Practices · Observable
Service charge plus a tip line
The bill carried a mandatory service, hospitality, or similar charge, and a blank tip line was still printed below it.
A mandatory charge and an open tip line on the same receipt invite paying twice. Several states require the receipt or menu to say whether the charge is a gratuity; see the Law block on each record.
This record notes the charge percentage, its printed label, and whether a tip line appeared beneath it.
Spot it on your receipt
- Find the mandatory charge line and its percentage.
- Look for a blank Tip line or a suggested-tip box below the total.
- Photograph the receipt.
On the record
Locations with a published claim that fits
Ordered by the number of independent reports behind the claim, keeping only claims where at least one linked report describes this practice.
No published record fits this practice yet.
Law
The federal baseline
Federally, a mandatory service charge is not a tip. It belongs to the employer unless a state or local rule, or the employer's own representation, directs it to workers.
Source: 29 CFR 531.55 · Verified 2026-09