The Narendra Modi-led Central government has another happy news for the food lovers. The government has asked to remove the service charge voluntary component levied by hotels. After this move, people won't have to pay the service charge on restaurant's food bills. The news was confirmed by the Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan who said service charge is not a tax, only a tip. "Have issued an advisory to restaurants to remove levying service charge since it is not a tax, only a tip," he added.
Earlier in this year, the government had asked all the restaurants and hotels to put up notices stating ‘service charge is voluntary’. It gave the visitors an option of paying
the charge only if they are satisfied with the service. The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution had said that service charge on food bill wasn’t compulsory and that customers could ask for it to be waived if they weren’t satisfied with the experience.
Yesterday, the Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said the government will not bring a law to check food wastage at hotels and restaurants, rather it will encourage them to take voluntary steps in this regard. “We don’t want any regulations or issue advisory nor want to bring a new law. We want hotels and restaurants to take voluntary steps to address the issue of food wastage,” Paswan told .