I was stunned to find a mysterious hidden charge on my restaurant bill – it’s perfectly legal

A DINER has been left baffled after being forced to search for a mysterious hidden charge that appeared on his restaurant bill.

The foodie grabbed a bite to eat at The Bavarian Bier Cafe in Queensland, Australia but was confused by the extra cost.

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They had ordered a salad, a schnitzel, two cheeseburgers and a beer for a total of $112.35 (£66.16) – but found that an industry standard service charge of $5.35 (£3.26) was added.

Confused, the diner shared an image of the receipt on Reddit, asking other users for advice.

They said, “Can someone explain what the $5.35 industry service charge is? I have never seen this hidden gem?”

Some indicated it could be a “mandatory tip,” while others suggested it could be a credit card charge.

But others lashed out at the restaurant to add the fee.

One said: “I don’t like being at the **t and I’m always happy to pay my way plus a tip for good service but when I’m shown a menu with prices and end up getting an extra hidden on the bill then I don’t like it.”

Another added, “Looks like another way for Bavarian Bier Cafe to rip people off with their overpriced food and drinks.”

The grocery store has a range of supplements listed in small writing at the bottom of its menu.

It includes credit card fees passed on to customers, a 10 percent fee for groups of ten, a 10 percent fee on Sundays, and an additional 15 percent fee on every holiday.

There is also a five percent service charge between Monday and Saturday.

Venues in Queensland are allowed to impose surcharges as long as they are clearly displayed to customers beforehand, according to the state’s Fair Trading Office.

It comes after a bar in Spain sparked outrage after charging customers every time a waiter visited their table – even making them pay for the use of cutlery.

The Imperial Bar in Zamora added the surcharges to Galey Hermoso’s bill without his prior knowledge.

Mr Hermoso told how after finishing his meal he was not only charged an additional 20 cents (17p) each time the waiter went to his table, but also an extra euro (£0.85) for using cutlery.

Meanwhile, a tourist in Greece was left stunned after being charged nearly €600 (£510) for just two drinks and snacks.

And a vacationer revealed which travel money mistake you should never make – and how to avoid it.