If you’re eating at a restaurant with an ordering kiosk, you might want to take an extra look at your bill.
In the past decade, on-table ordering systems have become incredibly common. Not only do these kiosks allow one to order and pay directly from their table. They also provide entertainment options to keep the diner or their kids entertained until the food comes.
However, some claim that these machines have a common problem—and it’s costing customers money. Here’s what diners say you have to look out for.
Why Was This Texas Roadhouse Customer Charged Extra?
In his video, TikTok user Tony (@themusicroomme) issues a warning about the on-table Ziosk payment machines at Texas Roadhouse.
According to Tony, he sat for a meal at Texas Roadhouse. When it came time to pay, he saw something unfamiliar on his bill.
“I noticed there was a $1.99 charge on our bill for the kiosk,” he says. “Not a big deal, right? But, hey, two bucks is two bucks, and that’s money I’d rather give the server and her final tip.”
Consequently, Tony asked a server about the charge. He was told it was probably an accidental charge for “a game or something like that.”
“Here’s the thing: I don’t touch those kiosks until the very last minute because I’m kind of a germaphobe,” he explains. “So, it wasn’t like I was touching that thing, pressing buttons or things like that. That charge just kind of popped on there.”
While he suspects it was simply an accident, he advises that visitors “be careful, check your bill, make sure there’s nothing on there that shouldn’t be.”
UPDATE: In an email, a Texas Roadhouse spokesperson shared the following: “Guests who do not play games on the at-table payment tablets should not be seeing charges for games. We are investigating this with our vendor.”
Why Do Ziosks Seem To Randomly Charge Customers?
Tony isn’t the first to complain about this issue. In fact, customers have been noting this issue with these payment devices for years.
One user on Facebook alleged that they, too, saw a $1.99 charge on their bill for “Ziosk Game Pass.” When they questioned a server about it, they were told they likely simply hit the game accidentally—something the user fervently denies.
Others have made similar claims about Ziosk machines. One Reddit user stated that the Ziosk at their Chili’s location charged them for “table entertainment” despite no one touching the machine.
“Server took it off after we complained, but wasn’t at all puzzled that it was there,” the user wrote.
A further Facebook user comparably stated that they were also charged for games they didn’t play. Commenters under this post said such occurrences were common.
Some commenters in these threads argued that it was easy to accidentally activate a game on the Ziosk machines. According to some, tapping the game icon or even bumping the Ziosk can be enough to activate a charge. However, this does not explain those who were charged who claim not to have touched the machine altogether.
How Do You Get False Ziosk Charges Taken Off Your Bill?
Thankfully, it seems that servers are aware of this issue. In most cases of people claiming that they were fraudulently charged for Ziosk machine use, they were able to remove the charge by simply speaking with their server.
Still, if one is concerned about being falsely charged during their meal, they should thoroughly inspect their bill to ensure that they are only being charged for the services they used. If they spot an incorrect charge, it can be resolved with the restaurant directly.
While they’re looking at their bill, they may want to be mindful of the automatic tip percentages as well, as many internet users have alleged that the tip calculations performed by Ziosk are also incorrect.
@themusicroomme Don’t get scammed….If you eat at @Texas Roadhouse or other restaurants that use the kiosks at the table, check your bill before you pay!!! 👀 #texasroadhouse #scamalert #eatingout #ziosk @Ziosk
Commenters Say It’s Common
In the comments section, users claimed that this was a familiar story.
“DON’T TOUCH IT!!” exclaimed one user of the Ziosk. “This and a mini-bar in a hotel room.”
“I always grab a napkin and remove the germ infested kiosk. I don’t want it on the table. And they won’t be scamming me with that charge because it’s not in my table,” declared another.
“That happened to me there as well. I moved the kiosk from the end of the table, so it wouldn’t be in our way and it probably started up a game but they took it off for us,” recalled a third. “The waitress said she hates when that happens so I think it happens often.”
BroBible reached out to Ziosk and Tony via email.