A very big and warning news has come out for the hotel and restaurant industry across the country. It is often seen that when people go out for dinner or lunch with family or friends, apart from VAT and GST, an additional amount is added to the food bill as 'Service Charge'. Many times customers pay this hidden charge without understanding it, but now doing so is becoming very costly for the restaurant operators. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has taken a strict stance in a similar case, protecting the rights of consumers. When a concerned customer raised his voice and lodged a complaint on the official forum against the extortionate service charge being added to the food bill by a restaurant, the CCPA investigated the matter thoroughly. If the investigation found violation of rules, a heavy fine of Rs 10,000 has been imposed on the concerned restaurant. This historic and strict decision has created a stir in the hotel and restaurant industry, as this case is a clear message to all the food businessmen in the country that consumers cannot be robbed by force. What does the law say? Know the strict rules of the government and CCPA on charging service charge. According to the clear and strict guidelines of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), no hotel or restaurant in the country can voluntarily pressure its customers to pay service charge or service charge in the bill. According to the law, service provided in a restaurant is completely optional and it entirely depends on the customer's willingness to voluntarily pay a tip or tip-like fee after being happy with the service of the waiter or staff. Restaurant operators cannot collect this fee from customers by automatically adding it (pre-added) to the bill. If a restaurant generates a bill and sends it with a service charge already added to it, it is considered a direct violation of consumer rights and an unfair trade practice. Even before this, the government and the Consumer Commission have issued public warnings several times that hotels and restaurants cannot include such arbitrary charges in their menu cards or billing systems. Despite this, at many places, customers were being defrauded by disregarding the rules, now strict legal action is being taken to curb this. The customer showed courage and lodged his complaint on the National Consumer Helpline. This entire matter is related to an alert customer who chose the legal path instead of remaining silent against the arbitrariness and extortion of the restaurant. When the customer saw the final bill of the restaurant after dinner, he found that apart from the food and tax, service charge had also been added to it. When the customer protested against this and asked the restaurant management to remove it, they flatly refused to remove it, calling it a mandatory charge. After this, without any panic the customer took the help of National Consumer Helpline (NCH) and online portal of CCPA. The customer lodged a complete complaint along with a copy of the restaurant bill and other solid evidence. Taking this complaint seriously, CCPA took immediate action and opened the file of the case. During the investigation, the restaurant management was found guilty as they could not prove that they had taken this charge with the consent of the customer. This case has proved that if consumers become aware and raise their voice on the right platform, even the most arbitrary institutions can be brought to book. Strict warning from CCPA, now you will have to face serious consequences if you add service charge in the bill. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has not only taken action in this matter by imposing fine on one restaurant, but has also issued a very strict warning to all the hotel, restaurant, dhaba and food chain operators of the country. CCPA has made it clear in its order that in future, if any restaurant in any part of the country is found adding service charge to the food bills of its customers without their express consent, then more stringent legal action will be taken against them. In such cases, not only will huge financial fines be imposed, but strict action can also be taken like canceling the licenses of institutions that repeatedly break the rules or filing cases against them under criminal sections under the Consumer Protection Act. This step of the government is going to provide relief to crores of common consumers of the country who often become victims of this kind of hidden robbery when they go to restaurants. The authority has also directed all restaurant owners to clearly display on their counters and menu cards that paying service charge is completely optional and depends on the wishes of the customers. Special advice for consumers: How to protest against service charge and where to complain If you often go out to eat at restaurants with family or friends, then it is very important for you to know how to protect your rights. If service charge is added to your restaurant bill, then you do not need to pay it silently. You should immediately speak to the manager or owner of the restaurant and politely inform them that service charge is not mandatory as per CCPA rules and they should immediately remove it from the bill. Most restaurants fix the bill after this protest and remove the service charge. But if the restaurant management refuses to listen to you and forcibly demands payment, then take a photo of that bill and keep the record of digital payment safe. After this, you can lodge your online complaint by visiting the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) portal of the Government of India, 'National Consumer Helpline' app or directly on the official website of CCPA. Your small complaint and awareness can make a huge contribution in stopping this kind of consumer robbery happening across the country.
