Extra charges may be getting out of hand.
For the past few years, Airbnb has been chastised for hidden charges while low-cost airlines are mocked for making fliers shell out for every small service. But these are not the only businesses that confound customers; restaurants are also notorious for adding unexpected line items to the bill. The latest to draw the ire of patrons is a famous dining venue in Los Angeles that has upset Reddit users after a guest shared the bill with a “security charge” of $7.38.
Rooftop bistro Perch is a crowd favorite, thanks to its gorgeous views of Downtown and French-inspired dishes. It’s a pricey place to dine, but what has rattled guests about the experience is the addition of a 4.5% charge for security measures.
Reddit users questioned whether these charges will affect tips. Some also jokingly wondered if they would have to pay extra for rent and water bills. User Brave_Fheart claimed that the number of security personnel at Perch hasn’t changed in the last 10 years they have been dining at the restaurant.
Perch clarifies on its website that the restaurant keeps 100% of this charge, and it’s not considered a tip. “As Perch is located on several levels on top of a building it requires more security personnel than a restaurant on a ground floor.”
Look at What You Pay For
Effective January 1, 2024, the minimum wage in California moved to $16 per hour. And for fast food workers, it has increased to $20 per hour. The bigger paycheck is a boon for workers, but business owners are cutting labor costs by laying off workers and raising prices.
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The Restaurant Business Conditions Survey in 2022 by the National Restaurant Association revealed that one in six restaurants add surcharges to deal with higher costs.
L.A. restaurant Alimento shot to infamy when a podcaster shared that their bill had a surcharge to help fund employees’ healthcare. Last year, two Dallas restaurants also earned negative reviews after the owners introduced a charge to pay for health insurance and paid leave for staff members. But healthcare charges have been a fixture in restaurant checks all over the U.S. for many years.
Restaurants have also asked patrons to pay extra for bread service, credit card fees, eco fees, or more ambiguous charges such as administrative costs or a “kitchen appreciation charge.” Earlier this year, a restaurant owner in Boston got into an online squabble with a customer who had their credit card company reverse a cancellation fee of $250. The customer was hospitalized before their trip and used their credit card’s insurance policy, which incensed the owner.
Also miffing diners is that many takeaway restaurants and fast food joints encourage tips in addition to surcharges; pre-tips have also grown more common. According to Pew Research, 72% of Americans surveyed oppose automatic tips and service charges on bills.
Strange Restaurant Surcharges Are Showing up Everywhere
The surcharge phenomenon is more global than you might think. In Seville, a traveler was asked to pay 10 euros extra for a table on the terrace; a restaurant in Zamora charged for cutlery and billed every time the waiter visited the terrace tables. In Italy, a woman was charged 2 euros for cutting a sandwich in half. A “cakeage” fee of $25 was added to a customer’s bill last year when they brought their own cake to the restaurant. Around the world, restaurants also charge diners for tap water or trick them into buying a bottle by not specifying tap water is available.
If you go to Spain in the summer, remember that a new law makes it legal for restaurants and bars in the Andalusian region to charge a premium for seating you in the shade.
Restaurants don’t always tell the diners in advance about all these fees, so it’s a rude shock to see the line item on the bill.
It’s a good idea to check a restaurant’s website for fine print. Also, look at the bill for extras before you swipe your card because a sneaky charge is missable. To help make the process transparent, Reddit users have made a list of extra charges that Los Angeles establishments are requesting. Some examples include a 5% wellness charge at Botanica Restaurant, a 20% surcharge at Coucou, and an 18% hospitality fee at Green Cottage. Some of these can be removed if asked, while others are non-negotiable. Such Excel sheets are also crowd-sourced for Chicago, San Diego, and Washington D.C.
Sometimes, the cost isn’t big enough to demand a revision, but if you find something particularly amiss, at least ask the question. But remember that the service staff aren’t the ones making these rules–it’s the owners.
Thank you for the comprehensive overview! It seems that while domestic travel restrictions based on criminal records are relatively minimal, international travel considerations vary depending on destination countries. Understanding the specific regulations and potential impacts on entry beforehand is crucial for travelers with criminal records.
Love that this article promises a hidden shopping tip! Maybe it's about bargaining at markets or finding vintage stores through locals. It would be cool if they also mentioned how to pack light for all these potential finds!
In such cases use the power of the Internet to alert customers to what they can expect if they patronize such establishments!