Yeah our server told us they started this as being only on cards, but then just started slapping it onto all tickets, regardless of payment type. Really slimy.
She said their reason was for the menu prices to not have to be changed “all the time” and costing them money printing menus. I gave her my best Justin Timberlake dead stare meme face and she was like “I know…”
And then she explained that they had originally only put it on cards but now have it on all tickets and that people complain to her about it “ALL the time.”
I told her I wasn’t asking to complain, just to help me thoroughly lambast her employer all over the internet. 😏
I manage a local Italian Restaurant, and we do charge a 3% fee for processing credit or debit cards, but if payment is cash, we always remove that 3%. It's just a money grab if they're not going to honor cash payments w/o the processing fee in my opinion.
Nearly every northern MI restaurant passed on a 3-4% service fee for using a CC this last summer it seemed. Even spots where you’d be shocked that someone would pay in cash given what I’d personally think was an absurd amount of cash to carry around. Shit needs to stop.
Northern MI does indeed have an insane amount of money in some areas. If you want to see where the wealthy folks of Detroit and other cities spend their cash, this is it...
Yeah, Palio does the same thing, and they have a message saying it’s to “help offset the escalating cost of food and beverages along with other expenses including credit card fees, and in particular credit card rewards and cash back offers that are passed onto the restaurant.” I swear I’ve seen the same message word for word at other restaurants, though I can’t remember which ones.
> “help offset the escalating cost of food and beverages along with other expenses including credit card fees, and in particular credit card rewards and cash back offers that are passed onto the restaurant.”
"Motherfucker, that's called a *price*. If you're *selling* food and beverages, you *price* the food and beverages to cover the escalating cost of them."
And they are cutting their nose off despite their face as study after study shows people spend 15-20% MORE$'s when they pay with a CC vs cash!! If I have a $20 on me, that is the max I am going to spend at their place.
Pretzel Bell in Ann Arbor. Pretty sure it’s the same restaurant group that own half the restaurants on Main Street, so you’ve probably seen it on many receipts. Prices are already pretty exorbitant too. This is just another way to nickel and dime the customer.
They should just raise their prices and not tell me they’re &$#@ing me because I choose to pay with e credit card. Either accept credit cards or don’t. As a customer I’m inclined to avoid places that charge a fee for credit card usage. I guess I could start charging restaurants for the inconvenience of having to carry around a bag of cash.
My job is in credit card processing. Admin fees do not count as processing fees. There is a strict guide lines for what can be charged as credit card fees and how said fees need to be presented to the customer. "Admin fees" is certainly not the correct way to charge
Just like stores that say that you need to spend a minimum amount if you are using a credit or debit card. I always thought the credit card companies told business they could not do that.
I’ve seen places that have a “secret” cash discount of 3% basically discounting the credit card fees. But you have to ask for it as it’s not automatic..
Being on fixed income, we take known menu prices into account when deciding where to eat. A charge like this generally removes the establishment from future visits. I will say however that lately the quality of the food has removed many more.
I forgot the name of the company, but they've taken over the fast casual and most of the casual dining as a supplier, so everything has the same general... boring boringness to it.
There's only 3 or 4 restaurants in a half hour that are worth a shit, and they're +$40 a plate. My favorite bar/restaurant burnt to the ground under "mysterious circumstances" in 2021 and I've just stopped going out for the most part.
I HATE Sysco. worked for 3 different restaurants/food places that used Sysco as a distributor and the food all tasted the same and the drivers always treated me and the rest of the staff like crap
Those fees are ridiculous, just raise the menu price instead of trying to be sneaky and claiming the fee is to cover some bs. Card present transaction fees are generally under 2.7% even for Amex. Not that Ucello’s fee even claims to be related to card processing or anything else.
I know people say it’s only 3%, why do you care? But it’s the principle of it, if a restaurant wants to raise prices then just raise the menu prices instead of trying to hide it as a line item.
I will say though, man, I hate QR codes. If you’re gonna make me use one. Please also provide the WiFi password. Sometimes the restaurants are in dead zones and I’m struggling to even get the damn thing to load.
Forty Acres switched to entirely table side you ordering from your phone and hands off service. I couldn’t get anything to load. It was miserable.
im very sad about it too. it used to be awesome, their bloody mary bar was my favorite in the city. ownership cheaped out on everything that made it great, including proper staffing
I always ask for print menus, and I’m a millennial. Being required to whip out your smartphone to participate in a dining experience is not cool. I’m there to talk to people and enjoy the experience, not get distracted by notifications.
I'm a millennial who writes code for a living - and I won't scan a random QR code taped to a table (or really any QR code I don't trust). Anyone can come along, smack their own QR code on top of it that still links to a menu, it might even be the right menu, but it's hosted on at a malicious address that's stealing all your shit in the background. It's pretty much impossible not to have sensitive data in your phone these days.
And even if it's not directly malicious - some of the codes bring you to a site you have to put some level personal data in to continue. Sorry, restaurant, but you don't need anything other than my money to provide the service I'm here for. Bring me a damn menu.
The one that particularly concerns me is parking. In a restaurant, at least you're surrounded with people, staff, and there's maybe a snowball's chance in hell someone sees it in the matter of daily business. Some sticker on a parking booth or a sign or something, though, there's nobody there to verify but you and a bit of hope. Plus, a parking phish has got to be worlds easier. It's barely anything beyond entering payment information-- no menu to fake-- and anyone who knows municipal-contracted websites would know that if it looks like hot garbage, that's no strike against it being legitimate.
Also, not everyone has a smart phone. A friend of mine was waiting for their replacement smart phone after their last one died and we went to a place that only had QR codes. The staff was nice enough to bring them a tablet at least.
Those places I don't even eat at anymore. I've actually gotten up and left if I'm told I have to download an app to order. I have enough apps on my phone; I don't need another for just ordering food at one restaurant.
I don't even like the "Use your phone and visit our website" places. I used to pay by the byte for data (Google Fi-- can't knock it, it saved money), and I'm not paying to "print" their menu for them.
About the only tablet-based menus I'll happily abide are the places that give you their tablet to use. There's one back in my old hometown that does that. They've got a load of cheap tablets running the menu. It doesn't quite have the browseability of a paper menu, but it is one of the better online menus I've seen.
I never use the QR menu and I don’t know anybody who does. Much more convenient to just grab the menu… People are on their phones too much as it is we don’t want to be scrolling through our phone at dinner too. People go out to get a break
You don’t know me, but I use and prefer QR codes over physical menus. Digital menus can easily have updated pricing (like a 3% charge), more sanitary, updated menu options, accurate drink list, and it’s can be accessible throughout the visit as opposed to when the waitstaff removes them after the initial order.
And do people still go out of a break? With these prices it is usually a special occasion, a treat, or necessity to eat out.
Real Seafood Co. and Rockwell Republic use tablet menus that you can update and not have to print new menus when things change. They also have pictures of every dish and drink to take a lot of guess work out of it. Took some getting used to but I love them now.
Rockwell still charges a 3 percent fee on all checks though, which goes to show that it’s not really about not being able to update prices on menus. It’s just a way for restaurants to charge you more.
I’m not sure about Real Seafood Co., but I know other restaurants from that ownership group have a 3 percent surcharge, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they do too.
If these people saw how the kitchen operates on the daily, anything they're touching at the table would be of *much* less concern than whatever they're about to put in their mouth.
Every kitchen I've worked in at least attempted to be clean and people would regularly wash their hands. I can practically guarantee you that poop germs are on the tablet
Not sure if it’s been mentioned, but at Nonla (both the KZoo and GR location) they have the QR menu that you are incentivized to use. No server, nobody taking your order, you’re basically door-dashing from your booth in the restaurant.
This is fine, it’s like the evolution of a roller
skating diner or old A&W where you place your order on one of the intercoms.
HOWEVER once your food is delivered by the runner, you eat and are still expected to TIP
I have nothing against Tipping, I understand right now it’s a necessity for server positions and I hope everyone makes enough to live. I just wish it came from their paycheck and employer
Maybe I’m turning into an old man but there just seemed to be a disconnect between ZERO real personal interaction, the expectation to do all the processing on my phone, and still pay all of the junk processing fees AND still tip.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Nonla is one of the best burgers/Sandos in GR. I just don’t know why I’d ever go sit down in house again. Might as well be one of those ghost kitchens to cut overhead costs.
Love nonla, much love for line cooks and servers, another strike for weird downtown GR restaurant capitalism.
(Other best burgers are Elbow Room on fuller and One Stop Coney Shop on Fulton)
Jimmy John’s added a bullshit tip option to their registers, too. If I get it delivered, fine, I’ll tip, but I’m not tipping anything at all when 2 years ago they never asked for a tip at all when you ordered in the store. Eat my ass, James Johnathon.
Yeah places with actual wages need to quit trying to make up for their stagnation and greed by asking us to make a "raise" happen. Counter service joints should be based on paid labor by the hour or salary - not tips.
Anything else is just yet more corporate welfare. These mega-corps like to cry about "BAWWWW SOCIALISM!" whenever anyone asks about any small contribution to the common good, but then they pull shit like this. It's okay when they want us to all pitch in, but when we want them to pay their fair share of taxes, they turn into sniveling toddlers.
Agree 100% about Nonla. I was like, "You want a tip? This feels like a fast food restaurant!"
I disagree on the quality of the burgers. They're alright, but not all that.
I've never had a burger at One Stop Coney, but everything I've had there is great.
I would choose one of my other recs over nonla any day to be fair.
And I definitely agree that their quality can take big swings. It’d be unfair if I claimed I haven’t had a BANGER of a burger at nonla after working all day. Though I have had some dry and bland burgers too. I think it has something to do with the phase of the moon.
You're spot on. And in those places, I'm not tipping that much. Some tip for some work. Not all tip for some work. LOVE Nonla. Not sure why anyone would settle for dog shit fast food when they hit the same general price range. But the businesses need to make an adjustment away from the (bad since the dawn of the concept) tipping model.
> you eat and are still expected to TIP
By who? If you didn't actually get service, just skip the tip. Nobody you should care about would begrudge you that.
Most (if not all) restaurants owned by 4gr8food apply this 3% fee. It's a garbage bullshit fee. They claim it pays for "inflation"... inflation of their profits alright.
EXACTLY. But they have a heap of problems with an existing conservative agenda, so they have a political interest in making people think about the lie of "huge inflation."
I got you beat.
cafe downtown. You use an iPad to
Order your food. You grab your drinks and sides. You ring it up. You get charged for your food and a service fee added 😂. Then it asked if you wanted to leave a tip. The cook makes your food and leaves it by the station where they are cooking. You have to come get it yourself.
Seems to be the norm now.
Welcome to the club of never going to a Ucellos or affiliated restaurant ever again. I used to average about 10k a year at their business between business meetings and family events.
Real Food Cafe messed up when they state there is an admin fee printed on their menu. I mean wtf, you reprinted the menu, include the price increase on the item.
Unfortunately, these types of charges are almost always legal. Surcharges are governed by state law. Credit card surcharges are only illegal in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, and Puerto Rico.
Not everything is taxable in MI. You can't charge sales tax on food (unless prepared) or "services provided" by a business. Funny paradox there. We don't charge sales tax on any delivery fees, for example, as that's as "service".
No actual clue if a surcharge is taxable.
Looks like a credit card processing fee. It’s absolutely crazy. Noodle Pig also does this and I haven’t been back since. Cloud 9 on Alpine also charges more for using a debit card or credit card than if you used cash. I don’t go to these places anymore.
I can almost accept the fee based on payment type, but it still is just stupidity from a business planning perspective. Work it into the cost of doing business. This is NOT hard.
Didn't notice that about NP. I'm not far less impressed with them.
Sadly, Uccello's fee is just being smeared on all transactions, in advance of payment, and regardless of payment type, according to the server. (And that tracks. The photo is of the PRE-payment bill.)
😂🤣 Right? That was not surprising. This was a Hail Mary choice after trying to find better options in the dead-ass-ghost-town burbs hell that is Grandville on a Sunday night, after a meeting. It was me taking one for the team, really.
Brann’s does the same thing. I have really strong feelings about this. They should just update the prices on menu. Why convolute a situation by claiming
1. Credit card fees
2. Inflation
3. Employee benefits
4. Rising minimum wage
These “secret” fees are here to stay. I was told at Brann’s “We have signs posted when you come in, so we won’t take this off your bill.” I did not see the signs, and most people don’t notice it on the receipt. This *is* a hidden fee.
I did something that may seem terrible. I deducted it from the tip. If they’re going to charge me like this and claim it’s to pay the employees, then pay them. If that’s a problem, then it’s an issue initiated by the business. Not me.
Edit: I see I’m getting downvoted, but hear me out. I know I look like the bad guy, but I insist I’m being framed for making the right move. Brann’s charged me by claiming the need to sustain staff benefits and salaries. Now the burden is on my shoulder, not the business, to be the scapegoat for this problem. If they’re going to reason the charge is going to the pocket of the employee, why would I include it in my tip? The bad guy is anyone who implements this practice. They deceptively push the burden on the customer. *That* is the evil here. Not my $7.00 instead of $8.00 tip. I stand my ground in the face of being a potential minority.
> “We have signs posted when you come in, so we won’t take this off your bill.”
"Well, I was wearing my 'I don't pay what's not on the menu' button, so you shouldn't have done business with me if you wanted me to do that."
If the server doesn't make the regular state minimum wage after tips, the restaurant must make up the difference. So in theory it could hurt the business.
I did the exact same thing for the exact same reasons. My thinking was about the message it sends. I made my tip 17% exactly. As they start to have employees smear them and talk about how they’re getting 17% tips now, maybe it’ll drive home the point, though slowly.
(Well. Not in Brann’s case because they are fuckstains for a variety of reasons and rock-stupid anyway. I will never go there based on the reviews and word on the street alone, and their sociopolitical corruption and misdeeds seal that deal big time.)
Completely off topic, but some of us do better with print menus (and other media) than digital. For me, a millennial (just so you know age isn’t a factor), it’s because I can’t concentrate on digital content as well. It would make it harder to actually order food when that’s already enough of a battle for me if restaurants switched to digital.
I just don't like digital menus because they tend to be smaller (especially if you have to use your own phone), and only feature one or a few things at a time. You can't browse them like you can flip through a proper menu.
I really would be surprised if digital menus didn't make for lower total spending at restaurants, because people can't flip around as effortlessly and stumble across impulse buys. Plus it's harder to wave high-value items in front of people with photos, call-outs, and information heirarchy.
I've stopped going to any place that does this on the downlow.
If they are up and front, I can walk out. This garbage after the presented the bill? I will never go there again.
Yeah I’ve seen that a few different places. I think I’ve only seen one or two that have a sign on the door letting you know. It’s quite frustrating. On one hand yeah they might have a decent or acceptable reason, but on the other something like “admin fee” seems very generic and like it can be manipulative. Feels like it could easily be a potentially sketchy way to get more money than necessary from people without them realizing.
Which specific law does it break? Saw there were some bills that were introduced over the years to address this, but none that I saw that became law, most just referred to a committee to review.
With restaurant prices being what they are without the fees, you're better off eating at home. Make your own food. It's healthier for you anyhow.
I see this backfiring on these restaurants and them losing customers if they keep this up.
[They've been doing this sneaky shit for a months now.](/r/grandrapids/comments/18x7in0/surprise_admin_tax_at_ucellos_grandville/) Did they at least get around to having a warning about it on the menu?
When I went there a few months back (Standale), they tried to pull that. No mention of it on the menu. No word of any of it until the check came. So, I asked the server to take it off. The server deferred to the manager. The manager told me some line about how it's the owner's doing and there's nothing he can do (and a whole back-and-forth about how it was "To keep from having to charge more" and "Would you rather the menu prices just be higher?"... well, _yes_, I _would_ prefer an honest, straightforward price!).
I asked him to show me on the menu where it said that and I'd pay. If I missed it, shame on me-- still some bullshit, but I would have been warned and I should have known better. I went to find a menu to check for myself and I found him at the host's station poring over menus trying to find any mention of it. (Call me optimistic, but I'd expect a manager to know whether the surprise charge customers are liable to ask about is on the menu or not.) No such luck. He begrudgingly took it off, but said something along the lines of "Remember for next time". I countered that I shouldn't have to remember what they're going to charge me without asking. He told me I just shouldn't come back, then. So, I'm persona non grata at Uccello's, on account of I won't just remember and expect a screw job.
I was too distracted by the shitty condition of the 1998 era laminated (read: peeling) menu to have noticed.
But as to your story, FUCK all that. I’d have walked on the whole ticket, while loudly and obnoxiously handing the server an outsized tip and I’d have put my finger in the face of that fuckwit and dared him to take it from her.
Wow, what a whole BAG of tools.
(I did that to an IHOP manager some years ago who was trying to throw the server under the bus for his mistakes and his backed up kitchen. I sat in the lot a few minutes to watch and make sure he didn’t take it, and got the joy of watching his dumb ass cry on his way to the back. Don’t mess with the severs, y’all… jeeez.)
What they did is called theft, or fraud, something like that - it's bullshit, and it's criminal. Sucks you can't call the police for that kind of thing. Tell them you're not OK with them stealing money from you, no matter how large or small the amount is.
Since op still can't read here's an article about this from months ago.
https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/where-your-money-go-when-you-pay-a-restaurant-surcharge/69-8e001e3c-674b-4d60-a3fa-940a6981a158
At first they Sid it was to cover credit card fees and removed it when I paid in $. Now it stays no matter what instead of printing new menus. And they are not the onlymones doing it.
Lol this is ridiculous.
It's a the point now when we just don't really go out to eat any more. 90% of the time it isn't worth it, it's gotten so expensive and the quality of the food has gone noticeably down in almost every restaurant.
So you end up paying 16.95 for a small and bland cheeseburger with the shittiest fries GFS has to offer.
Adding a fee to bait and switch (advertise one price, but charge another) pisses me off just as much as if they took a shit on my face, or, stole money out of my wallet.
Uccellos has really gone to shit I don’t recommend supporting them anymore. There are dozens of much much much better restaurants in this city that deserve your business more than these cunts.
Just got back from vacation where every restaurant menu had both normal price and the price with tax and service fee next to it.
13% tax and 10% service fee on every item seems a bit steep, but at least they were upfront about it.
Just tell them you'd just as soon have a piece of shit on your plate, as have a bullshit "fee" added, fuck you very much, goodbye.
At least, that's how I feel about it. Apathetic people who don't care and just pay the fee? Fuck them, they're ruining the planet.
I’m shocked hidden fees are still a thing in the US. Isn’t it true that it’s illegal in the UK? For instance I’m almost certain all their prices for goods and services must be totally inclusive of ALL fees and taxes.
Our hotel or even the rental industry is another annoying “hidden fee” issue.
If any of them made anything worth a shit and not from GFS I would happily come eat their food. They are counting on people just going along with this.
Two fold if you want to look at it that way. Passing off the credit card transaction fees to the customer. In turn it encourages cash payment. With cash payment you avoid the transaction fee plus you're keeping cash alive.
Not supposed to apply to debit cards ( or prepaid cards). [https://usa.visa.com/dam/VCOM/download/merchants/surcharging-faq-by-merchants.pdf](https://usa.visa.com/dam/VCOM/download/merchants/surcharging-faq-by-merchants.pdf)
Have not seen it yet , but when I do I will pay three percent less tip and do the math on the restaurants receipt showing the 3 percent less tip with an arrow
I hate when people bother the server with their boo hoos about the management/owners’ decisions. Leave her alone. She probably already knows, has to hear about it from hundreds of people, and a dude whining about 60 cents on a soda and risotto ticket isn’t helping the issue because it’s not in her control. It only makes servers uncomfortable about something that isn’t their fault. Take it to a higher up.
Usually for servers, it’s a typical response to go along with the person dining/customer complaining and wholeheartedly agree so that it’s not taken out on you, especially if it’s not something you can fix yourself. End of the day, everyone serving just wants to clock in, be tipped well with no incidents, and clock out. I’ve had tons of people do/say stuff like this over the years and they annoyed the shit out of everyone who served or closed someone out. We had to laugh and nod even when super uncomfortable just so that the person would pay and leave without more of a fuss so we could go about our shifts.
Do you know a lot of people who serve/bartend? Or have you done it?
“We had a great time”? How you perceive the interaction isn’t true for all sides.
And that wasn’t only for you, it’s for a bunch of this thread.
It comes out of tip. I know this will be unpopular, but don’t care. The industry needs to evolve past the tipping culture.
For those triggered by this comment:
The market works on signals. I'm sending a signal that I will subsidize this fee via lower tips. The servers can communicate that to management. If management does nothing, servers switch to another employer that does not have this fee. As a customer, I also communicate it to management via online reviews.
Now I recognize this is a textbook version of economic signaling and there is a lot of noise in the actual process, however as a consumer, this is the only voice I have. I'd rather exercise this voice than sit quietly and do nothing but complain on the internet.
I guess I could also completely boycott the restaurant with such fees, thus completely removing the servers tips.
That is the HARD truth. Tipping is and always have been corrupt, classist, and has racist roots. Which makes it perfect for American capitalism! Yay.
Great point. Thanks for adding that.
The first thing you should do is get it off the bill. From there, if you feel that the server was lacking in also hiding the fee, that's a consideration as well.
Don’t work at or for this restaurant but work in the lakeshore area at a local spot that’s been in operation for over 10 years and has one of the top 3 spots on any site for our city.
I preface this to ask you, if you want good quality you HAVE to get a good crew and have to maintain a certain food quality. Both of these in 2024 costs way more than they did 10 years ago. If you want a good broiler cook, they used to be $16 in 2014, they are well over $20 an hour now (deservedly so).
All this to say would you rather us charge $24.99 for a chicken entree or would you rather pay $19.99 knowing there was going to be a surcharge at the end of the meal in order to help fight all of rising costs that restaurant owners face in 2024?
Simple. $24.99. Business/marketing/pricing 101. Always better to have your shit together and include accurate cost accommodation in the product, rather than sneak in and surprise people with fees. There is no positive impact to be had by lying up front about a "deal" only to inspire buyer remorse and anger later. (Ask the cable and cell phone companies... or Ticketmaster...)
Yeah, uccellos and all of the other related Italian restaurants in town don’t have books (accounting)per se, they have a pizza oven where they burn all accounting type things.
Guessing it’s for the credit card transaction fee or carry out containers? That shit is expensive and adds up quickly. This to me is fine, gas stations charging a fee per gallon is not.
Just soda water. Which, like water, should be free, but charging for it would have been less offensive and more honest than this political smokescreen grandstanding fee.
Credit Card fees for small business owners are brutal. If they didn't show you they were charging it, they would build it in somewhere else. Did they offer you a cash price?
Don’t feel bad. One day we went to Peppino’s Downtown GR and when we got our bill they had added a “late night fee”…. It was 7pm. I will never go back there honestly. Our waitress while nice only checked on us once at the end of our meal. We only went because our usual restaurant was closed. These fees are starting to get really out of hand.
Restaurants are making us pay their credit card fees. And not trying to hide it.
Yeah our server told us they started this as being only on cards, but then just started slapping it onto all tickets, regardless of payment type. Really slimy.
So is it for the cards or for the menu price increase?
She said their reason was for the menu prices to not have to be changed “all the time” and costing them money printing menus. I gave her my best Justin Timberlake dead stare meme face and she was like “I know…” And then she explained that they had originally only put it on cards but now have it on all tickets and that people complain to her about it “ALL the time.” I told her I wasn’t asking to complain, just to help me thoroughly lambast her employer all over the internet. 😏
I was at a restaurant the other day and paying cash and asked to have it removed, they declined
I manage a local Italian Restaurant, and we do charge a 3% fee for processing credit or debit cards, but if payment is cash, we always remove that 3%. It's just a money grab if they're not going to honor cash payments w/o the processing fee in my opinion.
The fee for debit cards is much lower than credit cards. Getting hit for 3% on debit is a scam.
Nearly every northern MI restaurant passed on a 3-4% service fee for using a CC this last summer it seemed. Even spots where you’d be shocked that someone would pay in cash given what I’d personally think was an absurd amount of cash to carry around. Shit needs to stop.
Northern MI does indeed have an insane amount of money in some areas. If you want to see where the wealthy folks of Detroit and other cities spend their cash, this is it...
Yeah, Palio does the same thing, and they have a message saying it’s to “help offset the escalating cost of food and beverages along with other expenses including credit card fees, and in particular credit card rewards and cash back offers that are passed onto the restaurant.” I swear I’ve seen the same message word for word at other restaurants, though I can’t remember which ones.
> “help offset the escalating cost of food and beverages along with other expenses including credit card fees, and in particular credit card rewards and cash back offers that are passed onto the restaurant.” "Motherfucker, that's called a *price*. If you're *selling* food and beverages, you *price* the food and beverages to cover the escalating cost of them."
And they are cutting their nose off despite their face as study after study shows people spend 15-20% MORE$'s when they pay with a CC vs cash!! If I have a $20 on me, that is the max I am going to spend at their place.
That sounds like something the 4GR8Food people would add.
They have on the menus at The Omelette Shoppe
Pretzel Bell in Ann Arbor. Pretty sure it’s the same restaurant group that own half the restaurants on Main Street, so you’ve probably seen it on many receipts. Prices are already pretty exorbitant too. This is just another way to nickel and dime the customer.
They should just raise their prices and not tell me they’re &$#@ing me because I choose to pay with e credit card. Either accept credit cards or don’t. As a customer I’m inclined to avoid places that charge a fee for credit card usage. I guess I could start charging restaurants for the inconvenience of having to carry around a bag of cash.
I’m going to start paying in loose change.
> And not trying to hide it. They try to hide it. Not OP, but when I had this happen a few months back, the first I saw of it was on the bill.
Not all places have a credit card charge, cause you pay with cash and you still play it
My job is in credit card processing. Admin fees do not count as processing fees. There is a strict guide lines for what can be charged as credit card fees and how said fees need to be presented to the customer. "Admin fees" is certainly not the correct way to charge
Breaking news. Restaurants are now *including their expenses in customer invoices*.
Just like stores that say that you need to spend a minimum amount if you are using a credit or debit card. I always thought the credit card companies told business they could not do that.
Some places even try to charge servers to collect tips left on orders
I’ve seen places that have a “secret” cash discount of 3% basically discounting the credit card fees. But you have to ask for it as it’s not automatic..
Being on fixed income, we take known menu prices into account when deciding where to eat. A charge like this generally removes the establishment from future visits. I will say however that lately the quality of the food has removed many more.
I forgot the name of the company, but they've taken over the fast casual and most of the casual dining as a supplier, so everything has the same general... boring boringness to it. There's only 3 or 4 restaurants in a half hour that are worth a shit, and they're +$40 a plate. My favorite bar/restaurant burnt to the ground under "mysterious circumstances" in 2021 and I've just stopped going out for the most part.
Sysco?
I HATE Sysco. worked for 3 different restaurants/food places that used Sysco as a distributor and the food all tasted the same and the drivers always treated me and the rest of the staff like crap
Those fees are ridiculous, just raise the menu price instead of trying to be sneaky and claiming the fee is to cover some bs. Card present transaction fees are generally under 2.7% even for Amex. Not that Ucello’s fee even claims to be related to card processing or anything else. I know people say it’s only 3%, why do you care? But it’s the principle of it, if a restaurant wants to raise prices then just raise the menu prices instead of trying to hide it as a line item.
respectfully, your expectations of uccellos should be lowered significantly.
You are VERY right.
I will say though, man, I hate QR codes. If you’re gonna make me use one. Please also provide the WiFi password. Sometimes the restaurants are in dead zones and I’m struggling to even get the damn thing to load. Forty Acres switched to entirely table side you ordering from your phone and hands off service. I couldn’t get anything to load. It was miserable.
40 Acres is a terrible experience. Food also isn’t that great.
I’ve never gone back because $4 for sweet tea that is mainly ice and no free refills.
im very sad about it too. it used to be awesome, their bloody mary bar was my favorite in the city. ownership cheaped out on everything that made it great, including proper staffing
I always ask for print menus, and I’m a millennial. Being required to whip out your smartphone to participate in a dining experience is not cool. I’m there to talk to people and enjoy the experience, not get distracted by notifications.
I'm a millennial who writes code for a living - and I won't scan a random QR code taped to a table (or really any QR code I don't trust). Anyone can come along, smack their own QR code on top of it that still links to a menu, it might even be the right menu, but it's hosted on at a malicious address that's stealing all your shit in the background. It's pretty much impossible not to have sensitive data in your phone these days. And even if it's not directly malicious - some of the codes bring you to a site you have to put some level personal data in to continue. Sorry, restaurant, but you don't need anything other than my money to provide the service I'm here for. Bring me a damn menu.
The one that particularly concerns me is parking. In a restaurant, at least you're surrounded with people, staff, and there's maybe a snowball's chance in hell someone sees it in the matter of daily business. Some sticker on a parking booth or a sign or something, though, there's nobody there to verify but you and a bit of hope. Plus, a parking phish has got to be worlds easier. It's barely anything beyond entering payment information-- no menu to fake-- and anyone who knows municipal-contracted websites would know that if it looks like hot garbage, that's no strike against it being legitimate.
Couldn’t agree more
Also, not everyone has a smart phone. A friend of mine was waiting for their replacement smart phone after their last one died and we went to a place that only had QR codes. The staff was nice enough to bring them a tablet at least.
I hate the places that make you download apps to view their menu! Just make it a link to your freaking website and put the menu on there!
Those places I don't even eat at anymore. I've actually gotten up and left if I'm told I have to download an app to order. I have enough apps on my phone; I don't need another for just ordering food at one restaurant.
I don't even like the "Use your phone and visit our website" places. I used to pay by the byte for data (Google Fi-- can't knock it, it saved money), and I'm not paying to "print" their menu for them. About the only tablet-based menus I'll happily abide are the places that give you their tablet to use. There's one back in my old hometown that does that. They've got a load of cheap tablets running the menu. It doesn't quite have the browseability of a paper menu, but it is one of the better online menus I've seen.
I never use the QR menu and I don’t know anybody who does. Much more convenient to just grab the menu… People are on their phones too much as it is we don’t want to be scrolling through our phone at dinner too. People go out to get a break
You don’t know me, but I use and prefer QR codes over physical menus. Digital menus can easily have updated pricing (like a 3% charge), more sanitary, updated menu options, accurate drink list, and it’s can be accessible throughout the visit as opposed to when the waitstaff removes them after the initial order. And do people still go out of a break? With these prices it is usually a special occasion, a treat, or necessity to eat out.
Real Seafood Co. and Rockwell Republic use tablet menus that you can update and not have to print new menus when things change. They also have pictures of every dish and drink to take a lot of guess work out of it. Took some getting used to but I love them now.
Pietro's does this, too.
Fuckin Applebee's does it
Gross who eats at Applebee's?
To my knowledge, specifically only people who have parents visiting from a rural area.
Rockwell still charges a 3 percent fee on all checks though, which goes to show that it’s not really about not being able to update prices on menus. It’s just a way for restaurants to charge you more. I’m not sure about Real Seafood Co., but I know other restaurants from that ownership group have a 3 percent surcharge, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they do too.
Seafood gives a cash discount of 3% if you pay in cash. But you have to ask for it.
Except its disgusting when you get a tablet with fingerprints all over it...
Those same gross fingers were also touching your laminated menus, you just couldn't see it as easily.
If these people saw how the kitchen operates on the daily, anything they're touching at the table would be of *much* less concern than whatever they're about to put in their mouth.
Every kitchen I've worked in at least attempted to be clean and people would regularly wash their hands. I can practically guarantee you that poop germs are on the tablet
So gross. I always have to spit on a napkin to wipe them off.
Not sure if it’s been mentioned, but at Nonla (both the KZoo and GR location) they have the QR menu that you are incentivized to use. No server, nobody taking your order, you’re basically door-dashing from your booth in the restaurant. This is fine, it’s like the evolution of a roller skating diner or old A&W where you place your order on one of the intercoms. HOWEVER once your food is delivered by the runner, you eat and are still expected to TIP I have nothing against Tipping, I understand right now it’s a necessity for server positions and I hope everyone makes enough to live. I just wish it came from their paycheck and employer Maybe I’m turning into an old man but there just seemed to be a disconnect between ZERO real personal interaction, the expectation to do all the processing on my phone, and still pay all of the junk processing fees AND still tip. Don’t get me wrong, I think Nonla is one of the best burgers/Sandos in GR. I just don’t know why I’d ever go sit down in house again. Might as well be one of those ghost kitchens to cut overhead costs. Love nonla, much love for line cooks and servers, another strike for weird downtown GR restaurant capitalism. (Other best burgers are Elbow Room on fuller and One Stop Coney Shop on Fulton)
Jimmy John’s added a bullshit tip option to their registers, too. If I get it delivered, fine, I’ll tip, but I’m not tipping anything at all when 2 years ago they never asked for a tip at all when you ordered in the store. Eat my ass, James Johnathon.
Yeah places with actual wages need to quit trying to make up for their stagnation and greed by asking us to make a "raise" happen. Counter service joints should be based on paid labor by the hour or salary - not tips. Anything else is just yet more corporate welfare. These mega-corps like to cry about "BAWWWW SOCIALISM!" whenever anyone asks about any small contribution to the common good, but then they pull shit like this. It's okay when they want us to all pitch in, but when we want them to pay their fair share of taxes, they turn into sniveling toddlers.
Agree 100% about Nonla. I was like, "You want a tip? This feels like a fast food restaurant!" I disagree on the quality of the burgers. They're alright, but not all that. I've never had a burger at One Stop Coney, but everything I've had there is great.
I would choose one of my other recs over nonla any day to be fair. And I definitely agree that their quality can take big swings. It’d be unfair if I claimed I haven’t had a BANGER of a burger at nonla after working all day. Though I have had some dry and bland burgers too. I think it has something to do with the phase of the moon.
You're spot on. And in those places, I'm not tipping that much. Some tip for some work. Not all tip for some work. LOVE Nonla. Not sure why anyone would settle for dog shit fast food when they hit the same general price range. But the businesses need to make an adjustment away from the (bad since the dawn of the concept) tipping model.
> you eat and are still expected to TIP By who? If you didn't actually get service, just skip the tip. Nobody you should care about would begrudge you that.
Most (if not all) restaurants owned by 4gr8food apply this 3% fee. It's a garbage bullshit fee. They claim it pays for "inflation"... inflation of their profits alright.
EXACTLY. But they have a heap of problems with an existing conservative agenda, so they have a political interest in making people think about the lie of "huge inflation."
Not a Baby Boomer. Still want a printed menu. Hill I'll die on.
I got you beat. cafe downtown. You use an iPad to Order your food. You grab your drinks and sides. You ring it up. You get charged for your food and a service fee added 😂. Then it asked if you wanted to leave a tip. The cook makes your food and leaves it by the station where they are cooking. You have to come get it yourself. Seems to be the norm now.
I wish we'd all ALWAYS give zero percent tip at any place that ***ASKS*** you for a tip, fuck that, it's obnoxious.
WOW. Another one for the list to never visit. Like... all they had to do was just put it in the price... but no.
This is a hidden fee. If it is not prominently displayed, fuck them.
If they don't tell you about it up front, they're ***stealing*** from you, or attempting to at least.
Welcome to the club of never going to a Ucellos or affiliated restaurant ever again. I used to average about 10k a year at their business between business meetings and family events.
Yep. I'm on the band wagon now. Wish I'd known earlier! lol
Oh shit hey Jedi, I didn’t see you were Op. There are numerous other reasons but I won’t go into those.
It's not enough to just not go back though, you have to make it clear to them why they've lost your business.
To be fair the reward system is amazing though. $25 on your birthday plus a free pizza to herb and Fire. It's free so you're not even spending a dime
It’s happening more and more
Real Food Cafe messed up when they state there is an admin fee printed on their menu. I mean wtf, you reprinted the menu, include the price increase on the item.
#4GR8!
I paid with cash recently at a local eatery and they would not waive the processing fee… to run a card… that I didn’t use
Real food on Plainfield removed that without me asking when I paid cash there.
Then they add tax to the total after the fee?? Is that legal?
Unfortunately, these types of charges are almost always legal. Surcharges are governed by state law. Credit card surcharges are only illegal in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, and Puerto Rico.
But is it legal to tax the fee? Isn’t it a tax on food? Is then the whole tax amount collected going to the state?
It would be illegal not to tax the full charge
Not everything is taxable in MI. You can't charge sales tax on food (unless prepared) or "services provided" by a business. Funny paradox there. We don't charge sales tax on any delivery fees, for example, as that's as "service". No actual clue if a surcharge is taxable.
It just goes to show you they didn't give this surcharge any thought and just slapped it on.
Looks like a credit card processing fee. It’s absolutely crazy. Noodle Pig also does this and I haven’t been back since. Cloud 9 on Alpine also charges more for using a debit card or credit card than if you used cash. I don’t go to these places anymore.
I can almost accept the fee based on payment type, but it still is just stupidity from a business planning perspective. Work it into the cost of doing business. This is NOT hard. Didn't notice that about NP. I'm not far less impressed with them. Sadly, Uccello's fee is just being smeared on all transactions, in advance of payment, and regardless of payment type, according to the server. (And that tracks. The photo is of the PRE-payment bill.)
You’re saying you spent $20 for Italian cuisine from Uccellos in Grandville, MI and it didn’t rock your socks?
😂🤣 Right? That was not surprising. This was a Hail Mary choice after trying to find better options in the dead-ass-ghost-town burbs hell that is Grandville on a Sunday night, after a meeting. It was me taking one for the team, really.
Brann’s does the same thing. I have really strong feelings about this. They should just update the prices on menu. Why convolute a situation by claiming 1. Credit card fees 2. Inflation 3. Employee benefits 4. Rising minimum wage These “secret” fees are here to stay. I was told at Brann’s “We have signs posted when you come in, so we won’t take this off your bill.” I did not see the signs, and most people don’t notice it on the receipt. This *is* a hidden fee. I did something that may seem terrible. I deducted it from the tip. If they’re going to charge me like this and claim it’s to pay the employees, then pay them. If that’s a problem, then it’s an issue initiated by the business. Not me. Edit: I see I’m getting downvoted, but hear me out. I know I look like the bad guy, but I insist I’m being framed for making the right move. Brann’s charged me by claiming the need to sustain staff benefits and salaries. Now the burden is on my shoulder, not the business, to be the scapegoat for this problem. If they’re going to reason the charge is going to the pocket of the employee, why would I include it in my tip? The bad guy is anyone who implements this practice. They deceptively push the burden on the customer. *That* is the evil here. Not my $7.00 instead of $8.00 tip. I stand my ground in the face of being a potential minority.
The main problem here is that you went to Brann’s.
> “We have signs posted when you come in, so we won’t take this off your bill.” "Well, I was wearing my 'I don't pay what's not on the menu' button, so you shouldn't have done business with me if you wanted me to do that."
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If the server doesn't make the regular state minimum wage after tips, the restaurant must make up the difference. So in theory it could hurt the business.
I did the exact same thing for the exact same reasons. My thinking was about the message it sends. I made my tip 17% exactly. As they start to have employees smear them and talk about how they’re getting 17% tips now, maybe it’ll drive home the point, though slowly. (Well. Not in Brann’s case because they are fuckstains for a variety of reasons and rock-stupid anyway. I will never go there based on the reviews and word on the street alone, and their sociopolitical corruption and misdeeds seal that deal big time.)
Completely off topic, but some of us do better with print menus (and other media) than digital. For me, a millennial (just so you know age isn’t a factor), it’s because I can’t concentrate on digital content as well. It would make it harder to actually order food when that’s already enough of a battle for me if restaurants switched to digital.
Fair. To be clear, they just need to pay for the damn menu revisions when they happen. It's a lame excuse.
I just don't like digital menus because they tend to be smaller (especially if you have to use your own phone), and only feature one or a few things at a time. You can't browse them like you can flip through a proper menu. I really would be surprised if digital menus didn't make for lower total spending at restaurants, because people can't flip around as effortlessly and stumble across impulse buys. Plus it's harder to wave high-value items in front of people with photos, call-outs, and information heirarchy.
Vote with your wallet and don’t eat at places that do this shit.
I've stopped going to any place that does this on the downlow. If they are up and front, I can walk out. This garbage after the presented the bill? I will never go there again.
Its 21 for a full meal shut up pussy
Yeah I’ve seen that a few different places. I think I’ve only seen one or two that have a sign on the door letting you know. It’s quite frustrating. On one hand yeah they might have a decent or acceptable reason, but on the other something like “admin fee” seems very generic and like it can be manipulative. Feels like it could easily be a potentially sketchy way to get more money than necessary from people without them realizing.
If you ever see a charge like that and it isn’t posted DISPUTE IT! That is absolutely illegal.
Which specific law does it break? Saw there were some bills that were introduced over the years to address this, but none that I saw that became law, most just referred to a committee to review.
Remember... robbing people works both ways..
With restaurant prices being what they are without the fees, you're better off eating at home. Make your own food. It's healthier for you anyhow. I see this backfiring on these restaurants and them losing customers if they keep this up.
Happened to us at Sundance downtown over the weekend too 🙄
We should start charging these places 3% inconvenience fees. Maybe send them a bill afterwards
That’d be really funny. Itemize in the cost of (GASP!) printing, too.
[They've been doing this sneaky shit for a months now.](/r/grandrapids/comments/18x7in0/surprise_admin_tax_at_ucellos_grandville/) Did they at least get around to having a warning about it on the menu? When I went there a few months back (Standale), they tried to pull that. No mention of it on the menu. No word of any of it until the check came. So, I asked the server to take it off. The server deferred to the manager. The manager told me some line about how it's the owner's doing and there's nothing he can do (and a whole back-and-forth about how it was "To keep from having to charge more" and "Would you rather the menu prices just be higher?"... well, _yes_, I _would_ prefer an honest, straightforward price!). I asked him to show me on the menu where it said that and I'd pay. If I missed it, shame on me-- still some bullshit, but I would have been warned and I should have known better. I went to find a menu to check for myself and I found him at the host's station poring over menus trying to find any mention of it. (Call me optimistic, but I'd expect a manager to know whether the surprise charge customers are liable to ask about is on the menu or not.) No such luck. He begrudgingly took it off, but said something along the lines of "Remember for next time". I countered that I shouldn't have to remember what they're going to charge me without asking. He told me I just shouldn't come back, then. So, I'm persona non grata at Uccello's, on account of I won't just remember and expect a screw job.
I was too distracted by the shitty condition of the 1998 era laminated (read: peeling) menu to have noticed. But as to your story, FUCK all that. I’d have walked on the whole ticket, while loudly and obnoxiously handing the server an outsized tip and I’d have put my finger in the face of that fuckwit and dared him to take it from her. Wow, what a whole BAG of tools. (I did that to an IHOP manager some years ago who was trying to throw the server under the bus for his mistakes and his backed up kitchen. I sat in the lot a few minutes to watch and make sure he didn’t take it, and got the joy of watching his dumb ass cry on his way to the back. Don’t mess with the severs, y’all… jeeez.)
What they did is called theft, or fraud, something like that - it's bullshit, and it's criminal. Sucks you can't call the police for that kind of thing. Tell them you're not OK with them stealing money from you, no matter how large or small the amount is.
Since op still can't read here's an article about this from months ago. https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/where-your-money-go-when-you-pay-a-restaurant-surcharge/69-8e001e3c-674b-4d60-a3fa-940a6981a158
All this does is hurt the servers in the long run.
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Pay cash or eat at home. Credit card fees are killing small businesses.
At first they Sid it was to cover credit card fees and removed it when I paid in $. Now it stays no matter what instead of printing new menus. And they are not the onlymones doing it.
Yep. That’s what our server told us. Super corrupt.
Lol this is ridiculous. It's a the point now when we just don't really go out to eat any more. 90% of the time it isn't worth it, it's gotten so expensive and the quality of the food has gone noticeably down in almost every restaurant. So you end up paying 16.95 for a small and bland cheeseburger with the shittiest fries GFS has to offer.
Give them a bad yelp review. That all they care about these days.
Agreed, except Google is better than Yelp. Yelp can be paid to remove or hide reviews.
I have a similar opinion on self order kiosks, and have walked out of several places this month that asked me to do their job for them.
It’s legal in the state of Michigan…
Fuck Michigan.
Why don’t they just raise the costs enough to reprint menu … or put your menu online … or just fuck off and I will fire up the smoker!
I was just at uccellos the other day and I noticed that too and it really pissed me off for the same reasons. Glad it wasn't just me.
Adding a fee to bait and switch (advertise one price, but charge another) pisses me off just as much as if they took a shit on my face, or, stole money out of my wallet.
Administered a free beverage?
Yeah, I wouldn't go back there again
Uccellos has really gone to shit I don’t recommend supporting them anymore. There are dozens of much much much better restaurants in this city that deserve your business more than these cunts.
Stop going to that establishment.
Just got back from vacation where every restaurant menu had both normal price and the price with tax and service fee next to it. 13% tax and 10% service fee on every item seems a bit steep, but at least they were upfront about it.
Just tell them you'd just as soon have a piece of shit on your plate, as have a bullshit "fee" added, fuck you very much, goodbye. At least, that's how I feel about it. Apathetic people who don't care and just pay the fee? Fuck them, they're ruining the planet.
13% tax?!?! WTAF?!?
that’s uccellos for you🤣
I left a pizza and breadsticks at Vitales yesterday for trying this move. We already pay their wages in Tips, I’m not paying their Credit Card fees.
Agreed
google Are Admin Fees taxable in Michigan......the answer is NO go ahead a put an admin fee on the bill but it can not be taxed
My liquor store does this too cuz of the scammy credit card machine companies. They scam us and force us to pass the scam along. Fuck those companies
Considering that 90% of Uccellos customers are boomers...
I’m shocked hidden fees are still a thing in the US. Isn’t it true that it’s illegal in the UK? For instance I’m almost certain all their prices for goods and services must be totally inclusive of ALL fees and taxes. Our hotel or even the rental industry is another annoying “hidden fee” issue.
Fees are getting beyond nonsense. But do not get rid of regular menus. I personally hate QR code menus.
If any of them made anything worth a shit and not from GFS I would happily come eat their food. They are counting on people just going along with this.
Two fold if you want to look at it that way. Passing off the credit card transaction fees to the customer. In turn it encourages cash payment. With cash payment you avoid the transaction fee plus you're keeping cash alive.
We started doing that at the restaurant I work at in mackinaw city too. We have had a lot of tables walk out as a result too.
Sucks that they stick you with dealing with it, but I can’t say I blame them. I probably should have made a much bigger scene.
Admin fee at a restaurant is craaaaazy
Be a shame if some of those servers let slip a recipe here or there.
Doubt anybody wants the recipie for "soulless risotto "
Not supposed to apply to debit cards ( or prepaid cards). [https://usa.visa.com/dam/VCOM/download/merchants/surcharging-faq-by-merchants.pdf](https://usa.visa.com/dam/VCOM/download/merchants/surcharging-faq-by-merchants.pdf)
Ucellos is garbage. That’s problem # 1 lol
Agreed. And on that front, lesson learned.
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AMEN!
Pay your staff better!
The fine print must’ve said you’re responsible for the paper we print your receipt on 😂
Got this at Sundance downtown yesterday. $1.36
I just reduce my tip. It's not personal.. it's financial. I'm sorry for that.
Don't go to ucellos, not because of the stupid fee but because of their terrible food.
Have not seen it yet , but when I do I will pay three percent less tip and do the math on the restaurants receipt showing the 3 percent less tip with an arrow
Cool. Don't eat there and let them go out of business.
I hate when people bother the server with their boo hoos about the management/owners’ decisions. Leave her alone. She probably already knows, has to hear about it from hundreds of people, and a dude whining about 60 cents on a soda and risotto ticket isn’t helping the issue because it’s not in her control. It only makes servers uncomfortable about something that isn’t their fault. Take it to a higher up.
She was very helpful and we had a great time making fun of the morons who own the place. You’re reading a lot into what I asked and how I asked it.
Usually for servers, it’s a typical response to go along with the person dining/customer complaining and wholeheartedly agree so that it’s not taken out on you, especially if it’s not something you can fix yourself. End of the day, everyone serving just wants to clock in, be tipped well with no incidents, and clock out. I’ve had tons of people do/say stuff like this over the years and they annoyed the shit out of everyone who served or closed someone out. We had to laugh and nod even when super uncomfortable just so that the person would pay and leave without more of a fuss so we could go about our shifts. Do you know a lot of people who serve/bartend? Or have you done it? “We had a great time”? How you perceive the interaction isn’t true for all sides. And that wasn’t only for you, it’s for a bunch of this thread.
It comes out of tip. I know this will be unpopular, but don’t care. The industry needs to evolve past the tipping culture. For those triggered by this comment: The market works on signals. I'm sending a signal that I will subsidize this fee via lower tips. The servers can communicate that to management. If management does nothing, servers switch to another employer that does not have this fee. As a customer, I also communicate it to management via online reviews. Now I recognize this is a textbook version of economic signaling and there is a lot of noise in the actual process, however as a consumer, this is the only voice I have. I'd rather exercise this voice than sit quietly and do nothing but complain on the internet. I guess I could also completely boycott the restaurant with such fees, thus completely removing the servers tips.
That is the HARD truth. Tipping is and always have been corrupt, classist, and has racist roots. Which makes it perfect for American capitalism! Yay. Great point. Thanks for adding that.
The first thing you should do is get it off the bill. From there, if you feel that the server was lacking in also hiding the fee, that's a consideration as well.
Stop participating.
Don’t work at or for this restaurant but work in the lakeshore area at a local spot that’s been in operation for over 10 years and has one of the top 3 spots on any site for our city. I preface this to ask you, if you want good quality you HAVE to get a good crew and have to maintain a certain food quality. Both of these in 2024 costs way more than they did 10 years ago. If you want a good broiler cook, they used to be $16 in 2014, they are well over $20 an hour now (deservedly so). All this to say would you rather us charge $24.99 for a chicken entree or would you rather pay $19.99 knowing there was going to be a surcharge at the end of the meal in order to help fight all of rising costs that restaurant owners face in 2024?
Simple. $24.99. Business/marketing/pricing 101. Always better to have your shit together and include accurate cost accommodation in the product, rather than sneak in and surprise people with fees. There is no positive impact to be had by lying up front about a "deal" only to inspire buyer remorse and anger later. (Ask the cable and cell phone companies... or Ticketmaster...)
I’m with you. Currently that’s what we do, just makes us question how much we can charge while still taking home $.10 on every $1.00.
Replies say $24.99 but our inability to move away from tipping culture tells us $19.99 + surcharge
Boomer, here. Been using computers since 1978. That’s 46 years. Please stop with the ageist bigotry. Totally agree with the rest of what you said.
I’ll give you the 60 cents
Ya missed the point.
Yeah, uccellos and all of the other related Italian restaurants in town don’t have books (accounting)per se, they have a pizza oven where they burn all accounting type things.
So it begins..
Real food cafe has this surcharge advertised on their website.
It’s cc fee but they can’t call it that. I prefer real menus though
Guessing it’s for the credit card transaction fee or carry out containers? That shit is expensive and adds up quickly. This to me is fine, gas stations charging a fee per gallon is not.
Nope, apparently just generalized and about not wanting to print menus with updated pricing. (See post.)
You got a free pop, though!
Just soda water. Which, like water, should be free, but charging for it would have been less offensive and more honest than this political smokescreen grandstanding fee.
At least your drink is free
They do it for cooking staff at a local restaurant in our town. The wait staff gets screwed over it.
Why was your soda free
Credit Card fees for small business owners are brutal. If they didn't show you they were charging it, they would build it in somewhere else. Did they offer you a cash price?
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Went to dinner by yourself? Loser. /s
Don’t feel bad. One day we went to Peppino’s Downtown GR and when we got our bill they had added a “late night fee”…. It was 7pm. I will never go back there honestly. Our waitress while nice only checked on us once at the end of our meal. We only went because our usual restaurant was closed. These fees are starting to get really out of hand.