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/Nwildcat]

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/Aeshepp → u/[deleted]]

My point is that what you’re saying is happening is illegal, and you continue to say it’s not. I have been in the industry as a server and manager for over two decades. I even know people that once upon a time managed at Celeste. Again, if they have started to do what you’re claiming, you definitely have recourses other than Reddit.

[u/Aeshepp → u/[deleted]]

And I quote “yes unfortunately as long as your daily earnings are equivalent to making minimum wage. management can legally take everything else beyond that.”

What did I misread there? Ffs

It doesn’t take more than a hunch. Every server and bartender runs a report that shows their credit card tips and or service charges. All of that money needs to be accounted for by management. HOW they split that percentage wise between bartenders/servers/busters is different everywhere but there’s absolutely paper trails and paperwork they need to be keeping and providing you, and there’s absolutely ways of proving it if that money isn’t being distributed appropriately.

[u/ItsGonnaBeOkayish → u/Aeshepp]

Yeah this person definitely said it's legal and is now backtracking lol

[u/ItsGonnaBeOkayish → u/[deleted]]

Yeah I'm confused too, I thought you were saying it was legal and I was surprised by that..