[SILVERWOOD]

I had been to Paradise Restaurant last evening for dinner and ordered the following (SILVERWOOD+3)

1,Chiken 65-It was average
2,Egg Kheema-My favorite at Paradise, yummy.
3,Mutton Biriyani-A small portion but nevertheless, very good.
4,Butter Naan and Rumali Roti.

Total Damages-Rs 858.

BTW-Paradise does no charge service charge and service tax unlike few other eateries in town.

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by SILVERWOOD

BTW-Paradise does no charge service charge and service tax unlike few other eateries in town.

Service Tax applicability depends on which outlet of Paradise you have visited.

I have a feeling that they will have no choice but to levy it at Persis Gold, the outlet on the 2nd floor.

Service Charge depends on the policies of the management of the business unlike Service Tax which is a Government levy and has to be collected by the business and deposited with the Government.

I have no issues in paying up the Service Tax as billed at any outlet (present rate 3.09 %) but I have very strong reservations in paying up Service Charge (unless and until the quality of the food served and the service and ambience justify it).

[bblost]

Why can they not put an all inclusive price in the menu card.

I hate these add-on charges.

[mobike008]

Enjoyed my first plate of Haleem from Bahar in Hyderguda. Rs.60/Plate

The first plate of the season is special. It just tingled the buds at the right places

I wouldnt call it the best. But, it was extremely good, thick, loaded with ghee and spices were perfect and not overwhelming as in some other outlets. However, the shocking part is quantity is ridiculously low. It was the quantity of Hyline in Gunfoundry who makes much better Haleem than Bahar but, was also infamous for low quantities. But, people still throng his place.

@Waseem, Did you eat at Persis? I recall they charing those taxes. if they dont, they already make up for some high prices of their dishes including their "famous" biryani

[SILVERWOOD]

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

Service Tax applicability depends on which outlet of Paradise you have visited.I have a feeling that they will have no choice but to levy it at Persis Gold, the outlet on the 2nd floor.

Originally Posted by mobike008

@Waseem, Did you eat at Persis? I recall they charing those taxes. if they dont, they already make up for some high prices of their dishes including their "famous" biryani

I visited the main branch and dined at persis.

Zafran Exotica charges 5% service tax and an atrocious 10% service charge.

Other restaurants like bahaar et al have fixed priced menus, so do they have the vat component (4-14.5%) inbuilt in the mentioned price.?

Do we have clear guidelines as to how much % a restaurant can charge a customer.?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by SILVERWOOD

I visited the main branch and dined at persis.

Zafran Exotica charges 5% service tax and an atrocious 10% service charge.

Other restaurants like bahaar et al have fixed priced menus, so do they have the vat component (4-14.5%) inbuilt in the mentioned price.?

Do we have clear guidelines as to how much % a restaurant can charge a customer.?

Originally Posted by mobike008

Enjoyed my first plate of Haleem from Bahar in Hyderguda. Rs.60/Plate

The first plate of the season is special. It just tingled the buds at the right places

I wouldnt call it the best. But, it was extremely good, thick, loaded with ghee and spices were perfect and not overwhelming as in some other outlets. However, the shocking part is quantity is ridiculously low. It was the quantity of Hyline in Gunfoundry who makes much better Haleem than Bahar but, was also infamous for low quantities. But, people still throng his place.

@Waseem, Did you eat at Persis? I recall they charing those taxes. if they dont, they already make up for some high prices of their dishes including their "famous" biryani

Originally Posted by bblost

Why can they not put an all inclusive price in the menu card.

I hate these add-on charges.

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

Service Tax applicability depends on which outlet of Paradise you have visited.

I have a feeling that they will have no choice but to levy it at Persis Gold, the outlet on the 2nd floor.

Service Charge depends on the policies of the management of the business unlike Service Tax which is a Government levy and has to be collected by the business and deposited with the Government.

I have no issues in paying up the Service Tax as billed at any outlet (present rate 3.09 %) but I have very strong reservations in paying up Service Charge (unless and until the quality of the food served and the service and ambience justify it).

I need some serious advise from the finance experts here.We were at Sigree on Saturday night for a forced dinner(the story behind this is a big one so doesnt matter).First things first,Sigree is nothing but a glorified darshini(its an insult to the darshini to be comparing the place with sigree/flame n grill -entire gamut of restaurants in that building).Service was pathetic,they kept serving us the same two starters over and over again until we asked for the buffet menu list and we find we were being taken for a ride,there was a whole list of items on the list while we kept getting the same thing.People were walking all over the place and eating and the hotel staff have no clue how to manage crowds.There was a birthday group and they were such a nuisance-why dont they hire a private place and do whatever nonsense they want to do rather than intruding into other people's privacy and space is beyond me.

Anywys getting to the point,I was given the bill and it was a princely INR 475 per head which was anywys atrocious for the kind of service and ambience that we have there(somebody please change the name of that place from fine dining to roadside dining please)

Now what stood out as the shocker was the amount of tax components included in that bill.I have attached a scanned copy with this for each of you to see.There is a 10% service charge which is downright nonsensical for the kind of attention and sincerity their staff shows,VAT is a cant help component,so is the service tax component,but the components on secondary education cess & Education Cess,imho what on earth are those components doing on a restaurant bill?This is plain double taxation isnt it?

Reason is because these cesses IMO,are charged on income.Whereas in this particular case the restaurant(Speciality Group)is blindly taxing the amount from the customer,and the customer ends up paying the cess twice as this percentage is already taxed on your form 16 as a percentage of your total income and here again,if you eat at speciality group,they are charging you for no good reason.Is my understanding correct?I wanted a clarification from this forum people as I am sure there are people who deal with such things here before I raise a stink with the restaurant and the concerned authorities

For a two people meal,we ended up paying an extra amount which amounts to more than the rate for a child's buffet cost!

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Now what stood out as the shocker was the amount of tax components included in that bill.I have attached a scanned copy with this for each of you to see.There is a 10% service charge which is downright nonsensical for the kind of attention and sincerity their staff shows,VAT is a cant help component,so is the service tax component,but the components on secondary education cess & Education Cess,imho what on earth are those components doing on a restaurant bill?This is plain double taxation isnt it?

Ranjit,

All taxes levied by CBDT (Central Board of Direct taxes) have to levy additionally Education Cess of 2 % of the tax and Secondary Education Cess of 1 % of the tax amount. The direct taxes in India include Income Tax, Central Excise, Service Tax & Customs Duty. The cesses were introduced many years ago as an act of Parliament in the Finance Bill and have been continued with. So you have to pay these cesses on your Income Tax, on Customs Duty, on Central Excise and also on Service Tax.

If the service tax is levied @ 3 %, one has to add another 2 % of this 3 % for education cess and also 1 % of the same 3 % as higher education cess thus taking the total = 3 % + 2X3/100 + 1X3/100 = 3.09 %.

IMO, the service tax is leviable to all business which have a liqour license and all establishments which have air-conditioning in their premises, though I cannot be fully confident of my statement. I did post a link on this thread sometimes in May 2011 which clarifies the rule very clearly.

Regarding VAT, there are 3 slabs ; (1) Nil ; (2) 4 % ; and (3) 14.5 % ;
These are based on the turnover (past as well as projected) of the business establishment. Ohri's will always be in 14.% % because they have many branches across the city and cumulative turnover would put them in the highest bracket. Bahar and others do not really fully declare thus remain in lower or Nil slab. Bandis and small family run food joints would anyway remain in the lowest bracket of Nil tax.

So, one has no choice but to pay the VAT (one of the 3 slabs) and Service Tax of 3.09 % (depending on the business establishment).

That leaves Service Charge to be discussed.

I was just wondering what would be the take of the management of a business if I dispute the levy of service charge and refuse to pay it. I do not think they have any legal remedy available under Indian laws to recover such an amount from me. The only thing is that the establishment would mark me out and refuse me their service the next time.

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

I was just wondering what would be the take of the management of a business if I dispute the levy of service charge and refuse to pay it. I do not think they have any legal remedy available under Indian laws to recover such an amount from me. The only thing is that the establishment would mark me out and refuse me their service the next time.

When do we do this? Going alone will not help. One needs to do this in a big group.

Cheers

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

Hyderabad Raj Bhawan Road Somajiguda will soon see a new "TAKE-AWAY" joint named "ZURNA" which will serve "Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine".

The joint will open in one of the shops on the main road in Divya Shakthi Complex which also houses Peddler's Point, Sparkles Dry Cleaners, Vodaphone among others.

Saw the board already installed and some carpenters working inside the shop.

Since R B Road is an absolute NO PARKING area, the legal parking is behind the shop inside the complex. Parking on the road will be inviting a wheel lock on the vehicle by the Traffic Police.

Zurna opened for business last sunday. It is a take away joint with limited home delivery.

The business is owned by the first cousins of Bahar people jointly with Clock Tower Garden Restaurant people. They will serve biryani from Garden.

All information courtesy Mr Syed Kaleem Ahmed (98 499 36 197) who was manning the counter.

I visited it last night and ordered Appolo fish @ 130 (no taxes for the moment). Average like any place in Hyderabad. Nothing to make it stand out. Will prefer to order at The Hub, tastes so much better.

I asked Mr Syed to suggest his best kebab. He told me that they have cheese kebabs made in tandoor and the dish is not in the menu. According to him, it is just awesome. So, I ordered 1 plate @ 90 (no taxes).

What I got was regular tandoori chicken tikka on which the cook had just grated some cheese on top. Yuck!!!

Average place for regular average taste food.

Will order again as Tandoori Roti is just 8 and Roomali Roti is just 10 which will work as pocket friendly to me.

They plan to start Haleem during the season.

Here is wishing them all the best in their venture though I fail to understand how they will manage to recover their investment.

[NoRules]

Lunched at Garden restaurant, Clock Tower after several years. Mutton biryani handi - costed 200 bucks. Quantity was good, more than sufficient for 2 people but the rice was very dry, very less meat and the taste was okie-dokie. Dont think i will go back in near future.

BTW, I did not read you folks talking about Dine Hill biryani / arabic tandoori chicken / mint chutney / grilled chicken.

[SILVERWOOD]

Originally Posted by NoRules

BTW, I did not read you folks talking about Dine Hill biryani / arabic tandoori chicken / mint chutney / grilled chicken.

Have never been there, but have heard that he makes amazing stuffed Dum ka Bakra on order.

[Fordmanchau]

Originally Posted by NoRules

BTW, I did not read you folks talking about Dine Hill biryani / arabic tandoori chicken / mint chutney / grilled chicken.

Originally Posted by SILVERWOOD

Have never been there, but have heard that he makes amazing stuffed Dum ka Bakra on order.

@ norules, search for Dinehill on the forum, and you will see that we have not missed it. It was discussed in 2009/2010 already.

@waseem bhai, you got to go there and have their Biryani, grilled Chicken with that mint chutney.It's awesome.

[SILVERWOOD]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

@waseem bhai, you got to go there and have their Biryani, grilled Chicken with that mint chutney.It's awesome.

I will sir and it Seems like my dinner for this evening is set.

BTW-They have 2 branches, which one would be good to visit with a family.?

[NoRules]

Originally Posted by SILVERWOOD

I will sir and it Seems like my dinner for this evening is set.

BTW-They have 2 branches, which one would be good to visit with a family.?

Both of them are good. Actually it is not a fancy place. Just basic tables n chairs with few split ACs here and there but it is neat enough to take your family. And you can manage to find parking even in front of the main road Dinehill.

Do try the arabic Tandoori Chicken with mint chutney, grilled chicken with rumali roti and mutton biryani. One thing I did not like there was the chicken biryani. You can also try their kheema stuffed tangdi kebab.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

Ranjit,

All taxes levied by CBDT (Central Board of Direct taxes) have to levy additionally Education Cess of 2 % of the tax and Secondary Education Cess of 1 % of the tax amount. The direct taxes in India include Income Tax, Central Excise, Service Tax & Customs Duty. The cesses were introduced many years ago as an act of Parliament in the Finance Bill and have been continued with. So you have to pay these cesses on your Income Tax, on Customs Duty, on Central Excise and also on Service Tax.
.

Thanks very much for that explanation

As for the service charge,the way things are going I think very soon the service charge would reach 15-20%.10% itself is crazy.The sufferers are the poor hotel staff who actually serve you,because they get only a percentage of the service charge levied and thanks to this,their individual attention on the customers reduce because irrespective of how they serve,the establishment makes money,so why go the extra mile to please customers.

As for how to not pay service charge all that it took for us was to challenge the service charge that was levied on us a couple on months back at Sahib Sindh Sultan,they had the cheek to levy that after the horrible service that was out on display,we called the manager and explained to him that we just are not interested in paying for the horrible service,he got us a fresh bill minus the service charge.My hunch is that they are ready to let go of the charge for people who question the logic of service charge.Its a small loss for the establishments considering that for every 1000 people who pay there would only be one person who might contest it.

Pizza Hut was into forcible charity a couple of months back(not sure if it still is there).Their bill by default would add up 10rs saying it was a donation being made to charity.How absurd can that be?If they want to do their bit,they should be shelling it out themselves.I told them to deduct the charity amount and reprice and they couldnt do it,because their billing software had the 10rs added by default.In the end they refunded the 10rs as cash.Bigger the establishments,bigger are the devious ways of extracting money.Just like Petrol Pumps in Hyd are now a days.If you happen to stop filling at 2500.54 and tell them to swipe your card,they round the amount to 2501,i tell them to round it to 2500 unashamedly.Imagine the amount of free money that they make with this rounding off!