Last updated on February 24th, 2023

If you have eaten at a restaurant or cafe, you may have seen the receipt that has additional charges, such as GST and service charge. However, if you buy food from other places like McDonald’s, the prices have already factored in GST. How can you tell when you’ll need to pay the extra charges, and when do you not need to? Here’s what you need to know, especially when you need to split a bill with your friends:

What does the ++ mean in Singapore?

The ++ sign after the prices of restaurants and hotels signifies the price you are paying before factoring in GST (8%) and service charge (10%). You will need to add both additional charges to the nett price to determine the final amount you need to pay. Whenever you see a restaurant that displays its prices with the “++”...