toastED

[KalamityKel]

Foxhelp Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Oh my god, a service charge on breakfast. I

> certainly will not be visiting. That is totally

> ridiculous even for East Dulwich, thanks for the

> warning.

Erm... not sure if the comment has sarcastic intentions?

Anywho, if you don't want to pay a service charge you're quite within your rights to ask to take it off so no reason to not go to an establishment just based on that!

[Jeremy]

I'd usually leave a tip in a cafe anyway, so the service charge wouldn't be an issue for me.

[Lilly Potes]

Usually the charges you put to people end up without any Money so they have to find other jobs to be able to afford

No wonder why some are broken

[Foxhelp]

Kel, no it wasn't sarcasm it was shock as we were just about to go. A service charge on breakfast is a rip off and nothing like leaving a tip as Jeremy says. The very fact they do this is arrogant and its put me off.

[KalamityKel]

Many of the local establishments add on service charge to the bill.

Noticed it on the bill in Le Chardon only yesterday...*shrugs*

[maria]

Went the other evening and very busy and the staff couldn't cope. Had to wait 40 mins to get served and a further 30 minutes until our food arrived. When it did come we had to ask three times for some bread and wait a further 15 minutes!!

Whilst the food was interesting it wasn't worth the wait and I think it comes into the 'trying too hard' category personally. Even the free glass of wine, as they did acknowledge we had been awaiting, didnt make up for it. Sorry I wont be back in a hurry or at all. What a shame as had potential.

[maria]

ElmGrove Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Maria,

> What did you have to eat Maria?

>

> I have had a couple of snacks in there, at

> different times, cheese, coffee and soup, but it

> wasn't at a busy time thankfully.

>

> Re service charges, I don't think they should be

> added as I would prefer to tip the server

> directly. I wonder if the management takes the

> service charge here and uses it to top up wages.

Taramasolata with beef strips, raw veal with peas and soft egg, haddock with quinoa and a foam sauce plus something else I have forgotten!

[ennevive]

Had dinner there on Saturday. It has a very nice atmosphere and the staff are very friendly. Wine is good with plenty of choice and reasonably priced options. Menu reads like a list of ingredients. Food was tasty although felt the steak dish lacked cohesion. Home made bread was delicious. The deserts are by far their weakest point. A nice collection of flavours but I object to paying ?6 for a plate of custard containing 4 cubes of peach and 3 slivers of prune. I'd definitely go back for a glass of wine at the bar with some plates to share but wouldn't rush back for a 3 course meal.

[Whoop]

I had dinner there last Thursday and it was amazing. It was really busy but the service was impeccable. The food was delightful and the house wine was excellent. Yes a discretionary service charge was added to the bill but so what, it was well deserved. If it hadn?t been I would simply have asked for it to be removed.

[tallulah71]

I agree with you whoop plus too many people under tip. If you're not happy, take the charge off. I was very happy! :)

[Cora]

I think tipping should be something you feel good choosing to do not something you should have to ask to be removed because you're not happy.....completely different emphasis.

[Jeremy]

But in the UK it's pretty much standard for service charge to be added automatically. Maybe not in a cafe/pub/curry house, but most "proper" restaurants. I can understand why people don't like the system, but it's far from specific to this place...

[Foxhelp]

Please could you tell us which of the restaurants in East Dulwich add a service charge?

[Jeremy]

I don't keep notes on these things FFS! But I suspect Palmertson, Franklins, Crooked Well, Angels & Gypsies... generally anywhere that's a bit more formal/upmarket. Like I say, it's standard.

[El Pibe]

Yep, all of the above, I'm surprised this is an issue, it's been the norm for a decade or so.

[Foxhelp]

Well you have an opinion on absolutely everything Jeremy so I am sure you do keep notes

[Jeremy]

For woodrot:

 

[*Bob*]

When you go to a restaurant for dinner, you go in, sit down, order some food and drink and then a percentage of the amount you spent is added to your bill.

HOWEVER when you go to the same restaurant for BREAKFAST, you go in, sit down, order some food and drink and then a percentage of the amount you spent is added to your bill.

Clearly the two are completely different.

And I would like to request that 12.5% of Jeremy's opinions are taken off the forum.

[Penguin68]

Clearly the two are completely different.

With respect - at dinner that 12.5% is going on to the (sometimes inflated) costs of drinks - most effort on which is spent drawing a cork, or even just unscrewing a cap, whereas at breakfast you might be getting freshly brewed coffee or tea and freshly squeezed juice, both of which require more effort (and very possibly more washing up) so the amount of service you get at breakfast is actually probably more (as a %age of the overall bill) than at dinner.

[El Pibe]

Am I going potty?

Surely the amount of service as a percentatge of the overall bill is 12.5% regardless of whether it's ?1 or ?600.

What you mean is at breakfast you're paying a lower absolute figure for your service than at dinner, non?

[*Bob*]

Great to see some detailed thinking on this one, Penguin.

Ultimately, it's 'they bring you stuff' vs 'they bring you stuff'.

Unless somehow the way they bring you stuff in the morning differs from the evening, what's the beef?

I mean if they danced the food in with a troupe of belly dancers after 11am, but simply skidded the plates across the floor in the rough direction of your table before that time, then maybe..

[El Pibe]

Oh, and what bob said, I did write something similar then lost the will to live and presed cancel rather than post.

[El Pibe]

Oh, they doooo more.

Sort of joules expended per pence?

Really?

[StraferJack]

I thought Penguin was being light-hearted inasmuch as you have someone (with a fox in the name.. who knew?) saying they understand service included at evening time but not at breakfast

Then *bob* makes reasonable point that it's the same thing

so then pengun basically said "ah but if you ARE going to have different service - not that sane people would - but if you ARE then breakfast involves more work/service charge"

I don't think they seriously expect to see a higher charge for breakfast

[*Bob*]

What if it's an all-day breakfast? Will the belly-dancing charge still be added automatically?