Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
The Fixe Is In: More Restaurants Adding Automatic Tip to Bill
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 9, 2009
Modified Feb 9, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 9, 2009
Modified Feb 9, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A little sleuthing by the Post has turned up about a dozen NYC restaurants which have been tacking a 15-20 percent gratuity onto the bill regardless of party size and without noting the policy on the menu. One disgruntled diner, Dazi Chen, tipped off the tabloid after finding a 20 percent "autograt" charge on his check at Midtown's Bombay Eats, where he dined with a friend. "I felt cheated and taken advantage of," Chen fumed. "They're trying to get double gratuity." It's illegal for restaurants to automatically charge a gratuity without notifying customers, and it must be a party of eight or more. But at the River Cafe in DUMBO, two diners from England recently discovered an unannounced 15 percent gratuity on a $400 check, even though the menu reads, "Gratuity and sales tax not included." A manager denies it, but it sounds like a case of tourist profiling by waiters, who always complain about paltry tips from foreigners. Check out the full list of restaurants angling for gratuitous gratuities here.
Tagged
automatic
gratuity
restaurant
tip
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Sep 12, 2026
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
Food
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?
By
Caroline Shin
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .