Restaurant Scams in Denver

Hidden Restaurant Surcharge Confusion

Denver restaurants and bars increasingly add mandatory service charges of 4–20% to bills without clearly disclosing them at the point of ordering — a practice that prompted multiple lawsuits in 2024–2025 after workers alleged the surcharges were not being distributed as advertised. Tourists, accustomed to standard tipping norms, frequently pay both the automatic surcharge and an additional tip, resulting in effective markups of 30–40% above the menu price. The City of Denver debated a citywide 20% mandatory surcharge ordinance in 2025, further normalizing the practice.