Service Charge at Bo Ky??

[iluvcookies]

I've been to Bo Ky (Bayard St location) dozens of times, though not often in the past year or so. DH and I decided to stop there today as he had a craving for the house special shrimp roll. It was delicious as always. When I received the check, there was an additional $2.25 added to the bottom of the bill. It wasn't the sodas as they were already listed, tax was also listed. So I ask the cashier what it is. She tell me it is a server charge "so you don't forget to tip the waiter".

Now I have lived in NYC all my life and have been going to Chinatown for over 20 years, though I am not of Asian descent. I calmly informed the cashier that I have been a patron of the resto many times over the past 10 years and never have I not tipped the staff. (In fact there is only ONE occasion where I have not tipped a server, it was not at Bo Ky, and boy was it a doozy!) She angrily removed the charge. Of course I left a tip for the server... he has worked there for as long as I can remember.

Having worked in the hospitality industry, I know that tourists do not always tip, as our tipping structure is not the norm in other countries and there are cultural differences. I'm not looking for a discussion on how much to tip, whether to tip, etc. I also don't expect to be remembered at a resto that I haven't gone to for over a year. What I would like to know is if anyone else has experienced this "service charge" at Bo Ky.

Mods... As this post is specific to a resto in Manhattan and the practices at this location, I'm asking that this be kept on the Manhattan board. Thanks.

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New Bo Ky
80 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

[Steve R]

No, but my guess is that it's a way for ownership to take the tip out of the waiter's hands. He may not get it this way. Wouldnt be the only place doing this.

[iluvcookies]

Or a way to get 2x the tip... this probably isn't enough to keep me from going back but I'm kind of sad that this happened. Thanks for the insight :)

[Cheeryvisage]

Agreed that Bo Ky isn't the only place that has this practice in NYC. Szechuan Gourmet (W 56th St location) had done the same to us (we were a party of 3). It was annoying and somewhat insulting.

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Szechuan Gourmet
244 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019

[Motosport]

I had Brunch @ Popover Cafe Saturday and noticed a little multi lingual slip in with the bill explaining that the custom is to tip the server 15-18%. I thought that was a great idea.
The foreign couple seated next to us read the notice and then stiffed the server. Go figure?
Then again, when I am in Southern Europe I tend to leave a small tip. Bad habit? Good habit? Whatever? No one complains about a few extra Euros.

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Popover Cafe
551 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

[uwsister]

That's a good idea @ Popover Cafe - though stiffers will most likely stiff anyway. Had a bunch of British women sitting next to us at Neptune in Boston, completely stiffed the server and actually didn't even pay the full tab (a few cents short, but still - no tip AND that?)

[Motosport]

Brits? Cheap? No way!! Are you sure they were not Scotts?
FYI: This is a joke. I don't want all of the lovely Brittish tourists boycotting NYC.

[The Chowhound Team]

Folks, the original poster has requested that this thread stay on the Manhattan board, so we, in turn, are requesting that you keep your focus on Bo Ky, and places in Manhattan where you've encountered service charges.

If you'd like to have a general discussion about tipping practices around the world, or mandatory service charges added to bills, please start a thread on Not About Food. Thanks!

[iluvcookies]

So DH really really wanted the spring rolls again so we went back today. No extra service charge appeared on the bill.

[Lau]

hmm that is really weird, ive eaten there quite a bit and that's never happened to me. i'd be annoyed by that too