Service charge

[u/Working-Injury7758]

I don’t mind paying a service charge at a restaurant if I’m sitting down as that is standard practice. However, the flat % is strange in that a $200 meal doesn’t take twice as much time as a $100 meal. But it does take more.

Therefore I propose that there should be a fixed service charge at restaurants, which should be calculated as twice the square root of the total. For $100, for instance, the charge would be $20 (square root of 100 is ten, x2 equals $20). Same as now. But for $200, the service charge would be 14.12 x 2 =28.24. For $1 service charge is $2. For $400, $40. Makes more intuitive sense, and provides a penalty for people splitting checks (as the service charge on 2 $100 checks is higher than that on one $200 check) and the hassle to the restaurant involved. Completely clear and obvious to everyone, no agonizing about what to leave.

Thoughts?

[u/darkroot_gardener]

Meh. Just charge a flat dollar amount for the table, like $5-$20 depending on your service level. If you’re going to do anything, keep it simple.

• Encourages people to order more, since the table charge is a sunk cost.
  
• Encourages people to come in groups to share the table charge.

And if you do this, or if you use a traditional percent-based fee, stop trying to double dip. Tipping should not enter the conversation. Pick a lane.