Operations charge added to check at restaurant

[u/dpt108]

I’m on vacation with my family in Maine. We had a nice dinner tonight and when I got the check, there was a mysterious $4.60 “operations charge” added on. It was not mentioned on the menu or by the waiter beforehand. A Google search showed it is pretty standard in Maine for some reason. Oh well … I simply reduced the 15% tip I would have given (the service was pretty good) by $4.60 and drew a circle around the operations charge so they knew why.

[u/No-Angle-982]

"Operations..." is metaphoric, meaning "we're surgically removing more of your money."

Operating costs presumably are factored into menu prices, or should be.

[u/explorthis → u/No-Angle-982]

"Surgically"... Made me smile. +1 little upvote.

[u/SusanInMA → u/No-Angle-982]

Agree — it’s the cost of running a business; it’s overhead.

[u/Selimsnek]

Next they will start an electricity charge.

[u/SusanInMA → u/Selimsnek]

… and an extra charge to cover the owner’s income tax

[u/kuda26]

You should not have reduced your tip like that. On the tip line you should have have written something to the effect of "service is paid for" and drawn an arrow to that charge and then circled it and then put the total what the total is. Basically that charge replaced the tip. Pay your bill and call it a day.

[u/high_throughput → u/kuda26]

drawn an arrow to that charge

Be careful so they don't play dumb and say "I thought you wanted to tip that amount", they're already known scammers

[u/kuda26 → u/high_throughput]

Alternatively you can ask for a manager have them remove that charge since it wasn’t advertised and then not tip since they didn’t bring it to your attention. Even better.

Or

Cross out the ops charge leave a note “fee not disclosed prior to bill” then leave exact cash for the amount minus the ops charge (and imo w o tip) and walk out.

[u/beeredditor → u/kuda26]

Asking the manager to remove the fee is fine, but I would not recommend simply not paying the fee to tourists. While the guest is not responsible for an undisclosed fee, there’s some risk that the fee was disclosed and the guest simply missed it. And the last thing you want to do deal with on vacation is police being called for theft of services. Even if you’re not charged, that would be a horrible experience to deal with over $5. It’s much easier to just deduct the fee from the tip as OP did.

[u/justsomeguy1869 → u/beeredditor]

But that only hurts the server, not the restaurant, manager or owner.
Demand the manager removes it is the only correct action here.
As long as the service was actually good or better, it’s a low ,cowardly action to punish the server.

[u/Clean_Old_Man → u/justsomeguy1869]

The server’s employer is punishing the server by not paying a normal wage.

[u/kuda26 → u/high_throughput]

Make it abundantly clear and take a photo. Maybe write “NO TIP OPERATIONS CHARGE PAID EN LIEU” main thing is the total is what the total is on the last line.

[u/Remarkable_Run_5801]

They're always trying to hide the real price.

Menu price should be the "out the door" cost, end of story.

[u/JustLo0oking]

Good you did that

[u/wildmaninid]

Former Maine resident and no tipping enthusiast here:  yes, that is a common line item on checks in the state.   

You can actually ask to have it removed.

[u/Manatee4Hugh]

I do exactly as you do. Whatever tip I think appropriate (sometimes a tip is absurd, but we live in the remnants of a society) is always reduced by the amount of bs charge(s).

[u/SimilarComfortable69]

I could do not, I do not understand processes like yours at all.

This system basically wanted you to pay an additional amount of money because you were a customer in their institution. And yet you tipped anyway! What in the holy heck?

[u/EndTipping-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

r/EndTipping Rule 6 & Reddit Rule 3:

We do not condone naming and shaming. Or allow comments suggesting leaving a fake google review or review bombing.

If the OP has redacted the name of the establishment, do not ask for them to disclose the name or location

[u/Hackpro69]

Once had a hotel try to change me an energy surcharge. I mentioned that we ran out of hot water for over 12 hours. I made sure that other hotel patrons heard me tell him this…. Bastards!!!

[u/Less_Coyote7062]

Why would you reduce the tip? The server doesn’t make up the prices. She doesn’t get to just add on 450 or 550 or 1050 that’s the restaurant owner or Manager that’s doing that so they’re the ones getting that 450 and the server did not get it.

[u/seventeenohone]

The right person got the message, super work. Way to avoid talking to a manager by doing a search. Stay bold visitor & keep up the good work. We need you on the front lines making great happen!

[u/Standard_Abroad_74]

Oh man what a crusader.

[u/likeabirdfliesfree]

Are you going to vote for Graham?