John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not have much time. When a customer goes into a restaurant or similar and sees that there is a service charge, he or she, rightly, assumes that it will go directly to the staff who look after the customer, including back-room staff such as chefs. Why is the service charge not included in the overall cost? Why is it not built in such that the consumer can see it? Essentially, it is a hidden charge or a top-up. Why is it not included in the menu price in the first place?