"Bottle Breakage Fee"

[NealNearNorth]

Today in the pool at Costa Linda, I spoke to someone who had dined with her husband for lunch at Nos Cunucu. When the bill came, there was an $8 charge, which amounted to well over 20% of their bill. She inquired, and was told it was a "bottle breakage fee". Not the BBO, which was, perhaps, a dollar. She had never heard of this.

Can anyone explain this add-on?

[Arubalisa]

I believe that is an "old fashioned" term for what is now known on the island as a "service charge".

These are from personal communications I received years ago. The first was from the Aruba Tourism Authority here in Atlanta.

"The hotel employees do pool their tips & get this in their pay Cheques. If you decide to add some more, s/he gets it at the end of his/her shift that same day. But some of the independent restaurants do it differently. "Service Charge" does not necessarily always mean that the server gets this. I was shocked, I am sure you will be too. This goes to the back staff (cook, dishwasher, etc). Breakage & Insurance: this is a very ludicrous. I have not patronized none of these establishments."

Also, from the late Aruban Restaurateur, Roger Coster, speaking of some of his establishments...

"Our company writes in all our menus:
The 15% Service Charge added to your bill is a gratuity divided among our kitchen & service staff according to a point system & is part of their salary. However please fell free to tip where individual service has been excellent.

The restaurants & hotels hold a percentage of the 15% to cover breakage - In addition the service charge is taxed as being a part of the salary. If the service is good I never fail to leave an additional 5 to 10% to insure promptness ( T.I.P. )"

[NealNearNorth]

The waitress explained that the "bottle breakage fee" was NOT a service charge, and at $8, it was well over 20% of the cost of their lunch for two. She said she will chime in on this soon, when she is home with her own computer and internet.

It's clear that hidden up-charges like this in the Aruban restaurants are why so many places now put prominently in their advertising NO SERVICE CHARGE, as Whacky Wahoo does. I think tourists are leary of the "local" places for exactly this reason.

I know I had a thread about being upset that Blossoms charged me 15% service charge for a carry-out order, with the ever-popular "it's automatic. There's nothing I can do, it's in the computer".

[danadog56]

So, what you are telling us is that there was the usual 15 or 20% service fee and then another 8 dollars on top of that for bottle breakage ???
Interesting that we as tourists have to pay a bottle breakage fee when if you buy a case of beer in bottles there is no return fee....same for wine....so why the breakage fee ???