Restaurants charging extra for water, bread and workers' health plan

[Remarkableriots]

Restaurants charging extra for water, bread and workers' health plan

WWW.CBSNEWS.COM

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Critics say tacking on surcharges to meals obscure the cost. Restaurant owners say it's better than raising menu prices.

Quote

It has become increasingly common for restaurants to tack on extra charges, such as for bread and water, to customer bills or prompt them to leave a gratuity beyond what a patron might normally offer for service. For restaurants, which typically operate on thin profit margins, such surcharges are intended to offset rising food and labor costs, subsidize employees' health insurance coverage and even combat climate change. 

 

[TUFKAK]

Such an American sushi order.

[Nokra]

Restaurants in Europe have been charging for bread and water for decades.

[Keyser_Soze]

2 minutes ago, Nokra said:

Restaurants in Europe have been charging for bread and water for decades.

 

That's what you get for going to commie socialist restaurants!

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

I have zero issues with charging for bread and water.

[TwinIon]

I don't mind paying for water or bread, but I hate restaurants joining in on the trend of surprise extra charges. Basically every business in the US has to pay for workers' health plans, it's just the cost of doing business as much as rent or food costs. I hate seeing charges on my bill that say things like "Cost of living increase" or "healthcare deduction" or "local measure whatever fee."

 

When that headline says "Restaurant owners say it's better than raising menu prices," I basically translate that as "owners find it easier to lie about prices and trick customers than being upfront about what their meal will actually cost."

 

US prices are already stupidly difficult to judge given that tax isn't included and gratuity is expected. Now you're just compounding that problem by adding additional % fees.

 

There was a congressional hearing earlier this year about the CFPB trying to eradicate "junk fees" and I'd throw these right in the mix (even if they're not quite so predatory or outrageous).

 

If it were up to me I'd outlaw all of it. Prices listed on menus, in shops, and online should include all taxes and fees. I'd do away with tipping as well, but that's probably a different fight.

[ThreePi]

Bread, maybe. Charging for water that comes out from a pipe in the wall seems like a step too far.

[TUFKAK]

How dare we pay more at an unnecessary service so labor can have benefits!

 

This is un American,  ungodly, fascist communist shit!

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

It’s like when Pizza places realized they could charge “delivery fees”. Money that doesn’t go to the driver or replace the tip. The tip that is still necessary for most of them to even reach minimum wage. 
 

It was so dumb. It’s not like they were going to NOT hire any drivers. They’d lose business to any chain or place that would deliver. And then it became “our fault” when tipping nearly stopped because customers understandably were confused and thought the delivery charge WAS a tip for the driver. 
 

This is that. We’re eventually just gonna see “server fee” on the bill and none of it will go to the server. 

[Jason]

11 hours ago, TUFKAK said:

How dare we pay more at an unnecessary service so labor can have benefits!

 

This is un American,  ungodly, fascist communist shit!

 

Just raise your menu prices instead of doing it as a bullshit tiny font surcharge that makes you sound like a fucking butthurt bitch for having to provide benefits.

[Fizzzzle]

12 hours ago, TwinIon said:

I don't mind paying for water or bread, but I hate restaurants joining in on the trend of surprise extra charges. Basically every business in the US has to pay for workers' health plans, it's just the cost of doing business as much as rent or food costs. I hate seeing charges on my bill that say things like "Cost of living increase" or "healthcare deduction" or "local measure whatever fee."

 

When that headline says "Restaurant owners say it's better than raising menu prices," I basically translate that as "owners find it easier to lie about prices and trick customers than being upfront about what their meal will actually cost."

 

US prices are already stupidly difficult to judge given that tax isn't included and gratuity is expected. Now you're just compounding that problem by adding additional % fees.

 

There was a congressional hearing earlier this year about the CFPB trying to eradicate "junk fees" and I'd throw these right in the mix (even if they're not quite so predatory or outrageous).

 

If it were up to me I'd outlaw all of it. Prices listed on menus, in shops, and online should include all taxes and fees. I'd do away with tipping as well, but that's probably a different fight.

I hate that shit. If they just raised menu prices, no one would bat an eye, but NO - they have to make *sure* you know it's because of all these liberal policies.

 

"I CHARGED YOU AN EXTRA 75 CENTS FOR YOUR TACO! I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO DO THAT IF IT WEREN'T FOR THESE *spits in a bucket* LIBERALS AND THEIR "LIVING WAGES.""

[TUFKAK]

52 minutes ago, Jason said:

 

Just raise your menu prices instead of doing it as a bullshit tiny font surcharge that makes you sound like a fucking butthurt bitch for having to provide benefits.

Who thinks bread is free 

[Biggie]

18 hours ago, Nokra said:

Restaurants in Europe have been charging for bread and water for decades.

Everyone knows bread is $3 dollars extra

[Joe]

On 7/12/2023 at 12:53 PM, Nokra said:

Restaurants in Europe have been charging for bread and water for decades.

In Portugal, they put delicious fresh cheese on the table and you have to tell them to take it or they charge you lol.

[stepee]

I would definitely find it worthwhile to pay if I got amazing cheese at the start instead of bread and butter. 

[AbsolutSurgen]

In Canada, it is illegal for any restaurant with a liquor license not to provide free tap water.

[stepee]

2 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

In Canada, it is illegal for any restaurant with a liquor license not to provide free tap water.

 

I thought that was the law here as well at least in California, but it looks like it might be more complicated and more research than I care to put it for it. I’ve never personally seen tap water not being free anywhere. In California there is a law where you have to ask for it, they won’t automatically put it on your table, but it’s free.

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

12 hours ago, TUFKAK said:

Who thinks bread is free 

depends on if they ask you if you want bread, like when they ask if you’d like an appetizer, and it’s listed on the menu, or if they just set it on the table. 

 

the thing is about this, they are bucking norms and not being up front about it. If you’re only being informed after you’ve got the check at your table it’s too late to make a decision. You’re paying it. They shouldn’t be trying to hide it and sneak it in after the meal. 

[Captain Pickle]

On 7/12/2023 at 12:53 PM, Nokra said:

Restaurants in Europe have been charging for bread and water for decades.

Soon they’ll be charging for air!

 

[Captain Pickle]

On 7/12/2023 at 12:55 PM, Keyser_Soze said:

 

That's what you get for going to commie socialist restaurants!

Acchhully…

 

55 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

In Canada, it is illegal for any restaurant with a liquor license not to provide free tap water.

 

[TUFKAK]

3 minutes ago, Captain Pickle said:

Soon they’ll be charging for air!

 

Don’t give bezos any ideas 

[SoberChef]

This one Mexican spot I go to has at the bottom of their menu that if your bill is over $50 then there is an automatic 20% gratuity included in the final bill. I'm not a fan of this policy as I've always been a solid tipper having been in the industry so long myself.

[SoberChef]

14 hours ago, TUFKAK said:

Don’t give bezos any ideas 

[Joe]

1 hour ago, SoberChef said:

This one Mexican spot I go to has at the bottom of their menu that if your bill is over $50 then there is an automatic 20% gratuity included in the final bill. I'm not a fan of this policy as I've always been a solid tipper having been in the industry so long myself.

I get into this discussion with my dad all the time. You can be the greatest tipper of all time, you could tip 100%. It doesn’t matter because you are one person and the policy exists because so many people don’t tip even 15%. Your one good tip doesn’t negate the bad tippers, not even close.

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

When I was a bus boy I loved the little old ladies who would come in on Sunday and rack up a $100+ bill (and this was ~20 years ago) then leave all of a dollar tip 

[DPCyric]

On 7/12/2023 at 3:15 PM, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

It’s like when Pizza places realized they could charge “delivery fees”. Money that doesn’t go to the driver or replace the tip. The tip that is still necessary for most of them to even reach minimum wage. 
 

It was so dumb. It’s not like they were going to NOT hire any drivers. They’d lose business to any chain or place that would deliver. And then it became “our fault” when tipping nearly stopped because customers understandably were confused and thought the delivery charge WAS a tip for the driver. 
 

This is that. We’re eventually just gonna see “server fee” on the bill and none of it will go to the server. 

 

I did a short stint for Pizza Hut at the start of the year and they have a $5 delivery fee here that is "to offset driver mileage and cover things like car toppers". The city I live in is very small and they don't deliver outside of city limits so even if every order I took was on the opposite end of town they were still making big bucks on that delivery fee. After a blizzard and several people not tipping during that and the fact there isn't that many deliveries in this town to begin with I went back to DoorDash (where I can at least decline every order from the people who are not tipping).

[unogueen]

Maybe dining out should be a privilege that shouldn't bumrush standards because the consumer is more than willing to settle on a cheap 1oz burger from McDs than acknowledge the stress and effort that goes into a food production operation that does everything to mitigate loss, since they can't subsidize a neighbourhood into submission like a big name can.

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

2 hours ago, unogueen said:

Maybe dining out should be a privilege that shouldn't bumrush standards because the consumer is more than willing to settle on a cheap 1oz burger from McDs than acknowledge the stress and effort that goes into a food production operation that does everything to mitigate loss, since they can't subsidize a neighbourhood into submission like a big name can.

Most more a matter of being up front and honest about it. They shouldn’t just make up some charge because “oh boho. If I don’t I can’t hire people. Or pay them” as if labor is some new cost of doing business and then wait until after the meal to tell you about the additional charges, because they’re too afraid that if their burger is $16 instead of $12 people will stop going. 
 

…unless they’re also admitting their food is nowhere near worth any more than what they’re charging. And this sounds more like they don’t have enough faith in their product as they’re trying to hide the code until you have no choice but to pay. 
 

If people get up and leave because they found out at the beginning of the meal that water and bread wasn’t free, then they were probably going to shaft the wait staff on the tip too, like a bunch cheap asses. 

[unogueen]

3 minutes ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

Most more a matter of being up front and honest about it. They shouldn’t just make up some charge because “oh boho. If I don’t I can’t hire people. Or pay them” as if labor is some new cost of doing business and then wait until after the meal to tell you about the additional charges, because they’re too afraid that if their burger is $16 instead of $12 people will stop going. 
 

…unless they’re also admitting their food is nowhere near worth any more than what they’re charging. And this sounds more like they don’t have enough faith in their product as they’re trying to hide the code until you have no choice but to pay. 
 

If people get up and leave because they found out at the beginning of the meal that water and bread wasn’t free, then they were probably going to shaft the wait staff on the tip too, like a bunch cheap asses. 

Cost is cost. I come from many countries with far better food culture. Barely knew what a fucking candy bar was until I landed on igloo prime. There's grifts everywhere, But can't really fight this culture that is traditionally rooted in classism, and transform that labour into an access party. It's incredibly rude for a restaurant to reject patrons for the sake of their staff. Gotta be michelin for that.