Restaurant rights: the bill
1 2
Know your rights.VAT & service charges
VAT must be included in the price, not as an extra. If a percentage charge for service is said to be included in the meal price you are entitled to reduce the bill if the service has been poor. If it isn't specified, anything up to 15% is acceptable.
Food quality
If the problem is the quality of the food is so poor as to be a breach of contract, you are entitled to reduce the bill or refuse to pay. However, if you are going to do this you need to tell the waiter at the time the food is served. The restaurant is entitled to try and correct the problem.
Under protest
It is possible to pay under protest and write on the back of the bill that you are doing so. This gives you the chance of claiming against the restaurant at a later date.
1 2
