Pub adds 4% service charge for pulling a pint

It's in London, no surprise

While it is fairly common for restaurants and some pubs to charge a service fee when they deliver drinks to tables, this is a first for pints ordered at the bar.

According to The Telegraph, the Well and Boot pub in Waterloo station adds a 4% extra charge to everything ordered at their bar.

While the charges are technically 'optional', 4% is automatically added on to the end of every bill.

Information about the service fee is displayed on a sign near the taps, which can be pretty hard to pick up on when you're stood at a busy bar waiting for a pint.

Martin Quinn, a campaigner for cash acceptance who recently visited the pub said: “You can understand it if you’re sitting down and it’s table service, but you’re ordering it from the bar. Where’s the service in that?”

Industry experts say that the pub's move to charge the extra 4% is actually part of a wider trend.

Consumer expert Martyn James said: “Sadly, I have seen this in a number of bars in London and other places. It’s very insidious.”

“There’s no definitive rules that cover tipping other than that the house is not meant to keep the tips.”