Several restaurants and bars in the historic center of San Cristóbal de Las Casas have implemented a new method for collecting tips from all customers, which has generated anger among the public. Owners, managers, and servers have taken it upon themselves to collect tips directly, a situation that many consider obligatory, when previously they left tips voluntarily.
This improper collection has been publicly denounced in several downtown establishments, where receipts display a text or stamp that reads “tip not included” or “tip not included.” In some places, the mandatory amount ranges between 50 and 100 pesos per customer.
Those affected have taken photographs of the receipts to demonstrate this practice, which has also occurred in areas such as the Santa Lucía neighborhood and the southern part of the city. Local citizens are not accustomed to this mandatory charge imposed by businesses.
“We’ve eaten at several restaurants in other cities in Chiapas, but in our city, which will celebrate its 500th anniversary in less than three years, we were surprised to find that we were required to tip when paying the bill. In other places, we’ve left tips voluntarily, but this time was different because the receipt had a stamp that read ‘tip not included.’ In other establishments, the amounts range from 20, 25, 50, or even 100 pesos, depending on the total bill. We always leave tips voluntarily,” said one customer, who declined to be interviewed.
So far, no official statement has been issued by the owners, managers, or supervisors of these establishments. The complainants are calling for the intervention of an authority or the National Commission for the Protection of the Environment (Canirac) to verify and regulate this practice in businesses in the Jovel Valley.
Source: oem
