not really the same. tipping is a custom, but it's not legally required unless the restaurant clearly states that it will be added to the bill. sales tax is no

not really the same. tipping is a custom, but it's not legally required unless the restaurant clearly states that it will be added to the bill. sales tax is not really a hidden fee. americans usually know the general sales tax for their state. it gets a bit more complicated with specific excise taxes (eg, alcohol), but these rates are publicly available. if you're really concerned, you can always just ask your server or their manager what the after-tax cost of an item on the menu is. even if you know exactly what medical procedure will be performed, it is still pretty hard to get an exact quote for the cost. it certainly can't be calculated from freely available numbers.