# Should a restaurant tell you if an "extra" costs money before it shows up on your bill? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 26, 2018, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621 "2018-02-26T19:45:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/61 "2018-03-01T22:04:58Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > One thing that got me once: I ordered an entree and the waitress asked, in the tone that one uses when asking someone to pick between options that come with the meal: “would you like soup or salad?” I said salad, and ended up being charged for a side salad. > > I was pissed. This is very different from asking something like “would you like some soup or a salad to start?” It’s mostly in the tone, but I was clearly tricked into ordering extra food by the implication that it was included. Never went back. My dad was like this. He would completely sever ties with a business over any perceived slight by any employee. As a kid, it was quite annoying to not be able to go to a restaurant I liked anymore because Dad once got overcharged for a beer. From your description, it does sound like the waitress pulled a fast one. But I’d be more inclined to let management know what happened, rather than cutting the whole place out of your life because of the actions of one person. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/62 "2018-03-01T22:21:09Z")
Also be sure to look for a “sides” pricing spot that usually includes chargers for things like extra gravy ect its usually by where the drinks prices are printed ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/63 "2018-03-01T22:41:11Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > My dad was like this. He would completely sever ties with a business over any perceived slight by any employee. As a kid, it was quite annoying to not be able to go to a restaurant I liked anymore because Dad once got overcharged for a beer. > n. This is where “Give them the Pickle” came from: > **[Give'em the Pickle solutions](https://www.mediapartners.com/giveemthepickle)** > > Give'em the Pickle solutions. To explore Media Partners' latest customer service training solutions, please visit our Customer Service Excellence page ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/64 "2018-03-02T00:23:34Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > This is where “Give them the Pickle” came from: > > [Give'em the Pickle solutions](http://www.giveemthepickle.com/pickle_principle.htm) Good story, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/65 "2018-03-02T00:35:41Z")
We had to watch that guy’s video (“Give them the pickle.”) at work a few years ago. It’s kind of silly, and the employer has to decide how much discretion to give the front-line employees. If it’s OK to give away a fifty-cent pickle, is it OK to give away something else that costs five bucks? Or what about a fifty-dollar bottle of wine, perhaps when the customer has spent a large amount at dinner? Where is the line? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/66 "2018-03-02T01:19:42Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > We had to watch that guy’s video (“Give them the pickle.”) at work a few years ago. It’s kind of silly, and the employer has to decide how much discretion to give the front-line employees. If it’s OK to give away a fifty-cent pickle, is it OK to give away something else that costs five bucks? Or what about a fifty-dollar bottle of wine, perhaps when the customer has spent a large amount at dinner? **Where is the line?** The pickle? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/67 "2018-03-02T01:40:59Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > Some find it insulting and presumptuous Those people are wrong. It’s not presuming anything. It’s simple ethics to make clear when there’s an extra charge for something so that there are no surprises on the bill. I might be able to afford an extra 50 cents for extra tub of ranch dressing or an extra $2.50 to $4.00 (!!!) for a refill of soda, but the waiter should ensure that my choice is an informed choice. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/68 "2018-03-02T02:07:20Z")
In this particular case, an upcharge is bullshit. This is a Mexican restaurant, and in any restaurant in Mexico, you always get all of the tortillas that you want. Hell, it’s common to send tortillas back because they’ve become cold, and the expectation is that you have enough warm tortillas to finish your meal. I might say that the upcharge was merited because the OP asked for something called “fajita shells”! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/69 "2018-03-02T02:16:18Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > In this particular case, an upcharge is bullshit. This is a Mexican restaurant, and in any restaurant in Mexico, you always get all of the tortillas that you want. Hell, it’s common to send tortillas back because they’ve become cold, and the expectation is that you have enough warm tortillas to finish your meal. > > I might say that the upcharge was merited because the OP asked for something called “fajita shells”! 😛 I dont think the terminology had anything to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/70 "2018-03-02T05:22:20Z")
Where I live, ice is often extra. For a while some of us socialized over beer once a week. The beer was slightly overpriced and he ordered over-priced appetizers but got irate about the 50¢ charge for each bucket of ice! (“Ice is supposed to be free.”) I say, “In the city of eye winkers, you should wink your eyes too” — that’s Thai for “When in Rome …” Something to remember here if you’re on a budget (or not too hungry) is that “pork-and-basil” (or whatever) is _more_ expensive than “pork-and-basil over rice” because you’ll get more pork-and-basil if you don’t say “over rice” — order a bowl of rice separately if you want. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/71 "2018-03-02T15:28:34Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Where I live, ice is often extra. For a while some of us socialized over beer once a week. The beer was slightly overpriced and he ordered over-priced appetizers but got irate about the 50¢ charge for each bucket of ice! (“Ice is supposed to be free.”) I say, “In the city of eye winkers, you should wink your eyes too” — that’s Thai for “When in Rome …” > . In Thailand? ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/72 "2018-03-02T19:05:20Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Those people are wrong. It’s not presuming anything. It’s simple ethics to make clear when there’s an extra charge for something so that there are no surprises on the bill. > > I might be able to afford an extra 50 cents for extra tub of ranch dressing or an extra $2.50 to $4.00 (!!!) for a refill of soda, but the waiter should ensure that my choice is an informed choice. I agree. It’s not rude at all to mention that there will be a charge for something that a customer requests as either an add-on or substitution. I don’t want to be surprised by seeing a charge for a salad instead of fries, extra tortillas or a drink refill… let me know in advance. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/73 "2018-03-03T21:31:17Z")
I’d mentally classify tortillas with bread (since they _are_ a form of bread). So I’d be surprised to be charged for extra tortillas, just the way I’d be surprised to be charged for a second basket of rolls at an American restaurant. But if I was happy with the restaurant otherwise, I certainly wouldn’t make an issue of it. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Still, if you eat the way it was intended to be eaten, there should be enough tortillas for the meal with just 3. The key is: don’t eat like a Gringo! 😉 But if the clientele is mostly gringos, they should adapt to gringo customs. 🙂 > [@DrDeth](#): > > This is where “Give them the Pickle” came from: > > [Give'em the Pickle solutions](http://www.giveemthepickle.com/pickle_principle.htm) ROCOCO: What about my pickle? DANGER: You’re lucky you still have your brown paper bag, small change! ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/74 "2018-03-03T21:42:37Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > OK, right there. There’s your guide. Never ever eat Mexican where the chips and salsa aren’t free. Or they better be awesome chips and salsa ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621/75 "2018-03-03T22:08:33Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I’d mentally classify tortillas with bread (since they _are_ a form of bread). So I’d be surprised to be charged for extra tortillas, just the way I’d be surprised to be charged for a second basket of rolls at an American restaurant. Yes, I’d mentally classify the tortillas as bread. But are they more like a basket of rolls? Or are they more like an individual dinner roll that comes with an entree, or toast that comes with an omelet? Or are they more like the bun that comes with a hamburger, or the biscuits that come with biscuits & gravy? In the latter case I would not expect free extras. In the middle case I’m not sure. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-restaurant-tell-you-if-an-extra-costs-money-before-it-shows-up-on-your-bill/809621.md?page=3)