Restaurant added a service charge I wasn’t told about until the bill arrived

Traders are generally required to display the total price of goods and services clearly before a consumer commits to a purchase, and an undisclosed mandatory charge added only at the billing stage can raise concerns under fair pricing and transparency obligations linked to the Consumer Affairs Act, Chapter 378 of the Laws of Malta. If the service charge was not stated on the menu, on signage, or communicated to you before you ordered, you have a reasonable basis to question whether it was validly imposed as a mandatory charge rather than a discretionary tip. You can raise the issue directly with the restaurant at the time or afterwards in writing, asking them to remove the charge or explain where it was disclosed. If you believe this is a wider pattern rather than a one-off mistake, you can report it to the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA), which monitors pricing transparency practices across the hospitality sector.