I had dinner in a restaurant this week. It included, as is becoming more common, a restaurant service charge of 12.5%. I asked the waitress how much of this she got. Apparently half goes to the restaurant and half is shared between all the serving staff.



For me this is a disgrace. When I tip I want it to go to the waiting staff, not the restaurant. If they want to add to their profits, they can increase their charges, then it's transparent and we can decide how much to pay.



Legally you can't be made to pay a service charge, so do what I did. Don't put it as part of the bill. Tip that same amount in cash to the waitress. This is a growing blight. And if it isn't bad enough, restaurants that include service often add a voluntary tip box on the receipt - to make us pay more.

Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert.

Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.

Don't miss out on urgent MoneySaving, get my weekly e-mail at www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips. Debt-Free Wannabee Official Nerd Club: (Honorary) Members number 000 Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.