Restaurant bills increasingly include automatic service charges, and public discussion often centres on transparency, fairness, and the link between service quality and gratuities. Recent reporting highlights that many diners still pay service charges even when they feel uncertain or mildly dissatisfied, suggesting a social-norm effect. At the same time, some consumers remove or reduce charges when service falls short, which points to “conditional acceptance” rather than blanket approval or rejection. This question avoids presuming that service charges are inherently good or bad; it focuses on conditional acceptability. A Likert scale captures nuance and reduces forced polarisation. Results can help businesses and researchers understand perceived legitimacy of service charges as part of modern dining culture.