It is not compulsory to tip

Ina Lempereur writes:

'In a reputed Valletta restaurant I noticed that the words 'Service charge not included' and 'This is not the final bill' are printed on the bill. Is this the case in all restaurants? Is it mandatory for the customer to pay for the service charge or a gratuity tip? Can the restaurant impose on you a service charge without you being informed about it when you are ordering food from the provided menu? And should the customer leave a tip even when the service is undesirable?'

First of all, I must stress that it is not compulsory to tip. The English Oxford Dictionary definition of 'tip' is: 'A small sum of money given as a reward for services rendered'. In no uncertain terms the relative conditions regarding tips depend on whether customers are satisfied and, more importantly, the extent of how satisfied the customer is.