"The main issue, though, was the automatic 18% service charge added to the bill, calculated after tax. When I inquired about this, the waitress simply confirmed it and dismissed our question with a giggle. While she was friendly, this response didn’t address our concern.
While this was unexpected, we are unlikely to return, as there are many other great restaurants in the area that don’t automatically add an 18% tip. Usually, tipping is left to the discretion of the customer, right? In fact, I believe the expectation of tipping should be reconsidered altogether. The price of food should cover service costs. After all, do we tip workers who retrieve shopping carts or technicians who repair our cars? Are we tipping just because servers bring our food to the table promptly? Isn’t serving customers the primary function of restaurants? Or are we tipping because restaurant owners don’t pay their employees fair wages?
I’d rate the food four stars but only three stars for the automatic tip and for calculating it after tax."
