Restaurants adding fees

[scootr]

I read more and more complaints about restaurants adding fees to your food bill like gratuity and now cost of living. Basically the price they tell you a burger costs is not the price you will pay.
When I grew up a tip was money you gave a service worker for a job well done. It was something they earned by rendering exceptional service. They provided the service expected whether that was serve the food or mow the lawn and you freely paid extra (a tip) based upon your satisfaction. Exceptional service got exceptional tips. And it made both parties feel good.
Then prices went up and service declined. Tips shrank or disappeared. So restaurants added the tip to your tab. Mandatory tipping removed the excellent service motivation. Now we see a cost of living % added. Basically this added fee is cover a decent wage not paid by the restaurant owner or the cost of goods not adjusted to cover increased costs of operation. Whatever it is for it is not good to advertise a $7 hamburger and then charge $9 to $10 for it

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

We are starting to see around here some places that add a city tax on top of the sales tax. I choose to not go back because of that. There are so many places that don't they are not hard to find. Bury it in the cost of doing business like everyone else... At least that way I won't feel like I have been gyped.

I generally leave 20% or more if services is as I expected. It's ok with me if they want to decrease the tip I normally would pay. I am certain though there are folks who don't tip, and the wait staff has to make a living.

It also encourages me to just eat at home or just pick it up and bring it home.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I won't go back to a restaurant that adds the tip for you. Tips are not mandatory, they are for appreciation of the service. I'm from the foodservice industry, I know how hard it can be to work there. I was on the cooking end. That said, while I usually am a 20% tipper on average service, I go higher for better service. And it's more than that, I tip on total, which includes tax, so 20% is actually more. I know it should be on food/drink only, but that's how I roll. If we get shitty service, I hand the bill to my wife and let her tip. I know I would tip 10% or less. She knows it too.
There are now fees called tourism tax. Hotels use them, some restaurants too. Makes no sense, lets tax the people who come in to help businesses survive...

 

[2manyrocks]

Pre2020, a large coke on special at the drive through was $1.00 + sales tax at McDonalds. Think it went to $1.50? Don't know what it is now because I stopped going there.

Mrs Rocks went to a coffee shop and paid something like $10-13 for an ice coffee drink over the weekend.

Takes a lot of $ for wage earners to pay apartment rent these days.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I'm not a health nut by no means, but I just read that a DD frozen coffee has as much sugar as 17 glazed donuts. I weened myself off sugar drinks decades ago, but no sweet confections.

 

[jyoutz]

I read more and more complaints about restaurants adding fees to your food bill like gratuity and now cost of living. Basically the price they tell you a burger costs is not the price you will pay.
When I grew up a tip was money you gave a service worker for a job well done. It was something they earned by rendering exceptional service. They provided the service expected whether that was serve the food or mow the lawn and you freely paid extra (a tip) based upon your satisfaction. Exceptional service got exceptional tips. And it made both parties feel good.
Then prices went up and service declined. Tips shrank or disappeared. So restaurants added the tip to your tab. Mandatory tipping removed the excellent service motivation. Now we see a cost of living % added. Basically this added fee is cover a decent wage not paid by the restaurant owner or the cost of goods not adjusted to cover increased costs of operation. Whatever it is for it is not good to advertise a $7 hamburger and demand $9or $10 for it

I haven’t seen that yet. The tab shows various tip percentages, but what you choose or don’t choose is voluntary. And never heard of a cost of living fee. I wouldn’t patronage any place that did those things.

 

[caver]

Tipping culture has gotten out of hand. What next? I'm expected to give the self checkout machine a tip too?

You see the big chain restaurants gong under. I don't know how families go out to eat anymore.

 

[ultrarunner]

Surcharges… Utility for eateries like fuel for Field Service then add City Imposed Fees…

This is how the $20 combo is calculated.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I give the guy at the self checkout a tip every time I use it... I tell him you're fat. He always tells me he wants a second opinion, I reply you're ugly too.

 

[D&D]

I am certain though there are folks who don't tip, and the wait staff has to make a living.

And it's up to the other customers to subsidize them?

I read more and more complaints about restaurants adding fees to your food bill like gratuity and now cost of living. Basically the price they tell you a burger costs is not the price you will pay.
When I grew up a tip was money you gave a service worker for a job well done. It was something they earned by rendering exceptional service. They provided the service expected whether that was serve the food or mow the lawn and you freely paid extra (a tip) based upon your satisfaction. Exceptional service got exceptional tips. And it made both parties feel good.
Then prices went up and service declined. Tips shrank or disappeared. So restaurants added the tip to your tab. Mandatory tipping removed the excellent service motivation. Now we see a cost of living % added. Basically this added fee is cover a decent wage not paid by the restaurant owner or the cost of goods not adjusted to cover increased costs of operation. Whatever it is for it is not good to advertise a $7 hamburger and demand $9or $10 for it

The restaurant industry seems to be pricing themselves out of business. Mega pricing on soft drinks, drinks and food is getting too high for me to want to go out. Adding "kitchen staff appreciation", "wellness", "living wage", "wage increase", "employee health care" fees is absurd. Until people quit going, it will continue though.
Service everywhere has sharply declined or ceased.