The federal administration plans to take its tithe from this financial windfall which it estimates at nearly a billion francs, according to figures published by the Tribune de Genève. The restaurant community and the political class in Bern are up in arms against this turn of the screw.
A coffee, the bill, and why not, a small tip. Berne plans to tax this small change, such as tips left by bank cards, because it is considered income in the eyes of the law. For a customer present at dinner time, this is clearly a bad idea. “I think workers deserve their tips. It’s a gift. At the time, “pour-boire” meant a glass of wine offered to the waiter so that he had the pleasure of tasting. It was his tip. We don’t tax a glass of wine, we don’t tax a gift. I think it would also be too complicated for restaurateurs to enter into this type of administration, she believes.
Tips considered donations
According to the boss of “Chez Léo”, tips should be considered as donations from customers to servers. Which, according to him, “has nothing to do with income. In catering services, we have “service included”. That is, the server’s salary is already calculated. Tipping is because you were well served. This does not have to be taxed,” says Daniel Carugati, also Vice-President of the Société des Cafetiers.
Under the Dome in Bern, the desires of the federal administration led to an outcry. For the elected member of the National Council, Vincent Maître, this possibility is disproportionate, but not only that. “This will generate monumental bureaucracy for bosses who will have to count tips just like waiters. But it is also unfair, because it is a particularly low salary. Coming to scrounge up a few tax francs on what I consider to be a donation is petty.”
The national councilor of the center is at the origin of a motion supported by all parties. She proposes to completely exempt restaurateurs’ tips. A motion which should be debated during the next session of federal parliament.
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