Whether or not to pay a service charge is a topic that often sparks debate.
Discussions revolve around how much to tip and if tipping should be mandatory, suggesting that the practice will always be controversial.
A notable incident involved a waitress in New York who made headlines when she criticized European tourists for leaving only a 10 percent tip.
This server expressed her frustration on Twitter about receiving just a $70 tip on a $700 bill, admitting that she ‘f**king hates Europeans sometimes’.
Her tweet generated mixed reactions, with many people arguing that a $70 tip was actually reasonable.
Though tipping in restaurants isn’t considered mandatory, a couple once found themselves in legal trouble for not paying a service charge.
In 2009, college students John Wagner and Leslie Pope dined at Lehigh Pub in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and refused to pay a $16 gratuity, claiming the service was subpar.
They paid for their meal despite the hour-long wait for food.
Pope reported having to refill her own drink and obtain silverware herself, according to NBC 10 Philadelphia.
Discussing the service delay, she said: “At this point I became very annoyed because I had already gone up to the bar myself to have my soda refilled because the waitress never came back.”
Along with four others, Pope and Wagner paid for their meals, drinks, and tax but withheld the gratuity due to the poor service.
They settled $73.87 of the $90.22 bill.
Eventually, police intervened, and they were charged with theft as the gratuity was included in the total bill.
A few days later, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli advised Bethlehem police to dismiss the charges against Wagner and Pope.
“It would not be the kind of case that should be processed criminally,” Morganelli told The Express Times.
“It was one of those matters that should be processed civilly.”
As of now, it seems Lehigh Pub is no longer operating.
Yelp lists the establishment as permanently closed.
It had a one-star rating from 55 reviews.