While tipping is an important part of many US restaurant workers' salaries, people have accused one eatery of taking it too far with a suggested 84% gratuity rate.
The sizeable charge was brought to the attention of the online community by Reddit user u/ANameSoNice, who shared a photo of the receipt featuring three different tip levels.
At the lower end is a suggested gratuity of just under 18 percent, which would have brought their $93.39 bill to $108.51.
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The second was for 20 percent, which isn't too far off the first request, and this would have added nearly $17 extra.
While UK customers might balk at this amount, let it be known that this is pretty normal for America where anything between 18 percent to 25 percent is standard for restaurants that have a dedicated waiter.
But for some reason the eatery added a final suggestion - a whopping 84 percent gratuity, which would've nearly doubled the cost.
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The post has received thousands of comments, with many people baffled at the expensive proposal.
"What's insulting is the lowest is 18%. Like damn, just pay your employees," wrote one, while another quipped, "That seems... gratuitous."
"Suggested tips start at 18%?" added a third. "US tipping culture is wild. Glad I don't have to deal with that s**tshow every time I go out for food."
A fourth simply said: "That noodle restaurant has some fekkin audacity."
Others shared their own experiences, including an American who replied to a British person asking about tipping culture in the US.
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"Tipping is so bad because it's expected (typically 20% minimum) regardless of quality of your service, and I think this is the most frustrating part," they explained.
"Even getting it delivered, a tip is expected (on top of the higher priced food, service fees and taxes). Picking up an order to take home yourself?
"A tip is also ASKED for, but I still don't know if I'm supposed to?? I usually leave $1-2, I don't know if that's good or bad."
The Redditor went on to explain another issue with the practice, adding: "Why am I tipping in advance of receiving a service? Why am I tipping $5, $10, even $3 when I'm ordering on doordash?
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"If I'm paying your $4.99 delivery and a $3.99 service fee, that should be going to the driver (at least part of it). I shouldn't be expected to drop another $10 to the driver so you can pay them $4/hour."
Many people agreed with this sentiment, suggesting that the service industry should simply pay their staff a living wage so they wouldn't need tips to make ends meet.
As said by one user: "Here's an interesting way to do it, pay the staff a real wage and then the customers don't have to."
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Topics: US News, Food and Drink, Money, Reddit