Flat restaurant surcharge per check

[bcla]

Just got back from lunch and thought a bit about the $2 surcharge on the check. It's the same regardless of the total bill, so apparently someone just having a beer at the bar would have the $2 tacked on. It would seem to be an incentive to not split checks and to not dine alone. I did some sample takeout orders and each order gets charged that $2.

Today was one of their rare specials (BOGO entree so I went with my wife), but this place (a chain) has severely reduced their menu and canned most of the affordable options. They also killed happy hour, which I suppose didn't make them much but kept them busy. I remember when they used to be really busy, but now they get a few customers and just a few servers.

 

[tvguy]

Some California restaurants have added surcharges to cover the cost of having to give paid sick leave to workers.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Just got back from Busch Gardens Williamsburg. They had a 5% surcharge on all food checks.

 

[shoney]

I haven’t seen this yet. Lots of new menus with prices increase and/or cutting expensive ingredients.

I also hate the “new”. 4% or so charge for Using a credit card. Seems to be the locally owned places not the chains yet.

I have used credit cards almost exclusively for almost 20 years. It’s just easier for me and I get the points. Now it is costing more when eating/drinking out at many places.

 

[bcla]

The thing I understand is a percentage based surcharge or even a delivery surcharge since that's one trip. But what I don't get is $2 regardless of the number of people nor the rest of the bill. If I wanted to order the cheapest thing on the menu and call it a day, the $2 is charged. They've got bottled beer for $4, and if I sit at the bar and order that, there's a $2 surcharge. If there's a large party with a dozen people, maybe there's a mandatory percentage tip (don't know really), but then just a $2 surcharge on the entire party. That's the thing about this surcharge that's different than any other surcharge I've seen.

 

[TwoMisfits]

The thing I understand is a percentage based surcharge or even a delivery surcharge since that's one trip. But what I don't get is $2 regardless of the number of people nor the rest of the bill. If I wanted to order the cheapest thing on the menu and call it a day, the $2 is charged. They've got bottled beer for $4, and if I sit at the bar and order that, there's a $2 surcharge. If there's a large party with a dozen people, maybe there's a mandatory percentage tip (don't know really), but then just a $2 surcharge on the entire party. That's the thing about this surcharge that's different than any other surcharge I've seen.

It seems like they want a minimum spend at the restaurant.

 

[sam_gordon]

I haven’t seen this yet. Lots of new menus with prices increase and/or cutting expensive ingredients.

I also hate the “new”. 4% or so charge for Using a credit card. Seems to be the locally owned places not the chains yet.

I have used credit cards almost exclusively for almost 20 years. It’s just easier for me and I get the points. Now it is costing more when eating/drinking out at many places.

I don't like it, but I understand it. Basically the businesses are passing along their costs to the customers. Isn't that what they're supposed to do? My company has apparently had some clients cancel their accounts when corporate decided to pass along the CC fee.

 

[fla4fun]

I would prefer to patronize restaurants which price their meals based on their costs and doesn’t nickel and dime their customers with fees. I understand that food costs have gone up, so that entree that used to cost $10 may now cost $15. However, the credit card fees are a cost of doing business, and other fees are simple money grabs. Price your product appropriately and allow me to choose whether I want to eat in your restaurant or not.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I think I would have asked what the charge was for. Usually that's explained somewhere or an answer given when asked.

If it's charged on multiple types of orders not sure it's about wanting someone not to dine alone, besides that doesn't even seem realistic. Minimum order? yes but not just simply dining alone. And doesn't seem realistic if it's to deter split checks as it was charged for take out orders too.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I'd just never go back to that establishment & can see why the business is failing. You had a nice enough lunch and instead of remembering that experience are irritated by a surcharge, terrible business decision.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I hate add-on fees, to the point where I'd patronize another place that doesn't do that, even if the cost is the same.

 

[unrequited23]

I would rather prices were higher than have a random surcharge tacked on at the end.

Months ago, I bought paint that was on sale for 30% off, at the register there was a covid 19 surcharge tacked on. No where in store or at the register was there signage about the surcharge. Why couldn't they have just had the paint on sale for 25% off and not charged a fee? Still grumpy and will probably not buy paint from there for quite some time.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I hate add-on fees, to the point where I'd patronize another place that doesn't do that, even if the cost is the same.

I would rather prices were higher than have a random surcharge tacked on at the end.

Very similar to the resort fees do many hotels tack on today. Wish they would just price the rooms as needed.

 

[tvguy]

I haven’t seen this yet. Lots of new menus with prices increase and/or cutting expensive ingredients.

I also hate the “new”. 4% or so charge for Using a credit card. Seems to be the locally owned places not the chains yet.

I have used credit cards almost exclusively for almost 20 years. It’s just easier for me and I get the points. Now it is costing more when eating/drinking out at many places.

Well, while it certainly is more common now, the credit card/debit card fee has been around for years.
I have no issue with it. They are just asking you to pay for a service that costs them money.
And THEY have been paying the cash back to you for decades, now they are just evening the playing field.

 

[starry_solo]

I would think of it as a cover charge.

They have it at many restaurants in Europe.
And at Chinese dim-sum, it's a tea charge, per person, regardless if you drink the tea.

 

[bcla]

I think I would have asked what the charge was for. Usually that's explained somewhere or an answer given when asked.

If it's charged on multiple types of orders not sure it's about wanting someone not to dine alone, besides that doesn't even seem realistic. Minimum order? yes but not just simply dining alone. And doesn't seem realistic if it's to deter split checks as it was charged for take out orders too.

This was the place. The menu used to be in a "book" with several pages and even images, but is now just front and back on one sheet. It is printed on heavy weight paper and they're not photocopied. The note is right on the bottom on both sides (although the back page doesn't show up in an inline image link). They're citing "macroeconomic pressures".

https://www.macaronigrill.com/Assets/macaroni-grill-main-menu-02-22-A.pdf

The food was good, the service was friendly (even gave another piece of their rosemary bread to take home even though we didn't finish the first one), and I left a tip commensurate with full price. The check called it a "Temporary Inflation Fee". I did look at the suggested tip on the check, and they have 18/20/22% and the numbers seem to be include the $2.

I've been to this place before when they had $8 lunch meals. No way would I spend an extra $2 on top of sales tax for that. Especially not if it's takeout.

 

[bcla]

I would think of it as a cover charge.

They have it at many restaurants in Europe.
And at Chinese dim-sum, it's a tea charge, per person, regardless if you drink the tea.

I understand a per head charge. But this per check fee was rather odd.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This was the place. The menu used to be in a "book" with several pages and even images, but is now just front and back on one sheet. It is printed on heavy weight paper and they're not photocopied. The note is right on the bottom on both sides (although the back page doesn't show up in an inline image link). They're citing "macroeconomic pressures".

https://www.macaronigrill.com/Assets/macaroni-grill-main-menu-02-22-A.pdf

The food was good, the service was friendly (even gave another piece of their rosemary bread to take home even though we didn't finish the first one), and I left a tip commensurate with full price. The check called it a "Temporary Inflation Fee". I did look at the suggested tip on the check, and they have 18/20/22% and the numbers seem to be include the $2.

I've been to this place before when they had $8 lunch meals. No way would I spend an extra $2 on top of sales tax for that. Especially not if it's takeout.

So you had your answer all along? What was the point of suggesting it was "it would seem to be an incentive to not split checks and to not dine alone." because that sure does not seem to be why the fee was applied. Looking at it it's a company-wide thing as I checked other locations (our location closed in 2017 though). I don't agree in practice with fees added but it was disclosed to you and your OP did not necessarily make it sound that way.

In this case my guess is their increase in costs lies in many different directions as a company and not so easily applied by just raising menu pricing to account for it as supply costs can vary from region to region location to location. If it was just one location or franchise owner's location(s) I would have assumed raising menu pricing would have been easier to recoup some costs but as this appears to be a company wide thing it would lead to a more encompassing burden.

 

[cvjw]

Saw my first restaurants adding on 3% for paying with a credit card while on vacation. One in Key West, one on 30 A. We just paid with cash at those restaurants and used the credit card at all the others.

This fee is optional. Pay cash and avoid it.

 

[bcla]

So you had your answer all along? What was the point of suggesting it was "it would seem to be an incentive to not split checks and to not dine alone." because that sure does not seem to be why the fee was applied. Looking at it it's a company-wide thing as I checked other locations (our location closed in 2017 though). I don't agree in practice with fees added but it was disclosed to you and your OP did not necessarily make it sound that way.

In this case my guess is their increase in costs lies in many different directions as a company and not so easily applied by just raising menu pricing to account for it as supply costs can vary from region to region location to location. If it was just one location or franchise owner's location(s) I would have assumed raising menu pricing would have been easier to recoup some costs but as this appears to be a company wide thing it would lead to a more encompassing burden.

I wasn't really looking for an answer - just kind of me grumbling about it knowing I couldn't really do anything about it other than not spend my money with them. I'm also used to dining alone - when I was single and even married where I'd get dinner on the commute home waiting for traffic to subside. With something like this I'd consider some place else if others start imitating it. I'd been there a couple of weeks ago and saw the $2, so I knew I'd be charged. But it is odd how they're citing different things.

I did try a sanity check to see how this kicks in. The cheapest menu item is their bread, which is $1. I tried ordering just one online for pickup. Sales tax is 10%, and it looks like the "digital fee" is additionally taxed.