Sydney Italian restaurant Grana has caused controversy online after a diner shared a picture of their bill to Reddit, showing that the restaurant had charged an automatic 3 per cent ‘gratuity’ on their bill.
The move has sparked backlash, with many asking why the restaurant couldn’t just raise prices by 3 per cent if it needed extra cash, rather than annoying customers with a made up ‘fee’.
“If 3 per cent applies to all orders, just raise prices by 3 per cent,” one user commented.
“Considering how much this sh** pisses Aussies off, I’m surprised they would do this over such a small amount.”
But a spokesperson for Grana’s owners, hospitality group House Made Hospitality, told news.com.au that the gratuity was entirely optional.
“The optional three per cent surcharge at Grana, communicated at multiple stages during the booking process and again verbally when the bill is presented, is designed to reward our team for their dedication and hard work,” she said.
In addition to the gratuity, the Grana menu lists a 10 per cent surcharge on Sundays and a 15 per cent surcharge on public holidays. A 10 per cent service charge replaces the 3 per cent gratuity for groups of eight or more.
Have you encountered tacked on fees like this? How does it make you feel about the business?
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