compare Petit Trois service fee verbiage with Kazu Nori’s language
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IDGAF, either charge a service fee and don’t include a tip line or don’t charge a service fee and include a tip line. combining both just makes me and people like me angry.
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Yep, me too.
My old-school parents thought restaurants adding a tip to the bill of a large party was insulting & tacky. 
So, I was taught if a restaurant does that then that’s all they get, even if you had intended to tip more. Of course, I don’t always follow that rule now because they guilt you into tipping above the surcharge… but I think my parents were right.
Yah, that’s my point. The 20% covers the tip and the health charge. Just put it on the bill and don’t ask for a tip.
Yep, I like that.
Let’s definitely repeat this same fucking discussion for every restaurant that adopts this common practice.
Adding a service charge will make untipped employees happier while possibly making it harder to hire and retain servers. Adopting a no-tipping policy will make it even harder to hire and retain servers. They’re two separate business decisions.
I normally tip 20% and frequently subtract any service charge from that amount, so absent a no-tipping policy I want them to put the tip line on the bill. Either way, the more information on the receipt, the fewer confused and unhappy customers they’re likely to have. Any change to the language on a receipt almost certainly is a response to customer complaints or requests.
Unlike in some other states, employers in California cannot deduct a portion of tips from wages.
If they raise food prices, that increases their gross receipts, a percentage of which usually goes to the landlord.
Some do, sometimes, but usually just small change.
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it wouldn’t be the same discussion every time if you would stop replying
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Ditto. If you automatically charge me 18% to 20% there is very little chance of me adding anything on top of that.
I personally wish restaurants would just add the 3% to 5% fee to the cost of the food. At a restaurant like Petit Trois, Republique, Bestia, etc… That extra fee becomes fairly negligible when calculating it on a per dish basis. When you total it at the bottom of the bill it stands out more.
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Okay, then Americans have a right to be confused or pissed about this new policy, rule, preference… or we don’t even know wtf to call it. In Europe they’re not “suggesting” you tip too… it’s your own discretion.
Reportedly Petit Trois started out with a no-tipping policy, so I guess they abandoned that at some point:
At restaurants run by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (as well as Petit Trois, co-owned by Ludo Lefebvre), servers tell you as they drop the check that service is included; they also circle that charge on the bill in red pen. The pen mark alone is not enough — if you’re distracted by conversation, you might miss it. But the verbal heads-up plus the highlighting on the check is much appreciated by this diner.
“New”? I first saw the combination of a service charge and a tip line on a receipt in an American restaurant around 35 years ago, when Chez Panisse started accepting credit cards.
Another reason why Animal is my favorite restaurant. 
So what would you do at Petit Trois? Tip 20% on top of the 18%, or tip 2% to get to 20% total?
I have to profess I’m with the others - when I last went to Petit Trois, I saw the 18%, and asked if that was tip. Was told no, you can feel free to add tip on top. I tipped on top of that, but felt a bit ripped off afterward.
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At Petit Trois I’d tip 2% to bring it up to my usual 20%.
are we boycotting petit trois now? I’m down
I’m not. I love that place.
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Laugh’s on you if you do.
Stopped going to the Highland location years ago b/c food progressively turned into nothing but salt bombs. Went to the Valley location and felt the same about the food. It was worse than the food I’ve had at CDG.
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Petit Trois has used as much salt as they do in France since day one. There are lots of other places that pander to anti-salt Americans.
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Restaurants that have both a service charge and a tip line and try to make sure customers know that are in the 99th percentile as far as trying to do right by both their employees and their customers. Besha Rodell laid that out in detail in the piece I linked to already:
Avoiding a place that’s going the extra mile for everybody is its own punishment.
This latest discussion made me remember I didn’t report our last visit. To give an idea of the time lapse, this one was late night on the day France won the World Cup (hence the banners). We couldn’t have picked a better date. Everyone was joyous and celebratory. Lots of jerseys. Service was upbeat and the eclectic music selections were like the DJ version of omakase - Classics (Edith Piaf), American R&B, Hip-Hop, Anthems, New Age, World, Electronic, you name it, but all sung in French, performed by French artists. Really cool.
They didn’t. My mistake. I realized it during this visit… it’s an Old Fashioned made with Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey. 
Copy from my last report. I 
this Bread!
Endive, Walnut, Avocado, Anchovy, Ubriaco Cheese
Nice combinations of sharp, salty, creamy, nutty, sweet and crunchy texture. Good job on this one.
I can now say I’ve had Lobster Thermidor @foodshutterbug
Steak Frites w/Cognac Pepper Sauce
The sauce was good, but I didn’t think the beef had particularly good flavor or texture.
Paris-Brest
I wish I had gotten the Napoleon.
Chocolate Mousse
To me, they went too far trying to make it less sweet and more dark chocolate-y, and whipped cream didn’t makeup for the bitter, chalkiness. Don’t laugh, but I like the cold, housemade, Chocolate Mousse at La Paella much more.
Apologies for grainy photos, PT’s evening lighting is not conducive to photo taking.
I PT, but did see for the first time why some don’t like it. They have a few excellent dishes, but also a few lackluster offerings with definite execution problems.
It was around $150+tax. We paid the 18% Service Charge and gave the waiter $10 cash directly.
Happy Eating & Service Fee Paying!
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