Service charge really should be part of the bill.
It should, but it is not, and everyone knows it is not. Stiffing a waitress is theft.
Hell no! The worst service I’ve ever gotten was at a place where they included an 18% gratuity due to the size of the group (about 14).
When the gratuity is included, people often get lazy.
I’m happy to reward great service, or even good service. Don’t charge me extra for lousy service!
>> The worst service I’ve ever gotten was at a place where they included an 18% gratuity
Bingo! When I was a kid, trips to the Bahamas used to be great. After independence, they instituted a mandatory 15% tip and the service went to hell.
There’s a reason to have the tip be separate from the bill - all but the dimmest of waitstaff finally figure out that they work for the customer, not the restaurant.
I love giving >20% tips, but I’ll stiff ‘em in a New York minute if the service is bad.