Customer stunned after restaurant charges bizarre fee

She couldn't believe what Ombra had charged her for. Photo / 123rf

A customer has been left stunned after she received a bizarre charge on her restaurant bill.

Rosie French had ordered a tagliatelle dish at an Italian restaurant in the UK, but when she came to pay her bill she was taken back by an extra charge on the receipt.

The customer was shocked to see she was charged a "supplement" fee of £1.50 ($3) after she accepted the waiter's offer to grate some fresh parmesan cheese over the top of her meal.

She took to Twitter to share a photo of the bill showing a $3 charge for her "1 x Parmisan (sic) Supplement".

"Any thoughts on this 'parmisan supplement'," she wrote.

"Wasn't mentioned to us during the awkward, painfully slow, grating at the table."

Any thoughts on this “parmisan supplement” @jayrayner1? Wasn’t mentioned to us during the awkward, painfully slow, grating at the table. Would have let her carry on had we known! pic.twitter.com/jjfie11oAR

— Rosie French (@rosiefrenchfood) April 24, 2018

Since posting an image of her receipt, others expressed their confusion at the charge, while also questioning the "unreasonable" gratuity fee tacked onto the bill.

"Never heard of such a thing," one woman wrote.

"What's next? An extra charge for salt and pepper?" one man questioned.

"A service charge and a line to add a gratuity? Cake and eat it," another added.

However, the restaurant's head chef, Mitshel Ibrahim, has defended the extra charge saying it's on the menu, and posted an image of the menu in response to French.

pic.twitter.com/o3394kPu00

— Mitshel (@Mitshel_Ibrahim) April 25, 2018

Following the fallout, French said the reaction has "illustrated the insanity of the internet and just how strongly people feel about cheese".

"This parmesan thing is out of control! I asked @jayrayner1 what he thought (without naming the restaurant) as knew he'd set me straight if this was the norm in London. Turns out most consumers feel extra parmesan should be factored into Italian restaurant margins. The end."