Cabin Boys 18% surcharge
I went to Cabin Boy Brewery to meet some friends. I went to the bar to order a beer and open a tab, and the bartender told me there would be an 18% gratuity added because I was with a group (6 of us) that had reserved a table. I asked the bartender, to be clear, you are going to charge me 18% more than the guy seated next to me at the bar, because I was with the group at the table? Yes.
Mind you, there were only 3 other customers in the whole place. So the reserved table was not taking seating away from anyone.
I canceled my beer order. I would have probably drank 3, maybe 4 beers in the time I was there. But because of their stupid policy of charging people sitting at a reserved table 18% more, they got nothing from me. Zero!
Another person at the table had ordered a beer when she first arrived, before the large group of 5 others arrived, and did not get charged the 18%. She too decided not to order any more because of the forced 18% gratuity.
Again, there were only three other customers in the whole place! So the reserved table was taking no seating from anyone.
Remember too, that customers have to go to the bar and order and pick up their drinks themselves. No table service.
Remind me of what the forced 18% gratuity is for?
I probably would have tipped 15%-20% anyways. But forcing me to pay 18% rubs me the wrong way.
Is this a case of the business shooting themselves in the foot?