30 thoughts on “Trumped-Up Charges

    1. Anomanomanom

      I refuse to pay service charge to anywhere that puts it on the bill. Some places use this to actually pay the staff, instead of it being an extra i.e. tip.

      1. qwerty123

        Service charge is common on parties >8, on parties of 2 it is rare. I would just leave it as the tip.

  1. david

    Bargain
    Try staying in castlemartyre hotel
    Breakfast 27.95 a head includes sliced pan individual butter portion supermarket rashes sausages and Barry tea
    Its a five star hotel with massive costs staffing etc
    By the time overheads are paid for in rip off Ireland its surprising we are not paying 10 euro for a coffee
    Reason why in reality is the low pay in the hospitality industry
    If people were paid the rates of a electrician or accountant or doctor or bus driver or public sector worker your latté would cost 10 euro

    1. Rep

      Castlemartyr (I presume that is what you are referring to?) is an extra €12 for breakfast, not €27.95. I know because I just booked it for my folks. Is the rest of your post as loose with the truth as your opening gambit?

        1. mildred st. meadowlark

          So, room service.

          Which is a different service offered by the hotel to breakfast served in the communal dining room, and is priced accordingly.

          1. david

            Its not that straight forward
            We went with our dog so we could not eat in restaurant or bar or anywhere except room
            It was also 40 euro for dog
            So room service twice than restaurant that is far worse
            I run a food pub and you tell me a 100 yard walk to a room doubles the cost
            It cost 380 euro for the suite dinner for two breakfast for two both ordered from restaurant menu
            It was an anniversary
            As for the mini bar
            Opened the fridge 2 bottles ballygowan
            No glasses to deter people drinking their own drink in room and coffe making kettle with heat treated milk and instant coffee
            The satellite TV had 7 working channels and no movie channel
            They did though drop down a DVD plus video
            Hardly 5 star

          1. Papi

            If I buy a car and say it cost a million Euros and give out about it, but neglect to mention I chose (see, choose is important here) to buy a McLaren F1, then I am spoofing.
            See? Probably not though. sigh.

  2. Gabby

    Is the 3.95 for cupán deas tae, or is it for pota tae? The price is reasonable for the pota but a bit steep for just a cupán, especially if made with a teabag.

    1. TheQ47

      Yes, they do, it’s just badly (confusingly?) laid out.

      Cup/pot of tea cost €3.95, by 2 is €7.90.
      The next bit shows the total price (including VAT at 9% and Service Charge) €9.09, and the line underneath shows the amount without VAT, €8.34.
      By the way, this means VAT was charged on the service charge, which is allowed (https://www.revenue.ie/en/vat/vat-rates/search-vat-rates/S/service-charge-catering-food-and-drink-for-human-consumption-.aspx)

      The final part is the 15% service charge of €1.19, which when added on to the €7.90, makes €9.09 total bill due (unless you want to add a tip).

    1. TheQ47

      It’s a service charge (enforced tip), not an added tax.

      And you can refuse to pay it, if you like.

    2. Neilo

      @Johnny: if you really believe that Ireland is not America , then please ask your colleagues to minimize the posting of Trump-related material because I hate it when Mum and Dad* fight

      *Nigel and Clampers

    1. mildred st. meadowlark

      There’s my main woman, getting to the nub of the issue.

      This, my friends, is a matter of TASTE.

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