Service Charges in Manila Area

[Falcon Cara 378]

When did this new scam start up?

 

Seems as if "Some" restaurants in the area like in the malls charge it and some don't.   And of course other "establishments" like KTV bars are trying to charge this scam as well.

 

I have had 3 places put it on my bill, I told them I wouldn't pay it and they finally removed it.  

 

 

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

6 minutes ago, Falcon Cara said:

When did this new scam start up?

 

Seems as if "Some" restaurants in the area like in the malls charge it and some don't.   And of course other "establishments" like KTV bars are trying to charge this scam as well.

 

I have had 3 places put it on my bill, I told them I wouldn't pay it and they finally removed it.  

 

 

Service charge for what, when you asked then about it what did they say?

[Falcon Cara 378]

11 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Service charge for what, when you asked then about it what did they say?

Seems to be all over the place, had breakfast next to my hotel they bring bill and add about 200 peso for a 600 peso breakfast. I walked out and didn't pay for 2 days they kept contacting my hotel for me to pay, I finally paid with service charge removed.

 

Went to TGIF which is a American Based Company and they charged 10% of total bill.

 

Went to a KTV club around 1am and they had 500 peso all you can drink, they tried to charge me extra 200 peso SC, I only had 2 San Mig Lights since I had already been out partying

 

Now I go to other restuarants and or nightclubs and they don't have this on the bill, Now I have to ask them do you have Service Charge before I enter, since they only spring it on you on the final bill.

 

They don't have a standard answer about it, TGIF said it was automatically added onto the bill, others don't know why it is on the bill.  

Edited May 11, 2019 by Falcon Cara

[Scandi 3,970]

And how is this US immigration related?

[confusedshoes 193]

45 minutes ago, Falcon Cara said:

When did this new scam start up?

 

Seems as if "Some" restaurants in the area like in the malls charge it and some don't.   And of course other "establishments" like KTV bars are trying to charge this scam as well.

 

 

It's not a scam. What's a service charge? Read: https://fnbreport.ph/features/the-lowdown-on-service-charge-dominiqueg-20190116/

 

It is true some restaurants have it and some don't. It's been around for a while, this isn't new or uncommon. Stop misusing the word scam. Usually the menus and price lists say how much their service charge is. The only problem for me is that the law currently doesn't have a cap on how much service charge they can charge. It's usually 10%-15% from what I've encountered, though.

 

51 minutes ago, Falcon Cara said:

 

I have had 3 places put it on my bill, I told them I wouldn't pay it and they finally removed it.  

 

I feel bad for those places you ate at and then refused to pay their service charge in the end. If they had served you, waited on you at their place of business, if they had it written on their menus/price lists, if it wasn't a take away order and with the low prices and wages in the Philippines, I can't believe you can deny them that! I hope you weren't mean about it. Next time ask how much service charge is before sitting down. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

19 minutes ago, Scandi said:

And how is this US immigration related?

It isn't but it is Philippines related thus it is in the Philippines subforum.

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

11 minutes ago, confusedshoes said:

It's not a scam. What's a service charge? Read: https://fnbreport.ph/features/the-lowdown-on-service-charge-dominiqueg-20190116/

 

It is true some restaurants have it and some don't. It's been around for a while, this isn't new or uncommon. Stop misusing the word scam. Usually the menus and price lists say how much their service charge is. The only problem for me is that the law currently doesn't have a cap on how much service charge they can charge. It's usually 10%-15% from what I've encountered, though.

 

I feel bad for those places you ate at and then refused to pay their service charge in the end. If they had served you, waited on you at their place of business, if they had it written on their menus/price lists, if it wasn't a take away order and with the low prices and wages in the Philippines, I can't believe you can deny them that! I hope you weren't mean about it. Next time ask how much service charge is before sitting down. 

Before I did what the OP did I would first question what the service charge is for and what it goes towards. If I feel that it is going to just line the pockets of the establishment then I wouldn't pay it either. If it was for the workers then i might pay it the first time then not go there again. 

 

It's not my job to supplement a employee's salary and the employer's bottom line at all by directly taking money from the check for the employee. 

[confusedshoes 193]

1 minute ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Before I did what the OP did I would first question what the service charge is for and what it goes towards. If I feel that it is going to just line the pockets of the establishment then I wouldn't pay it either. If it was for the workers then i might pay it the first time then not go there again. 

 

It's not my job to supplement a employee's salary and the employer's bottom line at all by directly taking money from the check for the employee. 

 Do you tip waiters in the US? Because that's exactly what those tips are. Supplementing wages. If waiters only got the hourly they wold not survive. I know tipping is optional, but there are many things that are common etiquette, The Philippines mirrors much of what happens here, so I don't find it strange for a TGIF to do so.  

 

[Loren Y 2,732]

Isn't the current exchange rate like 50 pesos to 1 US dollar. Who cares, I know when I'm in the Philippines I'm blowing money like T-Pain and Drake. I blow money like it's my job. I probably wouldn't notice an extra 10-20 percent. I will watch from now on though. I will be there in November. I haven't noticed it yet, but the bars and restaurants I frequent aren't in the mall that's for sure.

[confusedshoes 193]

2 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

Isn't the current exchange rate like 50 pesos to 1 US dollar. Who cares, I know when I'm in the Philippines I'm blowing money like T-Pain and Drake. I blow money like it's my job. I probably wouldn't notice an extra 10-20 percent. I will watch from now on though. I will be there in November. I haven't noticed it yet, but the bars and restaurants I frequent aren't in the mall that's for sure.

I'm starting to wonder if its like the people at Walmart arguing over a few cents when something was mistakenly put in the bargain pile.

This comes to mind:

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

16 minutes ago, confusedshoes said:

 Do you tip waiters in the US? Because that's exactly what those tips are. Supplementing wages. If waiters only got the hourly they wold not survive. I know tipping is optional, but there are many things that are common etiquette, The Philippines mirrors much of what happens here, so I don't find it strange for a TGIF to do so.  

 

Oh I generally good here in the USA. I routinely do about 18-20% for a tip depending on the service. That's why I said that I would ask what the service charge is for before I made my decision on either to frequent the establishment or not. We all know the wages in the Philippines are abysmal at best. So if that service charge is used to help give the employees extra then that's fine by me. But if they aren't paid for squat and the service charge doesn't go to them then no I won't be happy about paying it. 

 

 

[confusedshoes 193]

5 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Oh I generally good here in the USA. I routinely do about 18-20% for a tip depending on the service. That's why I said that I would ask what the service charge is for before I made my decision on either to frequent the establishment or not. We all know the wages in the Philippines are abysmal at best. So if that service charge is used to help give the employees extra then that's fine by me. But if they aren't paid for squat and the service charge doesn't go to them then no I won't be happy about paying it. 

 

 

According to the law (bill 1299) 85% used to go to the Employees, 15% to management to cover unforeseen losses, like plates breaking. They recently changed it again though, It now is 100% for the employees.  

Edited May 12, 2019 by confusedshoes

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

37 minutes ago, confusedshoes said:

I'm starting to wonder if its like the people at Walmart arguing over a few cents when something was mistakenly put in the bargain pile.

This comes to mind:
 

42 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

Isn't the current exchange rate like 50 pesos to 1 US dollar. Who cares, I know when I'm in the Philippines I'm blowing money like T-Pain and Drake. I blow money like it's my job. I probably wouldn't notice an extra 10-20 percent. I will watch from now on though. I will be there in November. I haven't noticed it yet, but the bars and restaurants I frequent aren't in the mall that's for sure.

 

Sorry but a 200pho surcharge is quite a bit of money outside of the NCR. I spend almost all my time when I am in Pinas either in Davao or out in the provinces of Mindanao. There 200 pesos is actually quite a bit of money and can feed me and my wife for a night. 

 

I am not some cheap guy and have no problem spending money when I want to. I just hate how nobody questions anything in the Philippines and just submits to authority. If a place here in the USA has a surcharge to supplement the wages on top of a tip then no I won't be going back to that place. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

4 minutes ago, confusedshoes said:

According to the law (bill 1299) 85% used to go to the Employees, 15% to management to cover unforeseen losses, like plates breaking. They recently changed it again though, It now is 100% for the employees.  

See that is what kisses me off because you impending well that money doesn't go to the employees. The COL is rising so much in the Philippines and the wages haven't caught up with it at all. You have people in the Provinces sometimes making 5k pesos a.month working full time a lot the while COL is crazy.

[payxibka 10,044]

1 hour ago, Scandi said:

And how is this US immigration related?

Chill.  It's in the regional forum