What is a cover charge at a restaurant?

Asked by: Brent Hettinger  |  Last update: July 23, 2025
Score: 5/5 (56 votes)

A cover charge is a sum of money that you must pay in some restaurants in addition to the money that you pay there for your food and drink. Restaurants may add a $2 per person cover charge to your meal. In addition to the cost of food and drinks, there is a cover charge of 10% on the final bill.

What is a cover charge for in a restaurant?

The American Heritage Dictionary defines it as a "fixed amount added to the bill at a nightclub or restaurant for entertainment or service." In restaurants, cover charges (or "couvert" charges) generally do not include the cost of food that is specifically ordered, but in some establishments, they do include the cost ...

Do you tip on cover charge?

Cover charge has nothing to do with tipping. It's the cost of bread and water. You can ask them not to bring you any (or give them back) and ask them to deduct the cover charge from your bill.

What does a cover mean in restaurant terms?

Definition. A cover means one customer paying for one meal. For example, a table for four diners can provide 4 covers, but if the table is used for two sittings, that becomes 8 covers.

Why do Italian restaurants have a cover charge?

The cover charge was established in the Middle Ages: the inns charged customers who found shelter (indeed a cover, un coperto) there and who, however, brought food from home. In short, the customer brought food from home and the host charged for the service (table, hot air, a roof over head, cutlery).

Cover charge | meaning of Cover charge

29 related questions found

Is cover charge the same as tip?

Many restaurants in Italy provide their patrons with bread and olive oil. As a result, patrons will pay what is known as a coperto, or a cover charge. This is a bit different than tipping in Italy, because the coperto goes to the restaurant itself, and not your individual server.

Do you tip in Italy if there is a cover charge?

Many Italian restaurants apply a table charge (pane e coperto) per person, which covers bread and olive oil served before the meal and essentially serves as a reservation for your table. This cover charge should be noted on the menu and is not a replacement for a tip.

Why do they call it a cover?

The word 'cover' was not yet in widespread use when Cline recorded 'Crazy'. A journalist in 1952, quoting a musician who used the word, felt he needed to explain what it meant. He wrote that it is 'trade jargon meaning to record a tune that looks like a potential hit on someone else's label'.

Why do restaurants call customers covers?

The term cover in a restaurant refers to one meal, or one customer served in a restaurant. Generally, you'll find that the term cover refers to a guest served during a given period of time.

What does pax mean in restaurants?

Pax = guest / patron. In a restaurant it would be the number of guests per reservation, table, or check. For instance: if the reservation is for 2 people, it could be said the reservation is “2 pax” if the check is “4 pax” it is a check for 4 people.

Do you still tip $20 at expensive restaurants?

You should tip at least 18% of the pretax bill at a fine dining restaurant. A 20% tip is a good way to acknowledge exceptional service.

Is it rude to not tip on top of gratuity?

Do you tip on top of 20% gratuity? Tipping on top of a 20% automatic gratuity is not required. The automatic gratuity is intended to cover the customary tip. However, if you feel the service was exceptional, you are welcome to tip additionally.

Why are restaurants charging a surcharge?

Some restaurants opt to absorb the fees as a cost of doing business, while others pass the fees to customers through surcharges or convenience fees. Each approach has its pros and cons, and the right choice depends on the restaurant's specific circumstances, including customer demographics and local competition.

Why is it called a cover charge?

Origin as restaurant cover charge, and etymology

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a "cover charge" as a "charge for service added to the basic charge in a restaurant". Such a charge is made in many countries, usually described by the word equivalent to "cover" (couvert, coperto, cubierto, etc.).

Why do restaurants charge a kitchen fee?

Why are restaurants introducing kitchen fees? Essentially, a kitchen appreciation fee attempts to level the playing field and fix the all-too-common wage gap or pay divide between front- and back-of-house employees.

What percentage should overhead cost be in a restaurant?

For restaurants, an overhead percentage of 35% is considered typical. Retail businesses, on the other hand, operate closer to a 20% to 25% overhead percentage. Regardless of your profitability, it is important to track your overhead costs regularly.

What is the most common customer complaints in the restaurant?

Common Restaurant Complaints and How to Address Them
  • Low-quality food or drink.
  • Order mix-up.
  • Slow service.
  • Poor customer service.
  • Uncleanliness.
  • Overpriced menu items.
  • General atmosphere.
  • Unavailable products or services.

What is the average check-in restaurant?

Average Check (Covers) is also known as a 'PPA' or Per-Person Average, or called Average Check. This is the average spend for the included revenue per dining guest. Average Check (Checks) can also be viewed as a Per-Table Average.

What does 40 covers mean in a restaurant?

A cover refers to a single serving for one guest at your restaurant. In the context of restaurant management, the term “cover” is also used to describe the number of guests served or expected to be served. For instance, a restaurant with 100 covers in a night has served 100 guests.

Why do chefs call it covers?

It comes from the French word couvert, and is derived from a phrase that translates to “anything that is required to cover the table for a meal”. The other notion is that the word cover refers to a cloth used to protect an individual setting on a table from dust.

How do covers work?

A cover song is a new performance or recording of a previously recorded song by someone other than the original artist or composer. The new recording is typically similar to the original song in terms of structure, though the arrangement may differ.

What does it mean when someone calls you a cover girl?

An attractive woman whose photograph is featured on a magazine cover; also, a woman attractive enough to be so featured. For example, All models hope to be cover girls some day , or She's gorgeous—a real cover girl . [ c.

Is bread free in Italian restaurants?

In Italy, service charge is known as coperto. This includes table service and bread, and most often is included in the bill.

Do you tip at Michelin star restaurants?

Tip Right

If not, a 5-10% tip is perfectly acceptable.

Is it rude not to tip in Italy?

Stories aside, there is etiquette when it comes to tipping taxis, tour guides, restaurants, bars, and hotel staff. In general, tipping in Italy is not expected or required unless you receive exceptional service – at which point a few Euros is best.