Lawmakers want to crack down on “junk fees,” but restaurants are trying to stay out of the fight.

Surcharges or fees covering everything from credit card processing to gratuities to “inflation” have become more popular on restaurant checks in recent years.

Last year, 15% of restaurant owners added surcharges or fees to checks because of higher costs, according to the National Restaurant Association. In the second quarter, 3.7% of restaurant transactions processed by Square included a service fee, more than double the beginning of 2022, according to a recent report from the company.

Opponents of the practice say those fees and surcharges may surprise customers, hoodwinking them into paying more for their meals at a time when their wallets are already feeling thin. Fed-up diners compiled spreadsheets via Reddit of restaurants in Los AngelesChicago and D.C. charging hidden fees. Even the Onion took a swing at the practice, publishing a satirical story in May with the headline “Restaurant Check Includes 3% Surcharge To Provide Owner’s Sugar Baby With Birkin.”

  • @Snapz
    link
    12 months ago

    Restaurants are seconds away from charging a per-bite subscription to their menu. 30 bites per month individual plan or shared 150 bites per month family plan

    • Any large bites count as 3 bites
    • All bites where you open your mouth are categorized as large bites.
    • Uneaten food is evaluated by our proprietary AI and given a remaining bite count (which is then doubled and subtracted from your regaining monthly bite total as a penalty).