pennyaline wrote:
> "Gregory Morrow" wrote:
>
>>The Waitress Isn't Kidding When She Tells You to Leave a Tip
>
>
> <flabbergasted snip>
>
> Are they for real? Mandatory gratuity?!?!?!
>
> If this ever so thoughtful restaurant owner is so concerned about the
> well-being of his waitresses, why doesn't he just pay them better instead of
> alienating customers on his staff's behalf? What a maroon!
>
> I hope future customers refuse to pay, litigate the overcharge and win.
>
>
In most European countries, a service charge is added to the bill and
has to be paid. It is part of the bill. If a guest is especially
satisfied with the service, he/she will leave a small "extra" for the
wait person, but can only complain to the owner or manager, but cannot
stiff the staff, if he/she is dissatisfied..

I don't know about now, but when I was last in Europe, in the summer
of 1965, in Austria there was a charge for each roll or slice of bread
you and your party consumed. The wait person knew how much there was
in the basket and counted what was left over. I don't remember how it
was in Switzerland, Italy and Germany, the other countries we visited.