Community› Local Wedding Boards› Louisiana-New Orleans
Louisiana-New Orleans
New Discussion

22% service charge and 9.75% tax

neccles1neccles1
First Comment
in Louisiana-New Orleans
Ladies,

I am having my wedding reception at the W hotels New orleans. is anyone familair with the service charge cost and tax for new orleans. It looks like they charge 22% service charge of you food and beverage subtotal, then they tax the food subtotal, AND tax the service charge. THAT IS RIDICULOUS. I'd appreciate any insight on this. Have you had the same experience with hotels in nola?

Thanks ladies
Report Reply to Post

Re: 22% service charge and 9.75% tax

  • amandaf6383amandaf6383
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    I'm finding the same thing with ALL of the venues that I'm looking at in NOLA! Every single place has the 22% service charge and then the 9.75% tax. I gues it's just the norm for there, even though it sounds crazy to me! I wonder if this means that tips for the waitstaff are not expected at the end of the reception?

    I've never been to the W in NOLA but if it's anything like the W I stayed at in NYC, your reception will be AMAZING!!!!

    image Cheering on Xan921 & akcrrr (congrats!) DX with PCOS - 11/2012 **2000mg Metformin ** DH S/A = "ideal" ** HSG - All Clear In There! **Clomid Cycle next CD3**
    Report Reply
  • MsRichard83MsRichard83 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    It is like that in most hotels here, as well as city park. All those extra taxes put a dent into my budget. I went with Southern Oaks Plantation. All taxes were included in their prices so I didn't have to try to figure all that out!!! Those taxes are crazy, but they charge them just about everywhere.
    Report Reply
  • phunluvin82phunluvin82 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I think we paid the same at our wedding venue.  And, no, we did not tip the staff at the end of the night b/c it was included.  I had asked a few people about this just to be sure, and everyone said not to give an additional tip the night of.  We only tipped the band and the officiant (b/c he did not charge a fee) the actual day of the wedding.
    Report Reply
  • louisianabluelouisianablue member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited December 2011
    It's pretty standard at most of the hotels I looked at.  Some of them do charge 19.75% service charge, but you can't really avoid the tax.  If you do it at a location where you bring in the caterer, some of them include the cost of tax and gratuity and it's still pretty reasonable.  Just something to consider.
    Report Reply
  • zoopsiedaisyzoopsiedaisy member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Louisiana blue is right and one thing to think about when bringing in an outside caterer is that you will likely have to pay the same charge because they will still be providing the wait staff, bartenders, etc... and many places will chage you to bring in an outside caterer.  For instance, our reception site would have charged $1.00 per person for each outside food item we brought in.  We brough in coleslaw from the Ugly Dog and had to pay our venue $175 to allow it, on top of the cost of the coleslaw.  So...find out what your venue's policy is on outside catering and see which will be less expensive.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    Report Reply
  • MDehmlowMDehmlow member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    This is standard. We are doing our reception at the Audubon Tea Room, but I noticed this at all venues we looked at (we saw 6). This way no one has to tip the servers/bartenders at the reception. Tax is like... The law, so you have to pay that. Consider it going to a restaurant with a large group. Most restaurants I go to include gratuity after parties of 6 or more.
    Report Reply
  • neccles1neccles1
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thanks ladies. You are all AWESOME! I feel better now knowing it's standard practice. Hope planning is going well for all. And for those who already had their fabulous day..CONGRATULATIONS!
    Report Reply
  • themadplannerthemadplanner member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Contrary to what these other messages say, the service charge is not a gratuity.  But it is standard across the country.  I just got married myself in NOLA in May, but I have been a wedding planner for six years in Florida.  Your servers don't get any of that money, which is unfortunate because they work really hard.  That being said, to be honest, at a private venue like that, they don't expect to be tipped.  But it is always nice to tip the person running the show that night, if you can afford it.

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards