Does a restaurant have the right to charge automatic tip?

[StormRichards]

I have had a few instances of undisclosed automatic tipping in tourist areas. They think you won't notice or won't do anything even if you do notice. I even caught an automatic tip on our table of three in Fort Lauderdale. I watch the bill like a hawk and would never accept an non-itemized bill. We catch mistakes on 1/4th to 1/3rd of our bills, mostly just being charged for 4 drinks instead of 3 or what not, but sometimes I see whole entrees that were not ordered or math mistakes. I don't see an automatic tip as a mandatory tip, so I adjust the amount accordingly. I don't care if I have to talk to a manager to do it. But usually when I change the amount, it is to add more. My extended family can be a giant PITA.

When my DH and I go out to dinner with just our daughter, it is extremely rare that there is a mistake on our bill.

When we go out with a group of other families, we often find mistakes when the group decides to do individual checks by family. Have no idea if there are mistakes when it is a single bill, but it is highly unlikely it would be found. There are a couple of people that like to take charge in these situations, and they are not the type to check the bill thoroughly. We absolutely hate splitting a bill with these families for that and many other reasons.