Customers left divided after spotting fine print addressing tipping on restaurant menu

Customers have been left divided after noticing some small print on the receipt of a popular restaurant chain.

Tipping can often be a divisive topic. While some food establishments automatically add gratuity, others don't.

And while some diners always tip a certain amount, some only tip if they feel they've had good service.

Everyone has their own feelings on the matter, but one food chain has made things pretty clear over whether they expect tips or not.

Posting a screengrab of the menu on Reddit, one person explained that they were surprised to see the note.

Not many places go into so much detail when it comes to tipping, but the Cheesecake Factory seemed to set out their terms pretty clearly.

"Pleasantly surprised to see this on the menu! I’m willing to tip in some circumstances, but glad the 18% auto gratuity is marked as optional!" The poster wrote.

In the image, a note on the menu reads: "Tipping is entirely voluntary. For the convenience of our guests, we add an 18% suggested tip to parties of 8 or more, but payment of that amount is not required. Our guests always have the right to determine how much they’d like to tip."

Other Redditors were impressed too, with one writing: "Good. It should be voluntary. It’s always been an option not a rule."

While another added: "I like that they are clear that it can be removed even though it puts the customer in an awkward position (deliberately), because it at least acknowledges that it's the customers' decision."

However, some weren't so sure.

One person claimed it could cause 'confrontation' and 'anyone looking to avoid it will not ask for the optional tip to be updated or removed'.

While another called the automated 18 percent a 'slap in the face' and makes the 'the voluntary part seem kinda mute'.

Recently, we told you how a woman was left unimpressed when she was hit with an unexpected $44 tip on her bill.

The TikToker, who goes by @binkssofamous, shared a clip to her page and it's so far generated five million views.

Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

In the video, she is seen chatting to two members of waiting on staff at the Sugar Factory and asks: "What is gradtity and why is it $44? Who is gradtity?"

The two waitresses laugh nervously as one of them explains that its a tip.

"A tip?" she says back. "Y'all can put that s**t on now?"

She captioned the video: "Nahhhh the @Sugar Factory got me a lil TIGHT !!!!!

"Tf is GRADTITY !!!!!!!!"

Her reaction has sparked an online debate between fellow TikTok users on whether they think $44 is too much or not.

"Sugar Factory adds 20 percent automatically which is insane," one person claimed, as another said: "I feel like tip culture should only apply to food delivery, and transportation."

What do you think?