A Head's Up on Tipping

El Meson de Pepe adds an automatic tip of 18% to the bill, but it is not readily apparent, so look carefully there so that you avoid an extra tip.

And Martin's Cafe has moved to Duval Street from Appelrouth Lane. A review of this new location mentioned the same thing - an automatic 18% tip being added to the bill, but I haven't been there yet.

I'm of two minds on this. It's convenient, but the gratuity is for good service; a smaller gratuity is for poor service, food, what-have-you.

Pjk

Thanks for the heads' up. I wasn't aware anyone was doing this in Key West. Up here in West Palm some restaurants do add an automatic 18% or 20% tip for parties over eight or ten, but I have never heard of such a thing for just any bill regardless of group size.

I better tell Hubby to be alert the next time we go to Key West.

I think that's mostly aimed at our foreign friends who don't know our system. I also think that El Maison de Pepe's at Mallory does it out of greed, but that's just my opinion.

I do want to say that the quality of the food is not the server's fault or responsibility--it is the chef's and manager's--and should not be reflected in the server's tip. Bad food should be returned and complained about so others don't get the same raw deal, but don't shoot the messenger for a bad message!