By Terrance Rey
Once upon a time, working in the hospitality industry on St. Maarten was a path to progress. Waiters, bartenders, maids, and casino attendants took pride in their work — and they were rewarded for it. Their tips were theirs. In fact, some built their houses with the tips they earned serving tourists, one plate or one drink at a time.
Fast forward to today, and that story has changed — for the worse. Many restaurants, hotels, and casinos now include a 15% “service charge” in the bill, claiming it’s for the staff. But in reality, those tips never reach the hands that earned them. Businesses keep them — and in some cases, even use that “service charge” to pay salaries instead of treating it as a gratuity. That’s not just dishonest; it’s economic exploitation disguised as modern business practice.
And it doesn’t stop there. When customers pay by card and add an extra amount for the server — rounding off the total as a gesture of appreciation — the business often pockets that too. The server never sees it. So while management thrives, the people actually doing the hard work — the smiling faces, the fast hands, the late-night cleaners — are left struggling to make ends meet.
This is not just unfair. It’s creating poverty in plain sight. The very industry built on hospitality has turned cold to its own workers.
When I was 18, working at bars, restaurants, and at the old Hillside Disco Club at Mullet Bay, I made more in tips than I did in salary. Those were the days when good service meant good reward. Now, the rules of the game have changed — and not in favor of the workers.
If the 15% service charge doesn’t go to the staff, then stop calling it a tip. Call it what it is — a hidden profit margin.
The hospitality sector thrives on the labor and charm of its workers. It’s time to give them back their fair share. Bring back the joy, the pride, the jollification that once made this island’s service industry the heartbeat of our economy.
Until then, I’ll be tipping cash — and directly into the hands of those who earn it.
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