Deputies propose eliminating mandatory restaurant tipping

Santo Domingo.- As the Senate debates extending the mandatory 10% restaurant gratuity to takeout and delivery orders, some legislators in the Chamber of Deputies are considering reviving an old proposal to completely eliminate the legal tip requirement for customers.

The initiative, originally presented in 2011 by then-PLD deputy Nelson Guillén, argued that patrons are subject to triple taxation: 16% VAT, the mandatory 10% tip, and additional voluntary payments given directly to employees. The bill at the time did not pass but has regained attention in light of the new debate over tips on digital food delivery platforms.

Gustavo Sánchez, spokesperson for the PLD in the Chamber of Deputies, stated that legislators are reviewing an updated version of the bill, aimed at eliminating the mandatory tip while maintaining fairness in employee compensation. He argued that current rules, under Article 229 of the Labor Code, require employers to distribute tips weekly and equally among staff, but in practice, money is often unequally allocated, raising questions about whether consumers should subsidize low wages.

The proposed elimination comes as the Senate considers an amendment supported by Asonahores to include legal tips for services provided through digital platforms. Critics argue that this extension would place an additional financial burden on middle-class consumers, who already face multiple taxes and payments. Sánchez highlighted that restaurants often benefit twice, by collecting mandatory tips and receiving voluntary gratuities from dine-in customers.