Cancel plans for anniversary dinner in DC due to crime and hidden fees?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fees are so annoying. Restaurants should have pricing transparency. No added fees. I went to Perry’s tonight and they added 20 percent service fee which they argued was not a tip.

No. If you add a 20 percent service fee to the posted prices, it is a tip.

Never going back there…

Did you tip on top of the fee or hold firm? What did they say the service fee was for if not a tip?

I did not tip. I wasn’t go to pay 40 percent above the list price, which was already high.

They said the fee was distributed to their staff as wages…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fees are so annoying. Restaurants should have pricing transparency. No added fees. I went to Perry’s tonight and they added 20 percent service fee which they argued was not a tip.

No. If you add a 20 percent service fee to the posted prices, it is a tip.

Never going back there…

Did you tip on top of the fee or hold firm? What did they say the service fee was for if not a tip?

I did not tip. I wasn’t go to pay 40 percent above the list price, which was already high.

They said the fee was distributed to their staff as wages…

I wouldn’t have tipped on top either. Since they claim it’s going to wages then that’s their tip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fees are so annoying. Restaurants should have pricing transparency. No added fees. I went to Perry’s tonight and they added 20 percent service fee which they argued was not a tip.

No. If you add a 20 percent service fee to the posted prices, it is a tip.

Never going back there…

Did you tip on top of the fee or hold firm? What did they say the service fee was for if not a tip?

I did not tip. I wasn’t go to pay 40 percent above the list price, which was already high.

They said the fee was distributed to their staff as wages…

See, who wants to argue with a restaurant that they’re not going to pay more on top of hidden service fees during an anniversary dinner? DC dining scene has become a toxic wasteland of this stuff and makes it thoroughly unpleasant. We went to a fast casual place a few months back and they added in automatic 15% tips. This place made you get your own food when your number was called and you had to bus your own table. There was no service at all. And on the payment screen there were no options for tipping. The was added without your selection. The only way to remove it is if you sent out of your way to argue with staff to remove it. Ridiculous. So many restaurants in DC have ridiculous fees know. They are mugging consumers left and right like they’re their own cash cows to exploit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC seems like it is apocalyptic wrt to out of control crime all over the city. The last thing I’d want to happen to us for our anniversary dinner coming up is to get carjacked. It seems like chefs are fed up too:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/11/10/restaurants-crime-dc-oakland-chicago/


Last time we went out in DC we were slammed with all sorts of ridiculous service, inflation recovery, and service staff health care fees and were still expected to tip. We almost never encounter the same kind of insane hidden fee structure in the burbs as we do in DC.

Is there really any point anymore of patronizing the city and its businesses when crime is so out of control and even if you make it to the restaurant safely, restauranteurs will mug you anyway with hidden fees when the bill comes. We are on the verge of being completely done with the DC dining scene. Anyone else been canceling their plans for spending their money in the district due to these issues?

Are you for real or is this a troll?

Crime isn’t a problem in DC now? There are so many residents now getting fed up. If residents are fed up, why should one visit and patronize the city with their money? It’s clearly no longer safe. Add in hidden fees everywhere they want to sock you with, and the calculus for deciding whether to go or not increasingly tips in the favor of no mas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm supposed to go into the city next week. Do Uber drivers still work in DC? They keep getting targeted. I won't drive, will I find a way home?

LOL. You people need to get a life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Crime isn’t a problem in DC now? There are so many residents now getting fed up. If residents are fed up, why should one visit and patronize the city with their money? It’s clearly no longer safe. Add in hidden fees everywhere they want to sock you with, and the calculus for deciding whether to go or not increasingly tips in the favor of no mas.

I don't think anyone is asking you to come to the city, are they? I don't think anyone is asking me to come eat at True Foods in Tyson's Corner so don't announce that that scene isn't my cup of tea.

[Anonymous]

D.C. has been great. It’s all back open for business. People are buzzing around merrily on a Friday evening. Very safe crowds. Sports are in action. Broadway shows have been outstanding. Restaurants are open. Museums are so much fun. The Metro was packed in the weekend. You are missing out, if you don’t join in with some adventure! It’s wonderfully surprising that it’s all back on again.

[Anonymous]

Everyone can dismiss OP as a troll, but the article is really depressing. I feel sorry for anyone trying to operate a restaurant these days.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. I live in one of the crime plagued neighborhoods mentioned, and have for nearly 20 years. Our city’s leaders have really failed us. Voters made regrettable choices. And those who deny crime are as bad as the covid and election deniers. OP, if random crime (or hidden fees) give you anxiety, I would stick to the burbs. No need to prove anything on your anniversary. I do think the fees are ridiculous, but we want these restaurants to stay open. Personally, I just need to eat at home more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC seems like it is apocalyptic wrt to out of control crime all over the city. The last thing I’d want to happen to us for our anniversary dinner coming up is to get carjacked. It seems like chefs are fed up too:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/11/10/restaurants-crime-dc-oakland-chicago/


Last time we went out in DC we were slammed with all sorts of ridiculous service, inflation recovery, and service staff health care fees and were still expected to tip. We almost never encounter the same kind of insane hidden fee structure in the burbs as we do in DC.

Is there really any point anymore of patronizing the city and its businesses when crime is so out of control and even if you make it to the restaurant safely, restauranteurs will mug you anyway with hidden fees when the bill comes. We are on the verge of being completely done with the DC dining scene. Anyone else been canceling their plans for spending their money in the district due to these issues?

Are you for real or is this a troll?

Crime isn’t a problem in DC now? There are so many residents now getting fed up. If residents are fed up, why should one visit and patronize the city with their money? It’s clearly no longer safe. Add in hidden fees everywhere they want to sock you with, and the calculus for deciding whether to go or not increasingly tips in the favor of no mas.

Did someone request that you go to DC? Eat where you are comfortable. Nobody cares.

[Anonymous]

There definitely has been a big uptick in crime. And many businesses closing. You can't pretend this is happening. Odds of anything happening to you is still pretty low but times are challenging for DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm supposed to go into the city next week. Do Uber drivers still work in DC? They keep getting targeted. I won't drive, will I find a way home?

Nope. No Ubers or Lyfts better stay home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fees are so annoying. Restaurants should have pricing transparency. No added fees. I went to Perry’s tonight and they added 20 percent service fee which they argued was not a tip.

No. If you add a 20 percent service fee to the posted prices, it is a tip.

Never going back there…

Did you tip on top of the fee or hold firm? What did they say the service fee was for if not a tip?

I did not tip. I wasn’t go to pay 40 percent above the list price, which was already high.

They said the fee was distributed to their staff as wages…

Also known as tips…

[Anonymous]

hahahahahahahahahahahha.

[Anonymous]

DC now tacking on credit card fees. Keep telling us fees at DC establishments don't exist, lol. Even more loathsome fees being showered onto customers in the DC dining scene. Gross.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2023/11/06/why-some-dc-restaurants-recently-started-charging-credit-card-fees/