It was just another evening at Connaught Place’s Darzi Bar & Kitchen, until a scuffle broke out between a diner and the general manager over payment of service tax. In a clip that is doing the rounds on internet, the two can be seen getting in to a fist fight and hurling abuses at each other.
Devinder Singh, general manager of the eatery, tells us, “We waive off service charge on request, if the customer isn’t using another app to avail a discount. We can’t incur losses by giving an additional ₹300 off on a bill that already has ₹1,200 off.”
For restaurateurs, levying service charge is a relief in an already competitive industry. “Restaurateurs have to rely on third-party platforms to attract diners and pay a commission for this. So, service charge is integral to ensure margins for the restaurant,” says Akhil Malik, director, QDs.
Diners feel service charge is at their discretion. “The taxes and the service fee combined are so hefty that any discount we may get on a third-party app, simply cancels out. It’s my right to choose,” says Alok Shukla, a software engineer from Gurugram. Food blogger Pawan Soni concurs: “In the food industry, there should be one price — MRP, which restaurateurs must put up on their menus to indicate all inclusive charges.”