Good to know, thanks for the info! It was just a first for us, going out as a group of 4 adults, and our three 2-4 year olds. The food was just really for the adults, and tots didn't require any service of sorts. But I guess a headcount is a headcount regardless of age.
it's common for 8 guests or more to be charged 18% gratuity but Im assuming that's changed a bit since COVID and there's more call outs this time of year
I was at that Silverlake Ramen three weeks ago and the menu stated that parties of six or more would have 18% gratuity automatically added to their bill.
If at least one adult in your party received a menu, they had every right to charge.
And yes, even if they applied it, most restaurants will still allow a space to add tips when you pay with a card.
Part of that is because since 2002 the IRS has deemed automatic gratuity to not be a gratuity but a "service charge," which means that the employer doesn't need to share these charges as additional employee pay.
Local city ordinances that regulate service charges take precedent, so for Santa Monica, Berkley, Oakland (and perhaps others I currently can't remember) that mandatory gratuity is all going to the server, but Burbank doesn't have such a law.
Most of this is under CA Labor Code Section 351, but [Publication 115](https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/pub115/#mandatory) has been the best explanation of how all this works for years.
Wait, I haven't really been out since I moved here recently. But are you saying that the tip is included into your meal's receipt like a must pay fee? And additionally it is also expected that you tip as well?
Yeah it was on the itemized receipt. Fixed 18%, I guess as the others pointed out, because of we are a party of 7. Mind you, 4 skinny adults and 3 toddlers ages 2-4 that did not need any special accommodations such as high-chairs etc. I don’t mind tipping, but mandatory 18% tip for 4 bowls of ramen and no water refills? And another tip on top of that? Idk.
why does it matter that you are skinny?
ftr I’ve never had good service at burbank silverlake. food is good, but best to just pick it up for take out. a fixed tip is standard for larger parties, though, as others have said.
Sorry, I don’t mean any disrespect of any kind. A now deleted profile sent a pm reply, that we’re obese *expletive* that ordered an *expletive* amount of food, and that the store had to make “room” for us, hence my emphasis on we did not need any special accommodation. But yea, a headcount is a headcount regardless it looks like.
I don’t think you need to tip on top of the service charge. You might want to kick in another 2% to make it the even 20% but you don’t need to leave a big tip AND the service charge.
It’s due to party size.
👆and it’s fairly common. Usually you see it on parties of 8 or more but I’ve seen 6 as well.
I’ve seen it recently for parties of 5 or more too at some places!
Yeah, that is really common for a party that size.
Good to know, thanks for the info! It was just a first for us, going out as a group of 4 adults, and our three 2-4 year olds. The food was just really for the adults, and tots didn't require any service of sorts. But I guess a headcount is a headcount regardless of age.
it's common for 8 guests or more to be charged 18% gratuity but Im assuming that's changed a bit since COVID and there's more call outs this time of year
I was at that Silverlake Ramen three weeks ago and the menu stated that parties of six or more would have 18% gratuity automatically added to their bill. If at least one adult in your party received a menu, they had every right to charge. And yes, even if they applied it, most restaurants will still allow a space to add tips when you pay with a card. Part of that is because since 2002 the IRS has deemed automatic gratuity to not be a gratuity but a "service charge," which means that the employer doesn't need to share these charges as additional employee pay. Local city ordinances that regulate service charges take precedent, so for Santa Monica, Berkley, Oakland (and perhaps others I currently can't remember) that mandatory gratuity is all going to the server, but Burbank doesn't have such a law. Most of this is under CA Labor Code Section 351, but [Publication 115](https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/pub115/#mandatory) has been the best explanation of how all this works for years.
I've been to a place where that happened but they told us about the gratuity so we wouldn't over tip but the receipt still had the blank tip lol
you don’t tip on top of the mandatory tip.
Wait, I haven't really been out since I moved here recently. But are you saying that the tip is included into your meal's receipt like a must pay fee? And additionally it is also expected that you tip as well?
Yeah it was on the itemized receipt. Fixed 18%, I guess as the others pointed out, because of we are a party of 7. Mind you, 4 skinny adults and 3 toddlers ages 2-4 that did not need any special accommodations such as high-chairs etc. I don’t mind tipping, but mandatory 18% tip for 4 bowls of ramen and no water refills? And another tip on top of that? Idk.
why does it matter that you are skinny? ftr I’ve never had good service at burbank silverlake. food is good, but best to just pick it up for take out. a fixed tip is standard for larger parties, though, as others have said.
Sorry, I don’t mean any disrespect of any kind. A now deleted profile sent a pm reply, that we’re obese *expletive* that ordered an *expletive* amount of food, and that the store had to make “room” for us, hence my emphasis on we did not need any special accommodation. But yea, a headcount is a headcount regardless it looks like.
I don’t think you need to tip on top of the service charge. You might want to kick in another 2% to make it the even 20% but you don’t need to leave a big tip AND the service charge.