We are dual Feds who were WFH 3 days a week until now. We used to take lunch once a week at a nice local restaurant near our home in Rockville. The owner was lamenting that his lunchtime business would fall off with the full time RTO.

Small businesses are going be impacted by unemployment in the DMV. Salons, bars, hotels, restaurants, etc. The DMV will not be great again for a long time.

I stopped tipping unless the service is exceptional and it rarely is. Servers make $17.50/hr which is reasonable for that job. I will tip $10 for great service. I tip flat fee not by %of final bill.

Anonymous wrote:Not only that, but I cannot "tip" less for crappy service, because I am already being charged 20%.

Exactly , service charge should be removed . And let people to decide if server deserves the 20 %.

Not only that, but I cannot "tip" less for crappy service, because I am already being charged 20%.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:well we went out mon night place was almost full <$120 for us 3 i think it's business as usual. nova.

NoVA restaurants don't have these ridiculous 20% mandatory surcharges with waitstaff soliciting tips on top of them.

DC does?

Several mid-tier DC restaurants I've been to have it. It's up to the establishment. Haven't seen as much of this in NoVA.

Yes we went to one in dupont circle. I just circle the surcharge and don't leave more on top of that. That's how it should work.

I do the same I always look for service charge , if 3 % I leave 17 % tip , if 20 then I leave 0 .
I will not be covering service charge and tip.
I think it’s not right when the receipt has extra line additional tip. Some people might miss that service charge already been charged and only see this “ additional “ tip line .Assuming that is the tip line . If you have service charge 20 automatically charged please eliminate that additional tip line.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for pointing that out. I feel terrible for the people in the DMV who are losing their jobs. However, that doesn't negate the cost point. I am able to order basics from restaurants that I then supplement with additional protein and starches to stretch the meal out. The grocery store prices are out of control.

Where on Earth do you live that the groceries are out of control compared to mid tier restaurants? Some kind of food desert in Arkansas? Or Oklahoma? I feel sorry for you.

+1 where is this?