Dominic Smithers
Customers at a bar have shared their outrage after they were charged for 'live music'.
Whenever you receive the bill, there is always the cursory scan to see if the service was included or you have to try and work it out amongst you.
If it is included, there's usually an audible gasp from the table, shocked at being 'forced' to give a tip.
However, while this is common practice in bars and restaurants the world over, I've never heard of being charged for the music being played while you're there.
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But that's what happened to one group of friends when they went for a few drinks and some food recently.
In a post to Reddit, someone claiming to be the partner of one of the women in the party shared a photo of their bill.
They said: "GF and her friends were charged for live music at a restaurant."
And sure enough, the receipt does show four charges for 'live music' at a rate of £8 each, so £32 in total.
Unfortunately, the bar has not been named in the post, so it's difficult to verify the claim, but the receipt looks legit enough.
Unsurprisingly, many who came across the post were shocked and appalled by it.
"Sounds like someone couldn't afford live music and put the bill to the customers," wrote one user.
Another asked: "Why do people go out anymore?"
"Nope not paying that unless I knew about it up front and then would happily pay it," put a third.
While someone else commented: "Plus the service charge?"
Others pointed out that this was likely a form of 'cover charge', which restaurants and bars often add for entertainment such as music.
However, they claimed that this should have been pointed out at the door rather than added straight onto the bill.
One user said: "Restaurants and bars have been charging for live music since before I was born.
"But they usually call it a cover charge and collect it at the door, or call it an event and sell tickets or admission.
"I've never seen any place slip it into the bill like a hidden service fee. Seems kinda scummy."
While a bar worker explained: "We did this at a restaurant I worked at. We had music every night and the menu stated there was an 8-dollar cover charge per person when there was music playing.
"The money went right to the musician(s). Nobody ever complained, the key was having signs everywhere."