Restaurants' sneaky fees -- a guide

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am happy to pay the fee in lieu of tipping, whether it’s 20%, 22% whatever.
I haven’t been to a place that charges a high service fee like 20% *and* says that it’s *not* a tip.

The only place where this agitates me is a counter service place like Breadfurst which charges a 20% service fee (again, fine) but then you are expected to tip on the iPads. Honestly, after my last trip, adding 40% to buying 2 baguettes, I decided I wouldn’t go back. I mean 2 baguettes- $14. Plus 20% service fee, 10% sales tax, then then another tip at the counter? It’s like $20 for 2 loaves of bread.

Primrose in Brookland does this. We stopped going because not only is it on a whole piece of paper explaining that it’s a NOT a tip in a tone, but they’ve also jacked up their prices. It’s sad bc it’s a lovely neighborhood joint but I can’t afford their prices on a casual Tuesday no special occasion meal.

First place I thought of, for all these reasons! It's a nice place and welcome addition to the area. The food is good, but it's was already a bit...ambitiously priced before Covid and reactive tipped wage fees. With that added on, it's not at all worth it. And yeah, there is definitely a tone which makes it that much worse. You want to have a restaurant, you pay your staff. The end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Waiters don’t want this! They make more with tips.

Well, I’m definitely enjoying not having to tip anymore. The fees cover it now.

If you voted for this, you should rot. You have stolen from the working people and moved it to management. Morons.

No we haven't. We voted to eliminate a special interest tax loophole and to provide price transparency. Mendhelson and the industry created this cluster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:this waged tip experiment looks like a complete failure. not sure who isnt worse off now.

The big winners with this whole stupid initiative are grocery stores. People cook at home rather than dealing with this nonsense.

[Anonymous]

If there is a 20% charge, no tip. Period.


Once there is a $20 wage or whatever that’s being phased in, no tip. I’m not paying tips once they get a salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and I used to eat out in DC 2x a month on our date nights. We eat at easier places in VA more often with our family. We don't understand all the tips/fees/service charges. It's confusing and we felt like idiots every time we go out because we just didn't understand the bill. Are we still supposed to tip? What does the service charge mean? We had thought that when this passed that there would be no more tipping in DC. We also saw prices rise so we figured that they were raising prices to cover higher salaries, but then it seemed that we were supposed to pay higher prices + service fee+ still tip 20%?

The main reason we stopped eating in DC is because of the parking situation. It got too hard to find a spot and then we're worried about carjackings.

My husband and I are starting to realize this as well. Any Virginia restaurant recs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I used to eat out in DC 2x a month on our date nights. We eat at easier places in VA more often with our family. We don't understand all the tips/fees/service charges. It's confusing and we felt like idiots every time we go out because we just didn't understand the bill. Are we still supposed to tip? What does the service charge mean? We had thought that when this passed that there would be no more tipping in DC. We also saw prices rise so we figured that they were raising prices to cover higher salaries, but then it seemed that we were supposed to pay higher prices + service fee+ still tip 20%?

The main reason we stopped eating in DC is because of the parking situation. It got too hard to find a spot and then we're worried about carjackings.

My husband and I are starting to realize this as well. Any Virginia restaurant recs?

In light of the D.C. increases tipped wage and other private fees and surcharges, we often tip about 10 percent now when we go out in DC, and nothing if the restaurant adds a mandatory 20 percent service fee on top. We would prefer to have a simple service charge system like in much of Europe.

[Anonymous]

Some restaurants make it hard to know what they’re charging. They present a grand total and force you to ask them for the breakdown.

This whole thing is ridiculous. It shouldn’t be this difficult.

We need a ballot initiative to repeal this ballot initiative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some restaurants make it hard to know what they’re charging. They present a grand total and force you to ask them for the breakdown.

This whole thing is ridiculous. It shouldn’t be this difficult.

We need a ballot initiative to repeal this ballot initiative.

The original ballot iniative was fine. This is on Mendelson who single handedly decided to overturn the will of the voters and make things complicated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am happy to pay the fee in lieu of tipping, whether it’s 20%, 22% whatever.
I haven’t been to a place that charges a high service fee like 20% *and* says that it’s *not* a tip.

The only place where this agitates me is a counter service place like Breadfurst which charges a 20% service fee (again, fine) but then you are expected to tip on the iPads. Honestly, after my last trip, adding 40% to buying 2 baguettes, I decided I wouldn’t go back. I mean 2 baguettes- $14. Plus 20% service fee, 10% sales tax, then then another tip at the counter? It’s like $20 for 2 loaves of bread.

Primrose in Brookland does this. We stopped going because not only is it on a whole piece of paper explaining that it’s a NOT a tip in a tone, but they’ve also jacked up their prices. It’s sad bc it’s a lovely neighborhood joint but I can’t afford their prices on a casual Tuesday no special occasion meal.

First place I thought of, for all these reasons! It's a nice place and welcome addition to the area. The food is good, but it's was already a bit...ambitiously priced before Covid and reactive tipped wage fees. With that added on, it's not at all worth it. And yeah, there is definitely a tone which makes it that much worse. You want to have a restaurant, you pay your staff. The end.

“ Thank you so very much for choosing to spend your time with us.
We won't bore you with a rant about the state of the economy, the cost of eggs etc. The fact is, we must add the 20% service fee to cover the increase in all things, all around you, right now.
It's this or we close.
A 20% service fee will be added to all guest checks and will be used to cover our increasing operational costs. We believe in supporting our staff and the 20% service fee helps us make that possible for our team.
This Service Fee is NOT a tip. Tips are greatly appreciated if you can.
Thank you again”

Ridiculous.0

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am happy to pay the fee in lieu of tipping, whether it’s 20%, 22% whatever.
I haven’t been to a place that charges a high service fee like 20% *and* says that it’s *not* a tip.

The only place where this agitates me is a counter service place like Breadfurst which charges a 20% service fee (again, fine) but then you are expected to tip on the iPads. Honestly, after my last trip, adding 40% to buying 2 baguettes, I decided I wouldn’t go back. I mean 2 baguettes- $14. Plus 20% service fee, 10% sales tax, then then another tip at the counter? It’s like $20 for 2 loaves of bread.

Primrose in Brookland does this. We stopped going because not only is it on a whole piece of paper explaining that it’s a NOT a tip in a tone, but they’ve also jacked up their prices. It’s sad bc it’s a lovely neighborhood joint but I can’t afford their prices on a casual Tuesday no special occasion meal.

First place I thought of, for all these reasons! It's a nice place and welcome addition to the area. The food is good, but it's was already a bit...ambitiously priced before Covid and reactive tipped wage fees. With that added on, it's not at all worth it. And yeah, there is definitely a tone which makes it that much worse. You want to have a restaurant, you pay your staff. The end.

“ Thank you so very much for choosing to spend your time with us.
We won't bore you with a rant about the state of the economy, the cost of eggs etc. The fact is, we must add the 20% service fee to cover the increase in all things, all around you, right now.
It's this or we close.
A 20% service fee will be added to all guest checks and will be used to cover our increasing operational costs. We believe in supporting our staff and the 20% service fee helps us make that possible for our team.
This Service Fee is NOT a tip. Tips are greatly appreciated if you can.
Thank you again”

Ridiculous.0

Especially because the egg issue was last year. Right now the only pricing issue is olive oil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some restaurants make it hard to know what they’re charging. They present a grand total and force you to ask them for the breakdown.

This whole thing is ridiculous. It shouldn’t be this difficult.

We need a ballot initiative to repeal this ballot initiative.

The original ballot iniative was fine. This is on Mendelson who single handedly decided to overturn the will of the voters and make things complicated.

Ballot initiatives are great for people who hate to use their brains and just want complex issues boiled down to bumper sticker slogans.

For everyone else, they’re disasters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am happy to pay the fee in lieu of tipping, whether it’s 20%, 22% whatever.
I haven’t been to a place that charges a high service fee like 20% *and* says that it’s *not* a tip.

The only place where this agitates me is a counter service place like Breadfurst which charges a 20% service fee (again, fine) but then you are expected to tip on the iPads. Honestly, after my last trip, adding 40% to buying 2 baguettes, I decided I wouldn’t go back. I mean 2 baguettes- $14. Plus 20% service fee, 10% sales tax, then then another tip at the counter? It’s like $20 for 2 loaves of bread.

Breadfirst sells their fresh baguettes in a few local markets. Patronise those stores and avoid BF’s patronising service charges.

[Anonymous]

Dining in the US is so stupid. We just got back from Japan and it's like night and day in terms of average quality, service, and price. It's so, soooo much cheaper to eat out over there and you get better everything. And no, it's not fair because of the exchange rate, because even for Japanese earning yen in Japan, it is cheap to eat out. And yet Japan as well as many other counties in the world can figure this out and provide good food, good service, and not require tipping.

US is so backwards and broken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dining in the US is so stupid. We just got back from Japan and it's like night and day in terms of average quality, service, and price. It's so, soooo much cheaper to eat out over there and you get better everything. And no, it's not fair because of the exchange rate, because even for Japanese earning yen in Japan, it is cheap to eat out. And yet Japan as well as many other counties in the world can figure this out and provide good food, good service, and not require tipping.

US is so backwards and broken.

Median HHI is $45k in Japan vs $75k in US. Is it really even cheap for the Japanese?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am happy to pay the fee in lieu of tipping, whether it’s 20%, 22% whatever.
I haven’t been to a place that charges a high service fee like 20% *and* says that it’s *not* a tip.

The only place where this agitates me is a counter service place like Breadfurst which charges a 20% service fee (again, fine) but then you are expected to tip on the iPads. Honestly, after my last trip, adding 40% to buying 2 baguettes, I decided I wouldn’t go back. I mean 2 baguettes- $14. Plus 20% service fee, 10% sales tax, then then another tip at the counter? It’s like $20 for 2 loaves of bread.

Primrose in Brookland does this. We stopped going because not only is it on a whole piece of paper explaining that it’s a NOT a tip in a tone, but they’ve also jacked up their prices. It’s sad bc it’s a lovely neighborhood joint but I can’t afford their prices on a casual Tuesday no special occasion meal.

First place I thought of, for all these reasons! It's a nice place and welcome addition to the area. The food is good, but it's was already a bit...ambitiously priced before Covid and reactive tipped wage fees. With that added on, it's not at all worth it. And yeah, there is definitely a tone which makes it that much worse. You want to have a restaurant, you pay your staff. The end.

“ Thank you so very much for choosing to spend your time with us.
We won't bore you with a rant about the state of the economy, the cost of eggs etc. The fact is, we must add the 20% service fee to cover the increase in all things, all around you, right now.
It's this or we close.
A 20% service fee will be added to all guest checks and will be used to cover our increasing operational costs. We believe in supporting our staff and the 20% service fee helps us make that possible for our team.
This Service Fee is NOT a tip. Tips are greatly appreciated if you can.
Thank you again”

Ridiculous.0

Especially because the egg issue was last year. Right now the only pricing issue is olive oil.

And sugar.