rule is to just pay the service fee if poor service, add 5% in cash directly to the server for good service and maybe 7 or 8% for exceptional service. For truly crappy service I scratch off the service fee and complain to the manager. Fortunately I have only resorted to that once.
Last edited by GlennA; 02/11/2016 01:54 PM.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. - Mark Twain
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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: GlennA]
#85908
02/11/2016 02:29 PM
02/11/2016 02:29 PM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 483 Austin, TX
TackingAg
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Traveler
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 483
Austin, TX
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To Glenn's point below, I asked this question to our server a couple of weeks ago. She also explained that the added service fee was to be distributed to all of the staff (dishwashers, etc.), but it wasn't specifically her tip. She was nice about it and happy that I added about 5% extra for her. When I start to split hairs about this, I remind myself of how many times I tip someone in the US $1-5 for simply opening a couple of beers for me at the bar - and rarely with a smile. GlennA said: For everyone's information: Acording to the BVI Labor Code of 2010 any gratuity added as a percentage of the bill has to be distributed to ALL the employees less taxes and an administration fee not to exceed 7.5%. For any restaurant with more than 5 employees, how it is distributed is set by a committtee of the employees.
My basic rule is to just pay the service fee if poor service, add 5% in cash directly to the server for good service and maybe 7 or 8% for exceptional service. For truly crappy service I scratch off the service fee and complain to the manager. Fortunately I have only resorted to that once.
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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: Cleobeach]
#85909
02/11/2016 05:19 PM
02/11/2016 05:19 PM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 91 The Blue Mountains
macpete
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 91
The Blue Mountains
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Oh boy, strap in folks, this gets bumpy. We cruised the BVI a year ago spending 6 months onboard and have had dinners, lunches and sundowners from Jost to VG to Anegada and everywhere in between. The service charge as I understand it was a tip - plain and simple, to even out the playing field. North Americans typically leave a gratuity, some European visitors, not so much. That said, the automatic addition of a 15% surcharge, call it what you will, has driven, the "service" provided in the vast majority of places in the BVI into the dumpster.
Exhibit A - Pirates Bight on Norman, we were asked "What d'you wanna eat?" by the person taking our order, cannot call her a server by any means. Food was mediocre at best, literally dropped on the placemats, she could not have cared less, and for just showing up, expected the 15% mordida to be paid. I asked for it to be removed, and was prepared to politely explain to the manager on duty why it wasn't warranted. She came back, said it was off, dropped the bill on the table and walked away. No explanation asked for and therefore none offered. I'll go back to Pirates, they have pretty good WiFi, but that's it. I have beer on my boat.
Exhibit B - Village Cay Marina restaurant. The "Local Honey-Stung chicken" ($14.95 USD) is available in the same pre-pack (one skinny breast, a leg, a thigh and wing) in the frozen food bin at Riteway for $4.95 a bag, limp frozen chips not included. Really guys?
A great number of these establishments have a captive clientele - charter guests who want a cold beer, are will accept overpriced and underwhelming food with below par service - because its very likely they'll NEVER BE BACK - so as a server, I'm just mailing it in, I'm still getting my slice of the 15%. When service warrants it, I'm a damn good tipper - 20 - 25, even 30% if my socks have been blown off. Otherwise, a big bag of nope. Spare me the 'oh its how they make a living' discussion, it takes little if any effort to provide decent service to people and maybe, just maybe the word will get out about how great the food and service really are. If we continue to accept mediocre service, this will become the benchmark going forward. Need an example? Go see my buddy Ratty up at the Fat Virgin Cafe in Leverick Bay. Their roti is worth the trip on its own. He GETS it, and from what I understand, makes out pretty good with the tip jar. </rant> and thank you for your time.
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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: NCSailor]
#85912
02/11/2016 07:40 PM
02/11/2016 07:40 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 435 South Carolina
Riverfrontbrewer
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 435
South Carolina
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NCSailor said: Bad service in the West Indies is a learned behavior not part of the local charm. When you have a captive audience you don't have to try as hard. Go to the resorts in Mexico. The locals will bend over backward for you with a smile and they mean it. Except then you have to go to Mexico <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />
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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: Riverfrontbrewer]
#85913
02/11/2016 08:00 PM
02/11/2016 08:00 PM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 875 Redmond, WA
MrEZgoin
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 875
Redmond, WA
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IMO paying your staff is part of cost of doing business as a restaurant.
I can see the applicability of a "service charge" only in restaurants that do a lot of take out orders (and omit the charge on those).
I'm unlikely to tip additional in any restaurant that charges a "service charge".
I'm not a fan of junk fees in any business.
M4000 "Lio Kai"
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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: Cleobeach]
#85917
02/12/2016 06:08 PM
02/12/2016 06:08 PM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,049
StormJib
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,049
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Etiquette, custom, accepted practice, even expectation is you tip or calculate gratuity on the bottom line. That should extend to 10 dollar served lunch or $250,000 weekly private charter(cash is expected by the way handed to the captain). All that said you are really paying for service. If you politely order a $$$ even $$$$ bottle of wine with no consultation and no support or feedback from the wait staff, followed by unexplained delay of a road dust covered bottle, no corkscrew, or even the hint of the proper clean glasses elegantly place in the correct position. I might show my disappointment in a tip below even well below 20-25% of the total check. In my experience great bottles of wine come with exquisite almost impeccably non intrusive service. Starting with the joy in the way the bottle is ordered, produced, opened, and served to each guest who shows interest. Unless something is terribly wrong we expect to pay gratuities of 20-25 percent of the bottom line. Back to the original point. I hate the automatically added or hidden service premiums. I also understand different cultures and different experience levels of guests drive the need for the action taken by the business owners. More and more when we experience better service from one person we tip in cash directly to that server with cash we pack just for that purpose. We generally have one bank envelope with only 1's and 5's for gratuities. We hand that cash over in the way we would want a friend or family member rewarded if they had done the work to serve our group.
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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: StormJib]
#85923
02/13/2016 11:43 AM
02/13/2016 11:43 AM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 109 Bozeman / Minneapolis
snowdog
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 109
Bozeman / Minneapolis
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StormJib said: .... <stuff deleted>... Keep in mind in the US the minimum wage for servers is $2.13 an hour. Maybe $20 a shift. ....<stuff deleted>... Actually the amount a server is paid varies state to state. Only about 16 states abide by the Federal minimums. The remaining states have higher standards. In Minnesota, for example, servers receive the state minimum wage ($7.25-$9.00/hr) in addition to tips.
s/v Snow Dog - Leopard 46
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Re: Is the "service fee" the tip? Or not.......
[Re: sail2wind]
#85927
02/13/2016 07:43 PM
02/13/2016 07:43 PM
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999 Macon, Georgia
GlennA
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
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Legally in the BVI the management can't take more than 7.5% as an administrative fee. Even that however seems a bit on the high side especially when the minimum wage is $4/hr (soon to be $6/hr).
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. - Mark Twain
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