Pho-gedaboutit! Vietnamese Restaurant Sparks Outrage with Automatic Service Charge
A Vietnamese restaurant in California is facing major backlash after a customer exposed a receipt that included an unexpected 18% service charge “for parties of one or larger.” The incident, shared on Reddit’s “mildly infuriating” thread by the patron named TRTL2k, has sparked a heated debate on tipping etiquette.
The receipt, from Pho Ha Noi in Cupertino, reveals a subtotal of $49.50. However, due to the service charge ($8.91) and sales tax ($4.52), the final amount adds up to an exasperating $62.93.
Despite attempts to contact Pho Ha Noi for comment, they have remained silent on the matter.
Reddit users have expressed their discontent with this protocol, especially in light of recent criticism of similar practices, such as “guilt tipping” on tablet screens. “That’s the tip as far as I’m concerned,” wrote one user.
Several patrons took to Reddit to voice their frustration. “F–k that then. Just another place I wouldn’t bother eating out at,” stated one user. Another added, “No better way of saying ‘we definitely do not pay our workers enough’.”
This incident reflects a growing trend in which eateries introduce additional charges, such as “wellness fees,” “kitchen appreciation fees,” or “living wage charges,” which supposedly benefit the restaurant staff.
Even upscale establishments are not immune to this scrutiny. Anna Nikkinen, a customer at trendy Italian eatery Mother Wolf in Los Angeles, was shocked to find a $15 fee on her bill. She expressed her bewilderment, stating, “It’s just kind of crazy because it’s not like the food and drinks are cheaper—and we’re still paying for employees’ benefits.”
Many Reddit users questioned why restaurants don’t opt to raise their prices instead of implementing such charges, especially considering the challenges they have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Romain Turpault, owner of Union League Cafe in New Haven, Connecticut, defended the practice of adding a 4% kitchen appreciation fee, stating, “To me, at the end of the day, it’s actually exactly the same thing. Only we show why the price has actually increased.”
This controversial incident at Pho Ha Noi has reignited the debate over tipping practices and the transparency of additional charges imposed by restaurants across the country.
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