Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Nonetheless, if I pay for a group of six people and leave a 15% service charge in cash, the employer seems happy to absorb that 15% into the system. There seems to be a slight contradiction between the two testimonies. Mr. Fenn spoke about being clear to the customer, whereas Mr. Cummins made a plea for the notice to be kept separate so the menu is not overburdened with information. In fact, he suggested wording on the menu telling customers to check a public notice for more information on how tips, gratuities and service charges are handled in the business in question. That wording seems quite long. It should be possible to simply provide the information in that many words. Would that mean that if customers wonder if their money will go to the staff they will all parade across the restaurant to look at a notice in the corner? The definition of service charge that has been put forward is startling and very different from the common understanding of a service charge. Does Mr. Cummins believe it would be appropriate for a note to be added every time a service charge is mentioned, clarifying that it is not a tip or a gratuity and will not necessarily go to the person who served the meal? I refer to restaurants where this is the case. Some restaurants may take a different approach.