HYDERABAD: A ₹62.75 charge. No explanation. No opt-out offered. Just a line on the bill - "staff contribution" - sitting quietly between the taxes and the total.
That's what a customer at Minerva Coffee Shop in Tourist Bhavan, Begumpet says happened during a routine visit. The charge, listed at 5% of the bill amount, caught the diner off guard - especially since a voluntary tip had already been handed to the staff, and all applicable taxes were already accounted for.
The customer flagged the charge publicly on social media. The post gained traction fast.
When Hyderabad Mail reached out to the establishment, a staff representative confirmed that the "staff contribution" is, in fact, optional - and that customers can choose not to pay it. However, the outlet's manager was unavailable to explain how, or whether, this option is communicated to diners before or during their meal.
That gap - between what's technically optional and what ends up on the final bill - is exactly what's fuelling the backlash.
Consumer rights guidelines issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority are unambiguous: any service-related charge must be voluntary, and cannot be imposed without a customer's explicit consent. The guidelines don't just apply to the charge itself - they apply to how it's disclosed.
Legal intent aside, the practical reality in many restaurants is different. Charges appear. Customers pay. Most don't notice. Some don't ask.
Those who do are increasingly speaking out.
Social media responses to the post reflect a wider frustration - diners who say they've encountered similar add-ons at other city eateries, often presented without explanation, and removed only when challenged.
Whether the Minerva Coffee Shop incident is an isolated case or a window into a broader practice remains to be established. The outlet has not issued a formal statement.
But the episode lands during a moment of heightened consumer awareness around billing practices in Hyderabad's food and beverage sector.
The question it leaves behind is a sharp one: if a charge is truly optional, why does a customer have to ask for it to disappear?