European restaurant caught forcing automatic tips
A Polish tourist discovered that a Prague restaurant automatically added a 12.5% tip to her bill without warning. Journalists confirmed that neither the menu nor the drink list mentioned this charge. A lawyer called it a violation of consumer rights. After media intervention, the management admitted the practice was unacceptable and stopped the secret deductions.
A Polish tourist named Natalia, visiting a café in Prague near Charles Bridge, noticed that when paying by card, an automatic 12.5% tip was added to the bill. No prior consent was requested. Journalists from the publication Blikk conducted an investigation and confirmed that neither the menu nor the drink list contained information about the mandatory fee. The waiter silently increased the check from 583 to 656 Czech crowns. Lawyer Jiří Chláň stated that such actions grossly violate consumer rights, as customers must be informed in advance of any additional charges. After media intervention and inspections by regulatory authorities, the restaurant management admitted the practice was unacceptable and stated that tips should remain voluntary. The staff stopped the secret deductions, avoiding fines of thousands of crowns.