Is it me, or are restaurants adding more "fees" than in the past?

[JHZR2]

Yeah a "Kitchen fee " rubs me the wrong way.

why? Surely you want a $15-20+ minimum wage, benefits for all, more taxes on greedy business owners, more regulation on the cc companies and banks, right? Oh, and keep printing money. Guess who pays for all that.

I suspect a kitchen fee is for some laborers, to offset wage increases.

Or for the cost of electricity, or paper towels, etc.

 

[SC Maintenance]

And you still pay more. They are probably tagging the fee on to make it more transparent why you are paying more.

How is it more transparent if it comes after I eat? It sounds like its opaque not transparent at all.

Move to California. Here, restaurants cannot tag on a fee. The menu price is the price. If a gratuity charge is included it says so.

+1 for California. Not moving though, I just love the 100% humidity too much I can just decline to visit such enterprises,.

Ah, capitalism - everyone trying to make a buck while saving a buck.

If your referring to free market capitalism - the absolute definition of a free market is everyone has the same information at the same time up front. For decades I have taken large groups to restaurants, and there is always a disclaimer in bold that groups of x number or more will automatically be charged a gratuity of xx%. No issues - disclosed and expected. These junk fees are just another business owner not doing their job.

 

[SC Maintenance]

why? Surely you want a $15-20+ minimum wage, benefits for all, more taxes on greedy business owners, more regulation on the cc companies and banks, right? Oh, and keep printing money. Guess who pays for all that.

I suspect a kitchen fee is for some laborers, to offset wage increases.

Or for the cost of electricity, or paper towels, etc.

So your OK if Walmart charges a 3% "labor offset fee" on all purchases - that wasn't disclosed until after you rang everything up? And not all Walmarts. Just certain ones.

As for the labor / minimum wage discussion. I have no issue with minimum wages or adjusting minimum wages for inflation - its a fair thing to do and everyone would know what it was. However at the end of the day no one held a gun to the kitchen staff and made them go to work there. They did so of their own free will. If they don't like the pay - they should move on. I have this discussion with my children often. "they don't pay me enough". Me - "nope - they don't. Find a better job and then you can tell them to kick rocks."

 

[vavavroom]

How is it more transparent if it comes after I eat? It sounds like its opaque not transparent at all.

Are you sure there isn't a footnote on the posted menu? If not, then I agree, tack-on fees should be declared.

+1 for California. Not moving though, I just love the 100% humidity too much I can just decline to visit such enterprises,.

That's obviously your prerogative.

If your referring to free market capitalism - the absolute definition of a free market is everyone has the same information at the same time up front.

That's wishful thinking.

For decades I have taken large groups to restaurants, and there is always a disclaimer in bold that groups of x number or more will automatically be charged a gratuity of xx%. No issues - disclosed and expected. These junk fees are just another business owner not doing their job.

This brings me back to asking if there is no mention of the fee anywhere until you get the bill. If so that's not right. No argument from me.

 

[SC Maintenance]

This brings me back to asking if there is no mention of the fee anywhere until you get the bill. If so that's not right. No argument from me.

If they disclose the fees clearly upfront - like at the bottom of the menu in bold or a sign - then me either. If I don't like it I can get up and leave. But I have never seen the disclosure on any of these but I have been charged all of them. And I am not particularly un-observant.

 

[vavavroom]

If they disclose the fees clearly upfront - like at the bottom of the menu in bold or a sign - then me either. If I don't like it I can get up and leave. But I have never seen the disclosure on any of these but I have been charged all of them. And I am not particularly un-observant.

Now that you know this issue exists, are you going to ask them about hidden fees before they seat you?

 

[SC Maintenance]

Now that you know this issue exists, are you going to ask them about hidden fees before they seat you?

No, not my job to ask. Fool me once shame on you. You won't fool me twice because I won't be back.

At the end of the day a few percentage points to me is a meaningless number. But as someone that grew up in a family run business and has always been in a customer facing role at work for 30 year since, integrity matters. Trying to slide some hidden fee by because its not enough money for someone to complain about is unethical. I would rather watch a bunch of them go out of business. I am guessing some soon will.

 

[Rmay635703]

Are you sure there isn't a footnote on the posted menu? If not, then I agree, tack-on fees should be declared.

That's obviously your prerogative.

That's wishful thinking.

This brings me back to asking if there is no mention of the fee anywhere until you get the bill. If so that's not right. No argument from me.

For decades certain charges are never in the menu

Things I’ve been charged for over the years

Tap water

Pay toilet

A drink minimum when I was buying a meal not drinks.

Lemon wedge

Condiments (like mayo or hot sauce)

Plate fee when someone I was eating with wanted to try what I was eating but they had their own meal

Onions in hash browns

Aujus

Salsa, butter, sour cream, I can understand these to a point but charging for sour cream on a potato seems sort of wrong.

Extra for chicken in chicken red curry that had no chicken in it for some reason

I’ve learned over the years that if the waitress asks if you want season salt on your fries you’re gonna pay extra for it.
Given what I’ve seen I’m surprised they don’t charge for silverware and a napkin at this point.


What’s new are the service charges, mandatory minimum tips you can’t decline if you pay by card and variable credit card fees.

 

[vavavroom]

For decades certain charges are never in the menu

Things I’ve been charged for over the years

Tap water

I was charged for a glass of tap water in Europe.

Pay toilet

At a restaurant? Never heard of that

A drink minimum when I was buying a meal not drinks.

Lemon wedge

Condiments (like mayo or hot sauce)

Plate fee when someone I was eating with wanted to try what I was eating but they had their own meal

Onions in hash browns

Aujus

Salsa, butter, sour cream, I can understand these to a point but charging for sour cream on a potato seems sort of wrong.

Extra for chicken in chicken red curry that had no chicken in it for some reason

I’ve learned over the years that if the waitress asks if you want season salt on your fries you’re gonna pay extra for it.
Given what I’ve seen I’m surprised they don’t charge for silverware and a napkin at this point.


What’s new are the service charges, mandatory minimum tips you can’t decline if you pay by card and variable credit card fees.

None of the above ever.

 

[Rmay635703]

More likely you’ve paid for things and never realized you were. Some places are pretty stealthy at hiding fees.

The Greek gyro place and one of the Chinese places charge for water, so I always say I don’t want a drink.

Many places lack a bathroom, which is frustrating.

Dennys charges for season salt

 

[John105]

" Kitchen fee " ? That's unique ..

Sounds like it's along the lines of shop fees with motor vehicle repairs. It doesn't represent anything and is an outright (and legal) tax. Probably for individuals to feel the gain the way these establishments do, is those who work from home. That's a tax as well on the employer.

 

[John105]

More likely you’ve paid for things and never realized you were. Some places are pretty stealthy at hiding fees.

The Greek gyro place and one of the Chinese places charge for water, so I always say I don’t want a drink.

Many places lack a bathroom, which is frustrating.

Dennys charges for season salt

Why I usually don't check my receipts on restaurants....well....30+ years of using credit cards, only 2X has it ever been wrong. One was a Friendly's restaurant not adding the generous tip I left on the receipt (they only charged the base amount), and a Chinese restaurant adding a 50% tip to a take out order. The latter? I'm sure it was on purpose and that it was SOP and likely they just got caught a small % of the time.

 

[JHZR2]

So your OK if Walmart charges a 3% "labor offset fee" on all purchases - that wasn't disclosed until after you rang everything up? And not all Walmarts. Just certain ones.

As for the labor / minimum wage discussion. I have no issue with minimum wages or adjusting minimum wages for inflation - its a fair thing to do and everyone would know what it was. However at the end of the day no one held a gun to the kitchen staff and made them go to work there. They did so of their own free will. If they don't like the pay - they should move on. I have this discussion with my children often. "they don't pay me enough". Me - "nope - they don't. Find a better job and then you can tell them to kick rocks."

No, I hate Walmart and I’d walk.

Point was, things cost money. And things that folks say are “fair” cost money. If you want them you end up paying. Doesn’t matter if it’s in the cost of the product, or the cost of surcharges to provide the mandated payouts to staff.

I generally agree with your sentiments. I’m ok with reasonable (not a politically convenient number) wage increase, and I also recognize that people can go work elsewhere, or get the skills and behavior patterns to be able to.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Restaurant owners don't want to raise menu prices so they tack on these fees. You should see some of the junk fees restaurants in Las Vegas charge. It should qualify as false advertising.

 

[SHOZ]

Our courthouse annex charges a fee for credit cards.
Who gets to complain … ? Not me - I’m trying to preserve my pocket cash so I can tip at fast food places LoL …

My court house is cash or check only for most services. They do accept credit cards with a fee for property taxes.

 

[Boomer]

We have really cut back n dining out because of much higher costs and "fees".

 

[Snagglefoot]

Just had a Snow Crab dinner in Nova Scotia. It’s simple. The Snow Crab dinner is $60 CDN and the Lobster dinner is $85 CDN. Add a tip and Bob’s your Uncle.

 

[Pablo]

Another thread about restaurant costs?

We should have multiple choice quizzes as to the root causes driving the prices up

All of the above!

 

[SC Maintenance]

Just had a Snow Crab dinner in Nova Scotia. It’s simple. The Snow Crab dinner is $60 CDN and the Lobster dinner is $85 CDN. Add a tip and Bob’s your Uncle.

Were there any crab harvesting service fees?

 

[thastinger]

These CC "convenience fees" that are popping up everywhere were already baked into the cake for wherever you were using them.
Now those places kept the fees baked in but also added 3%. Wonder if they are charging for debit card use?