India, Oct. 27 -- Somehow the issue of service charges at restaurants never goes away. It's back in the news again after a Delhi hotel was fined for levying a service charge. But here's the extraordinary thing about the controversy. Most customers, the courts, regulators and the government are largely in agreement: there is a serious problem with tacking service charges onto bills. But restaurant owners simply don't care. They think the charge is totally fair and will go to any lengths to levy it.ALSO READ: The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: An unnecessary controversy in Dubai over Michelin stars

The customer perspective is easy to understand. A service charge is supposed to reflect a customer's joy at being given good service; it takes the place...