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Two readers applied to the tv3.lt portal. They realized that Vilniaus Pilies st. A service charge is included on the bill at the Spritz Summer Garden restaurant.
Vilnius’s Victoria was not satisfied with such a cafe decision.
“I always have coins, so it’s easier for me to decide for myself how much tip I want and can leave. I always leave tips, usually 10 percent of the total bill amount. However, there have been cases where I was unsatisfied with the service, what should be done in such a case? ”the woman asked rhetorically.
According to her, cafes and restaurants should allow customers to evaluate the service themselves and tip at their discretion.
Restaurant check
Elena from another Vilnius says that solution seems better to her.
“Now I no longer have to scratch pennies, I can pay with a card and stop turning my head. Nor do I feel uncomfortable with friends who do not leave tips. Now everyone will have to leave them because they are already credited on the bill. Also, there is no need to think and count how much of that tip is left, ”said the Vilnius resident.
No complaints received
A representative of the restaurant “Spritz summer garden” Tautė says that in early May it was decided to accept payments from customers with bank cards. The implementation of this decision has been driven by quarantine to make settlements safer and more convenient.
“So we decided to add a 10 percent service fee to customer accounts. This solution is experimental. Since payments are only accepted by card, it is natural for people to like to leave their tips this way, so We decided to include them in the invoice ”, explains the restaurant employee.
The nation says it has received no complaints from customers about such a decision.
“Sometimes other people don’t realize there is a service fee. And others are very happy because it’s easier to tip that way. This is facilitated by contactless payments. Cash payments are generally made. they have become unpopular, ”said Tautė.
A small part goes to the waiters.
Evalda Šiškauskienė, President of the Lithuanian Hotel and Restaurant Association, states that such a way, when the service fee is included in the invoice, is very convenient.
“Because there are really uncomfortable situations in cafes or restaurants where people don’t have cash and there are no other ways to leave tips. However, said service charge included in the bill requires the payment of state taxes, so there is only one Small portion with waiters, so such a tip is very convenient, but impractical.
For this reason, we have encouraged leaving cash tips, they are a great incentive for employees because of the low waiters and wages. And our own advice is not great compared to other countries, “says the restaurant representative.
E. Šiškauskienė states that the standard amount of tips is 10 percent of the total bill.
“There is an unwritten 10 percent standard across Europe. However, the amount of tips also depends on the category of the restaurant. In a more luxurious restaurant, the bill is higher, so it also forces you to leave more Tips. However, in simpler cafes or pizzerias where young people gather, tips are significantly lower. They also depend on the income of visitors, “says a restaurant spokeswoman.
Card payments are growing
Vilius Tamkvaitis, Analysis Manager of the Lithuanian Bank Association (LBA), points out that payment card settlements are growing: according to data from the first quarter of 2020, card payment billing increased by 10% during the year. and exceeded 4 billion. euros
According to him, these trends were slightly corrected by the unusual situation of the coronavirus: the number of card payments decreased in March compared to March last year (0.2%). This is understandably related to the uncertainty and challenges faced during the coronavirus pandemic. Many residents and businesses during this period were limited to basic needs. However, despite the changed situation, the turnover of payment cards increased by 3% during the year.
“Larger changes are seen during the quarantine period. The number of card payments decreased by more than a tenth (16%) in March-April 2020. Turnover also decreased (11%). However, we would see these changes as a result of reduced consumption due to quarantine According to the LBA, the share of electronic payments in the assessment of all settlements should have increased during the quarantine period.
The number of contactless card payments has also increased during the year, driven by both infrastructure development and the popularity of contactless cards. During quarantine, the limit for contactless payments was increased to 50 euros so that no PIN code was entered. Therefore, the number of cases in which it is necessary to enter a PIN code when paying with a card has decreased, according to some market participants, by up to 20%, ”says V. Tamkvaitis.
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