Service Charge and Tax in Bali, Explained

You have seen it on menus all over Bali: a price, then two little plus signs. “250K++”. Here is what those two signs mean, how to work out what you will actually pay, and how tipping fits in.

The two pluses

The first ”+” is the service charge, the second is the government tax. In Bali, restaurants and hotels commonly add a service charge of 5 to 10% and a tax of 10%. At Maison Almaz it is 7% service charge and 10% government tax, in that order.

So a menu price is the base; the bill adds the two on top. This is normal and legal; the menu simply shows the price before the additions, and the ”++” is the flag.

The quick calculation

Multiply the menu price by about 1.177. In practice: add 18%, and you are close enough to plan.

• 250K++ becomes roughly 294K
• 500K++ becomes roughly 589K
• A 1,000K bill for the table becomes roughly 1,177K

Our menu shows prices in “K” (thousand rupiah), so 250K is IDR 250,000 before the additions.

Where the service charge goes

The service charge is collected by the restaurant and, in the standard Bali model, shared with the staff as part of their pay. It is not a tip in the personal sense; it is part of how the industry pays its people across the island.

So, do you tip?

It is optional. Nobody at Maison Almaz will expect it, and nobody will be surprised by it. If the evening was good and you want to say so, a tip can be added to your card payment or left in cash; the team shares it. Our Good to Know page says the same thing in one line.

Paying

Cash, credit and debit cards are all accepted. The bill shows the base, the service charge and the tax as separate lines, so you can see exactly where the number comes from. If anything looks off, ask; we would rather explain it at the table than have you leave wondering.

In short

”++” means add about 18%. Tipping is a gesture, not a rule. Everything else about a visit, hours, booking, groups, dress code, is on Good to Know.