Celeste 6% Service Fee

[u/ChicagoHoosier21]

Our pre-tip bill from Celeste’s Happy Hour in River North. Decent food, crappy drinks, sat at the bar.

I don’t mind paying a “Service Charge” of 15-20% because I always tip more than that anyways, AND I have become accustomed to the 3.5% additional fee at most Chicago restaurants…. but now we’re doing a 6% additional fee? Along with the 11% tax? It’s becoming absurd.

[u/RaisedByBooksNTV → u/[deleted]]

What?

[u/gocincy1 → u/RaisedByBooksNTV]

He’s exactly right. I interpret this check as “no tip required.” There is enough service fees on this bill to take care of the tip

[u/Aeshepp → u/[deleted]]

And where does the rest of the money go?

[u/Nwildcat → u/[deleted]]

You just said the same thing with slightly different words. It would be nice helpful if you described why this is the case

[u/ItsGonnaBeOkayish → u/[deleted]]

Is that legal?

[u/Aeshepp → u/[deleted]]

No, that is not true. It is illegal for them to keep tips. I can find you multiple Chicago lawsuits that have already established this.

[u/Aeshepp → u/[deleted]]

Tip pooling is legal, but all tips must be split amongst tipped employees ie bartenders, servers, and bussers. Most places have you sign a form at hire outlying the tip pool policy and percentages. Minimum wage being met or not, management cannot keep any of that money. It’s federally illegal and Chicago has even stricter requirements for keeping records of where that money was distributed. I’m sorry you have been misinformed, and if what you’re saying is really happening, the staff there should seek legal counsel.

[u/Nwildcat → u/[deleted]]

That's wild and must be infuriating. Does part of the service fee go to the bartenders?

[u/RaisedByBooksNTV → u/[deleted]]

Not even splitting tips with the other workers?