In a well appreciated move by the government, if a customer eating out is not satisfied with the service, then the customer can refuse to pay the service tax that’s automatically tacked on to your bill by most restaurants.

The government has clarified that the service charge -which ranges from 5% to 20% and is added to bills instead of tips – cannot be mandatorily applied by restaurants.

The Department of Consumer Affairs said the automatic applying of a service fee violates fair trade practices.

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The Hotel Association of India has confirmed that “the service charge is completely discretionary and should a customer be dissatisfied with the dining experience he/she can have it waived off. Therefore, it is deemed to be accepted voluntarily” according to a statement by the government.

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Here’s the full statement: