TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Who has no service charge?

Request: which restaurants, beach bars don't charge SC?

There's alot of new information about service charges lately. I too noticed at Da Waterhole, beers at bar - no service charge however beers and burger (fries $$extra) at bar, the entire tab has a service charge added. Ps wifi only active for 1hr/day. After that there's a surcharge.

On the other hand, Kalatua beach bar on Mullet Beach doesn't charge service charge for drinks, but also keeps the change on $5.50 beer (so effectively a SC). And this after you have to walk to back of house to pay (not server or bartender but pay at a separate booth).

Now, I wonder which beach bars/restos don't charge service charge?

Note: Surely, I am not the only one interested in supporting these establishments?

Thoughts/comments/advise?

Roma and Mr Chow has no SC.

Great..they are both on my must support list.

Thx.

CC,
Can’t speak for Mr. Chow but Roma is great. Ate there twice last trip and both times food and service were very vert good.

When was the last time you went to a restaurant typically you would tip but didn't tip 15% or more? If you didn't, did you ever go back?

Personally we just make it a habit to look at the bill, SXM and many cities in the US. Very common in cities like Miami and Ft Lauderdale.

List of places we have gone this trip that don't would include: The Palms, Lal's, La Cingona, Dany's at Cupecoy, Huppel and Mr Chow. Also places on the French side that it is considered included including K like Karacter that list included as it would be if on the French side or in The Netherlands.

Just not a big deal if you pay attention, I don't get all the fuss complaining about places that add and list it clearly on the check.

Correct Todd, if one pays attention and does NOT ask about it, it is almost a non-issue.

I have indicated in my posts what percentage places we went charged but did so to enlighten others that may not pay attention to the bill.

What a place does today may not be what they do tomorrow.

THIS^^^^^^^

Leave extra 15-20% if you aren’t comfortable not leaving additional tip, leave extra 5 or leave nothing extra - not rocket science, you are on vacation. But leave it in cash.

Nice of you to assume all ttolers are American, Todd.

My post clearly stated it is about supporting non SC restos...what I do with that information, and other international readers, is of no concern of ttolers.

Lost me there, I only mentioned cities I have been to and if you took offense to me not mentioning a Canadian City that is your issue. Also, you are asking TTOLers for a response but then state it is of no concern of TTOLers?

Sorry to have hit a nerve, I hope you have a nice rest of your day!

Just wanted to add one item, the reason for the auto add tip is because there are a lot of international travelers that come to SXM and other cities that do not have the same custom of tipping that we have in "North America" which for some reason is practiced on the Dutch side. Mixing people that don't tip as their custom and people that normally tip because of their usual custom creates issues for the bar and restaurant owners and employees. It is reasonable in my not very humble opinion to add a sc or tip, so I defend those that add the line item if they do it clearly without intent to take advantage of their customers and it bothers me that people take offense to those that do this properly.

CC--Not sure why you thought Todd's post assumed everywhere here is from the US. Many of us do make that assumption, but it is not intentional, most of the time. But actually, I think Canadians are "Americans", or at least "North Americans" from what I can tell. Regardless I don't think there is any reason to imply any bad intent. Let's move on, people.

Pat, I ate at Mr. Chow’s with David twice and it’s very good .

This "service charge" issue has escalated recently.

Yes. It's an irritant to some here.

Tipping and Service charge have to rank high in top TTOL thread category.

The biggest worry people have is being taken advantage of by Tipping twice.

Tipping is to encourage good service.

A forced tip sucks. I would rather they put their servers labor in the price like the chefs labor.

So, I would actually go out of my way to support places who don’t charge it a forced tip. Hoping to see this list grow so that we can encourage the practice on the Dutch side

"they put their servers labor in the price like the chefs labor."
Supposedly the servers, busboys and kitchen share tips and SC.

Louise,
Based on Roma’s offerings I’m sure Chows is delish but I am not a sushi fan. Many have suggested if I try Chows I might become a fan. Or not…..🙂🙂

Mom - much more than sushi!

I think this if they add a service charge if a complicated and confusing questions. I see some now saying SC is included (which should never been added anyhow) but the servers are still asking for a expecting at TIP which if for them. To me its not a big deal if they add a 15% TIP / Gratuity which I would always leave that much or more anyhow. Just makes it easier. Do the servers every really see the SC in their pockets? It just an up charge for the restaurant to pocket like breakage , staff meals, etc to cover all things the menu price should cover and the employees still expects a TIP. So some are now say this SC is included to justify higher prices. The games continue at some restaurants. IMO

Hard to follow your thoughts but reading between the lines I think I get your point or not.🤔

One year we and another couple (their first visit SXM ) went to Greenhouse in Phillipsburg for prime rib night which waitress said was all gone then walked away without taking our order. Had a terrible time getting her attention to serve us. So when it came time to tip we left nothing.

The waitress ran out after us yelling, you “cheapy this doesn’t cover all the workers not just me. It’s a service charge.”

I was so embarrassed because I was sure our friends would think this was truly SXM.

We continued walking to car and she kept screaming. Our spouses had walked ahead and wondered what had happened. We shrugged it off but they got angry and wanted to go back to tell manager. We decided to just not eat there again.

Pretty awful, hopefully that was the only poor experience you had with the first timers!

Oh yes I know rushing to write my babbling thoughts can sound like secret code. my husband says the same thing lets not start on the proper grammar ...I don't care , its just this. lol

Yes, thankfully. They said they loved the island but they haven’t returned.

While this topic is clearly an issue to a number of TTOLers, In our 25+ trips to the island We have enjoyed dining and drinking with countless friends and acquaintances and I have never heard anyone mention much less question this practice. For me, a tip regardless of any SC, is part of what we budget for in our food and beverage budget. We consider the tips we give to be statistically insignificant to what our total spend per trip is. I recognize that this is a very personal matter, so please don't take my comments as critical of anyone's personal situation, I'm just sharing my thoughts on the topic. Seems to me that the simple solution would be to have an explanation on the menu unless they really don't want to disclose it. It's not like we know what their profit margin is...even if we knew where the SC was going, it would still be a single item contributing to the total cost of the meal.

One thing I do find curious though is with the number of folks here that have been going to the island much longer than us and seem to have many friends that are restaurateurs, Why hasn't anyone asked the owner/owners of the restaurants that they know and frequent to explain the SC?

Southbound - I believe that Jazzgal did confronted the owners of Dinghy's Beach Bar about this S/C . We had drinks and a light lunch there today and there was no S/C on the bill. Only suggested percentage of tips on the bill.

"One thing I do find curious though is with the number of folks here that have been going to the island much longer than us and seem to have many friends that are restaurateurs, Why hasn't anyone asked the owner/owners of the restaurants that they know and frequent to explain the SC?"
My personal friends on island that own restaurants don't add a SC and leave it up to the patrons. Way it should be everywhere.

Scuba, you posted "Supposedly the servers, busboys and kitchen share tips and SC." Where did that info come from?

Whale Tail, I missed where Jazzgal had that conversation...do you know what they told her?

Also, I probably should have noted that we rarely eat on the Dutch side and that fact could impact my perspective.

That is what some servers have told me at more than one restaurant.

No sushi Pat at Mr Chow, not offered. Best sesame shrimp I ever had.

Southbound - I don't know how to attach a link to a previous post. But I can tell you Jazzgal's post on speaking to the owner of Dinghy's Beach Bar was posted on 11/12/2023, titled Dinghy BB&G Service Charge/Mumbo Jumbo. In that post she suggested to the owner that there should be no service charge.
Like I said before there was no service charge on our bill yesterday.
For your information our bill yesterday came to $270.00 because we bought a bunch of t-shirts, tank tops and a hat. The suggested tips on the bottom of the bill was based on that amount!! We did tell the bartender we were going to tip 20% on the food and drinks but not on the clothing purchases. He agreed.

Southbound--there is the answer to your question--these questions pretty much only arise on the Dutch side.

It has been interesting to read the various opinions regarding the 15% service charge. Personally, it has never really bothered me. If I see the 15% added to the bill, that is the tip they receive. Since I normally leave a bit more than that, I come out ahead and the establishment only hurts themselves by stating the tip for me. If the food or service is not worthy of a tip, I simply do not return. And.....I never ask the staff questions about tip or service charge. I'm on vacation. So I try not to sweat the small stuff.

I know how. Here is a link to the referenced post.

LINK

Thanks for that link Jazzgal! I think I understand a lot better now and it seems that many here have questioned the practice to the appropriate people(restaurant owners).

I’m always amazed how many wealthy people act as if money doesn’t matter yet comment on an insignificant thread. This isn’t about the amount of money it is about the method in which it is taken or attempted to be taken. I’m all for the French way of doing the restaurant business. I’d rather the restauranteur get rid of the lousy servers.

"I’d rather the restauranteur get rid of the lousy servers."
Not that easy on the Dutch side. I must say you say you are "amazed how many wealthy people act as if money doesn’t matter yet comment on an insignificant thread" and yet here you are commenting on this too.

TJTrippe--I wonder, who are the 'wealthy people' here? I personally wouldn't have the foggiest clue if there is anyone who posts here, that I would consider wealthy. We certainly are not. I guess anyone who is able to travel to SXM at least once a year can consider themselves 'wealthy', certainly as compared to a lot of people around the world, so I guess it's all relative. And what is an insignificant thread? Despite what I posted earlier in the week about not curing cancer here, almost every thread has some kind of nugget of information, etc., that I find interesting. But I guess my life otherwise is pretty boring.