A historic London gastropub has come under fire after a customer spotted a new discretionary charge on their bill – but others have praised the charge as ‘inspired’
A well-known London eatery has been criticised after a patron noticed an unexpected additional charge on their bill.
The historic Islington gastropub, The Pig and Butcher, dating back to the 1800s, is renowned for its high-end British cuisine, including Celeriac Milanese, Butter-Poached Halibut, South Coast Seabass and English Lamb. On Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant also serves its signature Beef Wellington in a specially designed Butcher’s Room downstairs, and the restaurant offers a range of rare-breed sharing steaks from Monday to Saturday.
Despite its popularity, the restaurant has recently faced backlash online after a customer shared a photo of their receipt, revealing a £1.23 discretionary charge labelled “Carbon Free Dining.” It comes after a Brit abroad slams all-inclusive hotel food asking ‘what on earth is this?’
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While the fee is relatively small, it has sparked a wider debate about transparency and the increasing number of add-ons appearing on restaurant bills. Posting on Reddit, the customer expressed surprise at the fee and wrote: “I kind of got desensitised to the service charge already, but carbon free dining? That’s something new.”
One person commented: “Yeah, this is a very stupid and sneaky thing that’s coming over from the US. Service charge percent on top of the additional ‘optional’ fee that they’ve added (probably hidden away on the menu, if mentioned at all).
“When you ask for the £1.23 to be taken off, do you reckon they remove the 12.5 percent of £1.23 that they’ve also added for no reason?”.
Several other restaurants across London are implementing the same voluntary charge, which diners can request to have removed from their bill if they prefer, reports the Express.
A spokesperson for Noble Inns, The Pig and Butcher’s parent company, told Metro: “This is optional and we explain this to customers. They can just ask to remove it. So far this calendar year our customers have donated £31,000 to GiftTrees and £9,211.75 to StreetSmart.”
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The charge supports GiftTrees, an environmental project focused on achieving carbon neutrality and promoting sustainability. According to its website, its aim is to assist in planting 1 billion trees globally while helping 1 million people escape poverty.
StreetSmart is a charity which fundraises to assist homelessness organisations throughout the UK. One customer also told the Metro: “I’ve eaten in The Pig and Butcher and I think this kind of initiative is not only reasonable – it’s inspired.
“I’m a sucker for a restaurant with good ethos and if anything I’d like to see more follow suit. I try to be environmentally conscious in most areas of life, but I hadn’t really considered the carbon impact of eating out.
“I understand that people want to enjoy a meal without feeling preached to, but a light nudge toward greater consciousness can go a long way.
“If you can afford dinner at The Pig and Butcher where the standard price for a main is £30, odds are you can afford £1.23 – and if you can’t or don’t want to pay it, you don’t have to.”
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