The restaurant business is tough with tight margins and low net profits. That’s a fact. Another fact is that many Florida food service establishment bills include various line-item surcharges and fees, generally calculated as a percentage of sales, designed to lessen the effects of costs and slim margins for the owner/operator.

On the other hand, in many instances, the consumer only becomes aware of the charges when the final bill is presented by waitstaff.

Florida Legislature has passed new legislation to take effect July 2026, requiring restaurants, caterers, and other food service providers to provide prior notice of any general line-item operational charge included on a bill.

The law, by definition, draws a distinction between “gratuity” and “operational charge.”

Gratuity” or “tip”

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