Despite strict norms by the govt, service charge still levied at many restaurants.
Pune: Service charges continue to remain a concern for thousands of food enthusiasts in the city, who are forced to pay extra by restaurants despite the knowledge that payment of such charges is at the discretion of the customers. Numerous restaurants from across the city have made it mandatory to pay service charges thus burning a hole in the consumers’ pockets.
Puneites often take to the social media to voice their grievances to seek answers on whether it is legally allowed for restaurants to force service charges on customers. Many have even shared incidents of staff members from reputed restaurants in the city being rude to customers if the issue of the service charge is raked up. Many have even complained that restaurants charge the service charge over the taxed amount which makes it an, even more, costlier affair.
Union Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs, Ram Vilas Paswan had earlier this year clarified that according to a set of guidelines issued by the ministry, restaurants cannot force customers to pay service charge and it is the right of the customer to decide whether or not to pay service charge or even how much to pay.
Despite the guidelines, thousands of restaurants across the country continue to flout the law and force service charges onto the customer.
Speaking to Sakal Times, a food enthusiast from the city, Geetanjali Pitaliya said, “It is unfair to the customers if restaurant staffers tell us that service charge is mandatory as soon as we take the seat in a restaurant. If we like the service, we anyway do leave a hefty tip but what if we do not like the food or service at a particular place?” she asked.
Pitaliya further said that she has faced incidents in the past wherein restaurant staff and managers get on the defensive when questioned about service charge. “They get on the defensive and are extremely rude while interacting with the customers. When the law states that service charge is voluntary, how can they force us to pay?” she questioned.
According to her, people are spending their hard earned money to eat out and restaurants are taking undue advantage of their patrons. “Firstly, if we go to a restaurant we expect service, it is their job to provide services to us for which we are already paying. It’s not like they are doing a favour by serving us, we are paying for it. Are the restaurants not paying their staff members for providing service to us? It is absolutely wrong to impose service charges on customers as a mandate,” she said.
Speaking to Sakal Times, President of Pune Restaurants and Hoteliers Association (PRAHA), Ganesh Shetty said, “We have already sent a notification to all our member restaurants to not force customers to pay the service charge. We have told them that customers will pay if they want to. Many restaurants have taken heed of the same but many restaurants have not. Such matters have already gone to court and the decision is still awaited. On our part, we have already instructed our members to refrain from imposing these charges on customers.”
People are spending hard earned money to eat out and restaurants are taking undue advantage of patrons.
Can lodge a plaint
What can a customer do if forced to pay service charge?
- If consumers are forced to pay service charges, the customer can register a complaint against the restaurant with the District Consumer Court located on Satara Road.
