"I’m fluent in Portuguese, and when I arrived at the restaurant, I was asked if I had been there before, to which I responded yes. At the end of my meal, I was surprised to see an automatic 15% gratuity included on the bill for parties of four or more. Wait a minute—this is a self-serve buffet! I had to get my own plate, utensils, and food. The only thing they brought to our table was water and cleared away a few used plates.
On the night I dined there, I noticed several staff members just standing around. It was a weeknight during spring break, and the place was relatively empty, which should have raised a red flag. Let me be clear: I believe in tipping well and have worked in the restaurant industry myself. I usually leave around a 20% tip for good service. The key word here is 'service.' In this case, the level of service was minimal, and I found the automatic gratuity policy to be quite questionable, as it was neither voluntary nor adequately disclosed.
I dislike being surprised by extra charges that I was not informed about or didn't agree to. By the end of the meal, I told the staff in Portuguese that I’m an American familiar with how tipping works. I typically tip well—often more than the standard rate—and she smiled and mentioned that she could adjust the automatically added tip. Ironically, by adopting such a questionable practice, they limit their own potential earnings. Given the lack of real service, I doubt I will return, especially with so many other dining options available in Orlando.
My advice to the restaurant is to be transparent and honest with your customers, especially regulars. If gratuity is mandatory, make sure to communicate that clearly! This kind of practice is simply unprofessional."
