Bengaluru: The recent ruling on service charge at restaurants has only added to the existing confusion. The absence of a law defining the terms and condition of this charge, had allowed hotels and restaurants abuse it, but the new diktat which makes customer decide on it, will only lead to verbal and physical violence between the two, many feel.

“Restaurants would even levy it on takeaways, that was the level of abuse,” says Rishi Mittal, a foodie.

Refuting this line of thought, Cafe Owner Anu Singh says, “it is sad that people think they can just pay the waiter, if they are happy with his service, not taking in to account the ones that are working behind the scene. You can’t deny the people who work to make your eating out an experience. Service charge is applicable all over the world, but in different names.”

Similarly Yash Jaiswal of Rainforest restro-bar says, “Our menu clearly states the service charge levied and we have been trying to make fine dining an experience worth savoring. So any requests to waive off the service charge would only give rise to unnecessary disputes and defamation.”

Adding to the same line of thought, Soubhik Palit, a restaurateur who is a manager of a very popular eating joint in the city says, “In foreign countries there is a gratuity that you pay in a restaurant. Though, we aren’t perturbed with this, as we believe that if we serve people well, and therefore people would be happy to pay for our service.”
Showing displeasure on the ambiguity of it all, Saikat Maity says, “Service charge is an extra earning for the staff, and it is on discretion of the customer. Though we aren’t worried at Hotel Hindustan International since we don’t have service charge.”

“It is important to specify the service charge on the menu and it shouldn’t come as a surprise,” he concludes.