Automatic tip or service charge? New state law requires restaurants to tell diners before they order

People dining out in Florida should see fewer surprises when their check arrives beginning July 1. A new state law requires restaurants to clearly disclose mandatory fees and service charges before customers even place their orders.

The updated law expands existing requirements beyond automatic tips to cover a broader category of an "operations charge" — including service charges, credit card surcharges, delivery fees and other mandatory charges added to a customer's bill, excluding taxes.