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When it comes to receiving the bill, the debate usually comes down to whether or not we should split or pay for the individual items we ordered.
A restaurant in the US challenges this, with one diner's receipt being posted on Reddit and going viral due to a controversial charge for something they never even ordered.
Many people were left stunned by the fee, saying they'd simply refuse to pay it if they hadn't asked for it.
The total for their meal came to a whopping $293.94, including food and drinks.
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But believe it or not, it wasn't the $7 bottles of still water that caused a big stir online.
Nope, instead it's the an arguably steep charge for their… ‘live band entertainment fee’.
Users across the forum were quick to chime in and share their disbelief at the non-negotiable charge, which cost the table $20.
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One user simply wrote: “This is one of those ‘Leave money on the table, hand the waiter a tip and leave [situations].’
"Sorry but if I didn't order it, I'm not paying for it.”
Another added: “I would refuse to pay and say I didn’t order this.”
A third commenter agreed that being charged for music playing during a meal was a dubious choice. “Bet not a dime of that is actually going to the band”, they wrote.
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One user, who mentioned he has worked as a bouncer at a restaurant for seven years, advised: “If we are going to charge for the DJ or show we’ll charge at the door, allowing people to decide if it’s something they want before walking in. Slapping it on the end of the bill is some scumbag b*******.”
Though not all readers were sympathetic, with some even pointing out the rest of the diners’ financial choices during the evening in question.
One simply questioned: “No problem spending over $100 on alcohol, but a tenner per person for the band is where you draw the line?”
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“If you’re dropping $7 for water and $15 a martini, and $40 an entree and your total bill is $300, I feel like the $10 per person entertainment fee isn’t gonna break you”, another user mentioned.
A few commenters were keen to note that the restaurant does mention the charge on their website, though there is no indication this charge is explained in-person to diners before they receive the bill.
“Not everyone would go there having looked at the website first. At least if they advertise it at the door people can make the decision to stay or leave”, another chimed in, addressing the restaurant's rules.
As for whether live music delivers the right kind of ambience whilst tucking into a meal, one user declared: “I’ll pay $20 to NOT have live music at a restaurant.”
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Fair enough. Always read the small print!
Kya Buller