North Coast Restaurant Tax Discussion

jalencastro · Apr 2, 2009

You know

wishingiwasthere said:
Now the 10% for residents ? they didn?t used to charge that.
Even I as a tourist didn?t pay that!
Shame about this place. It doest seem hit and miss these days.

once in Boca Chica a regular bar on the beach tried charging me 16% on top of all my drinks! is that a common thing these establishments do to tourists? I can understand a restaurant or gift shop but a bar? i checked my bill and they quickly removed the 16%...sheesh! :ermm:

jalencastro · Apr 2, 2009

well so much for leaving a tip!

26%? that's ridiculous.....sigh

Beads · Apr 2, 2009

Yea 26% is incredibly high. Americans are not used to such high taxes. Maybe most of these places should hide the 26% into the price already listed so as not to freak us Americans out when we get the bill?

I don't know about anyone else but the first time I saw the 16% tax on my dinner bill I was startled. Hey I understand paying taxes but adding 26% to the price of everything on the menu before adding a tip definitely changes my decision on eating at a particular restaurant or not.

jalencastro · Apr 2, 2009

I agree with Beads. 16% Tax is quite an eye opener....but now 26% is proposterous, i freak out looking at my bill.....sigh

rendul · Apr 2, 2009

I find the difference enough to forego many restaurant outings. It takes the total over the top when dining out. Not good!

irate:

Dolores1 · Apr 2, 2009

The government doesn't get it. Dominicans who go to restaurants pay the 26% and then leave another 10% tip!

wishingiwasthere · Apr 2, 2009

Being from the UK we are known not to be good tippers. But being forced to tip in my mind is taking the pi$$.
I have always tipped for good service, and 10% is the norm, but i would imagine that people round up to the nearest 100, so i guess not being forced to tip they would recieve more from me.

CFA123 · Apr 2, 2009

wishingiwasthere said:
... so i guess not being forced to tip they would recieve more from me.

The 26% is required by law. There's 16% ITBIS and 10% to be split amongst restaurant employees including kitchen staff, bar staff, busboys, etc.

As painful as it may be, waiters should be tipped over and above the 26%. In most cases they get just a small portion of the 10% - if any at all.

jalencastro · Apr 2, 2009

hmmmm

CFA123 said:
The 26% is required by law. There's 16% ITBIS and 10% to be split amongst restaurant employees including kitchen staff, bar staff, busboys, etc..

i wonder how much of this is true....if the restaurant actually divides this money equally with their employees...sigh :surprised

wishingiwasthere · Apr 2, 2009

CFA123 said:
The 26% is required by law. There's 16% ITBIS and 10% to be split amongst restaurant employees including kitchen staff, bar staff, busboys, etc.

As painful as it may be, waiters should be tipped over and above the 26%. In most cases they get just a small portion of the 10% - if any at all.

Yep ? im fully aware of that, as is wearing a hat whilst riding your moto, but lets be honest, not all places charge the tax.
I would also hazard a guess that as per the law they don?t give all the 10% back to the staff.
I would also guess that there are a lot of laws over looked in the country.

Oh and by the way ? I will tip the waiter what ever I feel like tipping depending on level of sercie.

Im feeling argumentative this afternoon. :ermm:

ctrob · Apr 2, 2009

CFA123 said:
The 26% is required by law. There's 16% ITBIS and 10% to be split amongst restaurant employees including kitchen staff, bar staff, busboys, etc.

As painful as it may be, waiters should be tipped over and above the 26%. In most cases they get just a small portion of the 10% - if any at all.

I like their pizza, especially since they deliver right to my door. :bunny:

And maybe a stupid question, but does the 26% apply to take-out or delivery?

AK74 · Apr 2, 2009

ctrob said:
I like their pizza, especially since they deliver right to my door. :bunny:

And maybe a stupid question, but does the 26% apply to take-out or delivery?

Should not.

But read their bill carefully before paying. And everyone will be happy.

J D Sauser · Apr 2, 2009

jalencastro said:
I agree with Beads. 16% Tax is quite an eye opener....but now 26% is proposterous, i freak out looking at my bill.....sigh

This is LAW in the DR. Period. Get used to it.
Small businesses catering mostly to the street, will still get away without reporting, but an established business like the Bologna, run by a foreigner would be ill advised to try.

The 10% propina de ley, is to go into a pot and been divided equally among ALL employees working the outfit, including but not limited to the personell in the kitchen. However, as this it the DR, you might guess that some owners will not have any problem to take a cut out of that pot too.

So, if you leave NO direct tip to your waiter, he or she might get a 10th or less, if any, of the legal tip.

On the other hand, waiters are supposedly paid a salary.

The 16% ITBIS, well, you can label that sales tax or VAT or IVA.

I eat occasionally at Bologna, I have never had a problem with their billing (their menues state that the prices are NOT including tax and legal tip) and I am glad to hear, that the issue of a double billing was resolved on the spot without any argument.

... J-D

J D Sauser · Apr 2, 2009

AK74 said:
...

Anyway, please double check you bill in Bologna before paying.

...

Double check EVERYWHERE, and you too AK... even if you are not with your diligent girlfriend. :cheeky:

I my opinion, paying without checking the bill is Chopo attitude (wanting to act rich)... good for you, your girlfriend is above that.

... J-D.

jalencastro · Apr 2, 2009

ok

J D Sauser said:
This is LAW in the DR. Period. Get used to it.

The 10% propina de ley, is to go into a pot and been divided equally among ALL employees working the outfit, including but not limited to the personell in the kitchen. However, as this it the DR, you might guess that some owners will not have any problem to take a cut out of that pot too.

I know it's the law, it just stinks having to see a 26% upcharge on a restaurant bill.
I can understand the 10% propina de ley para los empleados, at least they are getting it factored into the bill and 'divided' amongst staff. Here in the states it is not a law, but restaurants tend to include tips on the final bill on parties of 8 or more [i believe it is up to their discretion when they apply tip on their bill, im not sure what their policies are].
Even so, either way you look at it 16% tax is a bit excessive.
Although your typical tip here in the states is at or around 15% so i guess it almost evens out...and that's courtesy not a law....
i do agree with other posters here, it is in a way a turn off to outsiders when they look at the bill and see the 26% at the end. my guess is more likely they do not leave a tip? but i wouldnt know.... :ermm:

Malibook · Apr 2, 2009

Beads said:
Maybe most of these places should hide the 26% into the price already listed so as not to freak us Americans out when we get the bill?

I think every place should be required to do this.
The list prices should be the total price, except tip.

It's too confusing otherwise.
Some places charge it and some don't.
Some places include it and some don't.
There are probably times when a place that includes it tries to add it too.
Some places give the government and employees their share and some don't.
Some people think the 10% is the tip and others realize that it is not.

I just want to see the bottom line and I don't care what the break down is.
Makes it much easier to compare apples to apples.
Like on Cabarete Beach where the prices are quite high and some places include the taxes and some don't.

Regulars who are used to not paying a tax can be given a good customer discount.

carlos · Apr 2, 2009

here in NY I will typically tip twice the tax amount for normal service ( roughly 16%)

If I am really satisfied, 20%.

This means that on a good night I am paying 28% on tip and tax, However, I feel comfortable doing this in comparison to DR when most of the % is going twd the gov't; and god know how much goes to the servers.

I agree it is a bit much but it is the law.

Chip · Apr 2, 2009

jalencastro said:
well so much for leaving a tip!
26%? that's ridiculous.....sigh

And the thing is they still want you to tip them, el pipo!

b.batista · Apr 2, 2009

Chip said:
And the thing is they still want you to tip them, el pipo!

Don't you understand that none of the 26% is tip? It's been explained in this thread quite clearly. 16% is government tax and 10% is part of the employee's salaries. All are included in sharing the 10% on payday. The waitress, the manager, the maid, the Gardener, the dishwasher, the cooks, etc. IT IS NOT A TIP.
A tip is what you give the waitress over and above the bill which by law includes 26%.
10% is considered a minimum for satisfactory service and the sky is the limit for those who wish to tip more.

CFA123 · Apr 2, 2009

...and keep in mind that the waiter's salaries are typically bare minimum... they rely on/need the tips for their day to day living. 60-100 pesos more usually means a heck of a lot more to them than us.

North Coast Restaurant Tax Discussion

Bronze

Bronze

Bronze

Bronze

Bronze

DR1

New member

Silver

Bronze

New member

Silver

On Vacation!

Silver

Silver

Bronze

Bronze

Super Moderator

Platinum

New member

Silver