[T-Bird45]

In EU, the service charge is not on the bill, it's IN the bill, as in rolled into the overall cost. That's the way it was explained to me when I was in the US military in West Germany, 1978-81. Example: your bill at the Gasthaus was 45DM so you would pull out 50DM, the waiter would bring back 5DM and you would say "Stimmtso" indicating that he should keep it as a tip on top of what he was already paid very well for. Waiting tables was coveted job and considered a valid vocation, not just for starving students and aspiring actresses.

[EDINVA]

OK, on/in .. the 5DM would be the ‘gratuity’ beyond the tip built into the bill. It’s just a different way of doing things there than it is here.

The US also has professional waiters, generally found only in the more expensive restaurants that hire only really well trained, experienced waiters, and they are quite respected. Never served myself but one son has on and off over the years. Waiters work their way up to the white table cloth (expensive) restaurants after years in the chains and/or smaller restaurants. The money they make is pretty respectable.