Paying extra for “service” is something most of us don’t think twice about until you realise you’ve been doing almost everything yourself.
That was exactly what sparked frustration for one Malaysian woman, who took to Threads to question why she was still being charged a 10% service fee at a self-service eatery.
‘Everything I did myself!’
In her post, she shared that the outlet required customers to scan a QR code to view the menu, place their own orders, and even walk up to the counter to make payment either via cash or QR.
Yet when the bill arrived, a 10% service charge was still included.
She said the situation felt even more unreasonable when customers were also expected to clean up their own tables after eating.
Can restaurants please stop charging service charge when everything is QR scan and self-service?
“I scan the menu myself, fill in the order form myself, walk to the counter and pay myself, both QR and cash only. After eating, they even ask us to clear the table.”
Only food delivery counts as “service”?
The woman added that the only interaction from staff was when they brought the food to the table, which she felt did not justify the additional charge.
What service exactly? Staff only bring the food. Then the bill comes with 10% service charge. For what? Zero assistance.”
Her post quickly gained traction, with many Malaysians chiming in with similar frustrations.
Reactions
In the comments, netizens echoed her sentiments, with many pointing out how self-service setups seem to contradict the idea of a service charge.
Some shared that they had to queue up, collect their own food, and even deal with questionable cleanliness all while still paying extra.
‘We handle everything from A to Z, so why is there a service charge? Doesn’t make sense,’ one wrote.
‘We even have to line up and take our own food. Some places use plastic-lined plates too. What exactly are we paying for?’ another commented.
