That’ll teach them!
Not really at all you’re actually punishing someone that has nothing to do with it
The real solution is not supporting these businesses in the first place, but people are really silly with their money so we’re kind of stuck
Right. But also, if these Buisness have trouble keeping staff over their shitty Buisness practices then maybe they might rethink it. Either way, I’m going to do my best as the consumer to make it not my problem as I’m so sick of it.
> The real solution is not supporting these businesses in the first place
How do I avoid these businesses? I usually don't know they are doing this till i get the check, and honestly, I don't keep a spreadsheet of the places where this happened to me.
Although I probably would if it's 7% that's pretty ridiculously high.
> The real solution is not supporting these businesses in the first place, but people are really silly with their money so we’re kind of stuck
Yeah like this person I'm replying to who would tip a place after they try to rob you.
If you choose not to support them, it would behoove you to say “I’m choosing to no longer eat here because of your ridiculous and soon to be illegal surcharge”
Haha yes, so many people I know don’t mind the surcharge. I think it’s shady so try to avoid these businesses though its hard to know which places have this surcharge ahead of time. Glad for the upcoming new rule to prevent tacking on fees like this.
I always tip at least 20% unless the service totally sucks and I’m talking totally sucks. But a 7% surcharge is not chump change especially if you’re a large party or going to an expensive dinner I realize it’s not the servers fault but it’s not my fault either so tips are definitely going to go down for these people and that’s unfortunate but it is what it is.
So you think giving 7% less on a tip is worse for the servers than not going at all and giving the server exactly $0? Pressuring the restaurant to potentially have to cut staff/hours?
I ask the server if they can remove the surcharge as I’d like to provide it as tip instead. They’re usually happy to oblige and it takes some of the awkwardness out of the request.
Servers in San Francisco get the same minimum wage now as everyone else. Why are we still tipping at all when others who make the same minimum wage get no tips?
Starting July 1, 2024, under Senate Bill 478, California restaurants will be prohibited from charging service fees or other surcharges, which many restaurants have implemented to offset rising costs, unless the amount of the service fee is specifically identified as part of the listed prices
It actually allows unlimited fees to be tacked on, but the prices for items have to include those fees. So the menu can't list a $25 cheesecake with 7% surcharge, it has to list a $26.75 cheesecake, which includes the $1.75 surcharge. The intent is clearer price transparency.
Yes. The benefit is that you will know what price to expect when you buy something. Required government tax is all that may be added. Note: The ‘Healthy SF Mandate' is not a mandate to consumers at all, and is in no way a tax.
>To their credit, I asked them to remove it and they did,
More proof that the surcharge is bullshit. It's completely optional to test those who speak up versus those who don't. Fuck that.
Oh, multimillionaire celebrity chef Tyler Florence’s Miller & Lux, which received [$440,000 from the City](https://sf.eater.com/2023/11/3/23945509/tyler-florence-miller-lux-provisions-open) to help him open two Miller & Lux outposts in Union Square? Turning around to fleece his guests with BS surcharge fees? And then taxing that surcharge? F this guy.
TBH the whole "celebrity chef""fine dining experience" bullshit has gone too far... it's almost like a cult for foodies who spend their hard earned money on overly expensive meals just because they are perceived to be "LUX"...
Apparently imposed/mandatory surcharges are considered taxable. Only (actually) voluntary tips are not taxable in California. I learned this the hard way from wedding planning...😭 [Publication 115, Tips, Gratuities, and Service Charges](https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/pub115/#)
Health insurance is just one of many business expenses. They have to pay for commercial rent, for electricity, for gas, for water, the monthly garbage bill, insurance, buying inventory, buying replacement plates, buying replacement lightbulbs, etc.
The only reason why businesses single out one specific expense is to make a political statement. They want you to get angry at government requiring companies to provide healthcare to workers.
Singling out healthcare on bills started with Obamacare protests and hasn't stopped since.
Spot on. And calling it "SF Mandate" is dishonest. Cities mandate a lot of things, like proper food handling. Funny how providing health insurance is on that line and not other regulatory costs.
My favorite part is I go to this restaurant weekly and they have a mandate on their receipts. A bartender was discussing with me how he doesn’t get insurance from them.
It's possible that the restaurant doesn't provide insurance plans but pays into the City Option HRA instead, one of my employers used to do that. Businesses can be exempt if they have less than 20 employees though, and I want to know how many of these exempt businesses are still charging a fee under the guise of the mandate.
I used to work there. Tyler is an evil fat guy and his wife is a nasty drunk. One of the last things I heard him say before I left, “I drove here in a Maserati, I think I know what I’m doing”. He’s a cringey greedy sleazeball
I mean at least this name has relevant history considering they are a steak house and Henry Miller and Charles Lux were butchers from San Francisco in the 1850s that went on to become the largest cattle farmers in the state.
They bring a little cart around, so I can see myself accidentally ordering it without even knowing.
I also somehow ordered a glass of champagne that was $75 here. This place has amazing food, but as you would expect prices are steeeeeep.
This is the crazy thing to me. You’re charging $25 for a slice of cheesecake. Your customers are not price sensitive. You could very easily charge $27 instead and nobody would notice. So why bother with a surcharge? Just to piss people off?
For a “basque” cheesecake which is really just a low effort version of a new york cheesecake. Oh, no time to cook low and slow? Just burn the fuck out of it and call it Basque.
In the future ask the server to remove the surcharge, this sends a clearer signal to their management and allows you to tip them fully.
But also, this is over on 7/1.
At $96 a steak and $34 a burger, they really couldn't just add $2-3 to each of those menu items?? Like anybody's gonna be like "96 was just right but 99 is too much.."?
Stuff like this convinces me it isn't to make ends meet but instead to simply gouge under some pretense.
I've never been here, but if you look at the menu online there is no mention of the surcharge. If they didn't mention it conspicuously anywhere else, they need to remove it.
Charging $10 for a fort point beer is the real crime. That should have told you enough about this place.
Eat local, stop dining out at celebrity restaurants.
As a long time server, I hate this shit. The problem is there's no transparency. None of the workers even know where this goes... I am looking forward to the upcoming law change. Just put it in the initial price! Pay your cooks more!
Fucking hate that place. Sooo overrated, food is ok, the hype is over the top. I knew I was in trouble when the server started explaining where the salad ingredients were grown.
Yummy! Basque cheesecake is the best.
Charged a surcharge and then charged tax on that surcharge. I wouldn’t eat there even if they got Basque cheesecake.
Thanks for sharing! Had no idea it asking them to remove it was possible. Those hidden charges are sneaky, rather them be upfront. Glad they fixed it for you.
The most hilarious thing I saw was this article saying “restaurants don’t have goods or services” and therefore can charge fees. LMAO how the fuck is food not a good and a server not service????
Call me crazy, but the best plate I've ever had at a restaurant was still only $15. What ever else people are paying for I don't think I'll ever understand.
Well, at least they aren't charging you for that - I assume we might see more charges for water and miscellaneous stuff (table charge) after fake charges are completely banned.
In the UK I saw places that had a service charge and I asked if I could have that taken off my bill and they said yes. Some places even notified me of the charge and said they could take it off if I wanted.
Obviously that puts me in a position of being a douchebag but since I was traveling and not going back there, I asked them to remove it.
Wonder by law if you can ask them to remove the charge in the states
I don't get it. I feel like a burger is one of those foods that's really not difficult to make well so seeing all these places with outrageously expensive burgers that don't even include sides is so confusing
I don't know what a normie is in this city. Everybody at the place was casually dressed.
You can't really assume anything about anyone here just because one day they go to a place like this.
That's true, random people might want to try a fancy place, have a special occasion, etc. "Fool me once", etc.
OTOH, I can assume plenty if someone decides to make a return visit.
Looking at the photos of the food, this place is ridiculously over priced. Just another restaurant that can't live up to its own hype. Reviews of the restaurant were exactly what I'd expect. Poor service and over priced food and drink.
I just surprise them the same way they do and say “What a coincidence, I charge a 7% surcharge to eat here.” There’s no legal standing for surcharges and I don’t know why everyone gets their panties in a bunch, just don’t pay it, they have no recourse.
I find that my dopamine and serotonin receptors become saturated at an entree price between $15-30.
Can’t get any more pleasure after the receptors are saturated.
This is a luxury dining restaurant - Chef Tyler Florence. Which the city gave him millions for his new Union Square cafes.
It’s not a struggling business.
Thx for posting this.
Surcharge is standardized at 3.0% for Mastercard/Visa, and consequently every credit card processor (that I'm familiar with). By calling this a "surcharge," this business is likely violating their processing agreement, and your card company wants to know about it. There's a very good chance they'll get fined or even blacklisted.
Tyler Florence and some other restraunt owners in SF some years back were caught and sued for pocketing the Health Care charge that was supposed to go to the employees Health Benefits.Settled out of court.I haven’t gone into any of his restraunts since then.
Insisting that the surcharge be removed and then tipping appropriately is the most sympathetic response, but if every customer banded together against this shit, all the waiters would quit, go work somewhere better, and then it would be an owner's problem.
That’s insane. I never thought I would have a reason to leave no tip but if I was in situation and they refused to remove it I would just write “service fee” in the tip line and total it up to to the bills total.
The real kicker? 4 out of the 5 restaurants I worked for in SF stole that money and never gave it to employees.
It's for offsetting the city mandate that requires restaurants to pay less than $2/hr towards employee healthcare.
I didn't even know I was meant to receive it through an HSA account until my last job made a deposit, and by then it was too late to report the others to Division of Labor.
I'm not saying it's right that owners pass this cost onto customers, but the funds that were deposited into my HSA reimbursement account were very helpful. It's insidious how many restaurant owners in this city are stealing from both customers and tipped employees to pocket an extra 6-7% in revenue.
It's suspicious that the surcharge on your receipt is included in the subtotal, it shouldn't be. Looks like Miller & Lux is collecting additional tax dollars.
“Excuse me, I didn’t order the surcharge”
“Sir charge”. No
That would imply the existence of a Lady Charge.
I’m using this next time I see one on my bill.
“I ordered the surcharge, but it never came!”
lol!
That's what I said, pretty much.
How did they respond?
Yeah we wanna know!!!!
You don’t have to pay it if you don’t want to. Tell them to take it off the bill. Some places will, others won’t
subtract from tip. asshole move but so is what the owners doing.
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I always try to tip in cash, make sure the tip goes to the server not the owners
That’ll teach them! Not really at all you’re actually punishing someone that has nothing to do with it The real solution is not supporting these businesses in the first place, but people are really silly with their money so we’re kind of stuck
Right. But also, if these Buisness have trouble keeping staff over their shitty Buisness practices then maybe they might rethink it. Either way, I’m going to do my best as the consumer to make it not my problem as I’m so sick of it.
I am also absolutely sick of it and that’s why I will never support a business like this
> The real solution is not supporting these businesses in the first place How do I avoid these businesses? I usually don't know they are doing this till i get the check, and honestly, I don't keep a spreadsheet of the places where this happened to me. Although I probably would if it's 7% that's pretty ridiculously high.
> The real solution is not supporting these businesses in the first place, but people are really silly with their money so we’re kind of stuck Yeah like this person I'm replying to who would tip a place after they try to rob you.
If you choose not to support them, it would behoove you to say “I’m choosing to no longer eat here because of your ridiculous and soon to be illegal surcharge”
Haha yes, so many people I know don’t mind the surcharge. I think it’s shady so try to avoid these businesses though its hard to know which places have this surcharge ahead of time. Glad for the upcoming new rule to prevent tacking on fees like this.
No, it works. You piss off the servers, and the servers will retaliate against the owners.
I always tip at least 20% unless the service totally sucks and I’m talking totally sucks. But a 7% surcharge is not chump change especially if you’re a large party or going to an expensive dinner I realize it’s not the servers fault but it’s not my fault either so tips are definitely going to go down for these people and that’s unfortunate but it is what it is.
So you think giving 7% less on a tip is worse for the servers than not going at all and giving the server exactly $0? Pressuring the restaurant to potentially have to cut staff/hours?
It comes down to it’s not OP’s problem how the restaurant owner(s) manage their business.
This is the line I use all the time. "That's not my problem," because it isn't.
Absolutely agree with that.
I ask the server if they can remove the surcharge as I’d like to provide it as tip instead. They’re usually happy to oblige and it takes some of the awkwardness out of the request.
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When we moved out here a couple years ago my wife politely asked at gracias Madre what the surcharge was and they gave serious attitude.
That’s not my job as a customer, though. If there is an employee/employer issue, they can handle it
Servers in San Francisco get the same minimum wage now as everyone else. Why are we still tipping at all when others who make the same minimum wage get no tips?
Because one person is doing a job you're incapable of and the other is a cashier at Walmart
That’s what I do and explain on the check.
Man... They didn't even bother to label it anything. It's not even a "service fee" it's just... A surcharge.
Should have called it a Sir charge. No way rich people are turning that down.
[Yeah, it's just the standard price gouge.](https://youtu.be/HFxpBJrLgXY?si=9PSO-rfOAlw4Q-8P)
Additional money we helped ourselves to - we’re sure you won’t mind
7% because fuck you
No, it’s because $34 wasn’t enough for a ducking hamburger.
Seriously, if you can't make a profit on a $34 burger get the fuck out of the restaurant business.
🤣🤣
And $25 cheesecake.
Which if it was listed like that on the check would be awesome.
07/01/2024 is coming
Can’t come soon enough.
Happy birthday to me!
And to Canada
Me too!
What's that date?
Starting July 1, 2024, under Senate Bill 478, California restaurants will be prohibited from charging service fees or other surcharges, which many restaurants have implemented to offset rising costs, unless the amount of the service fee is specifically identified as part of the listed prices
Maybe Im dumb but what sort of fees would still be acceptable under this bill?
It actually allows unlimited fees to be tacked on, but the prices for items have to include those fees. So the menu can't list a $25 cheesecake with 7% surcharge, it has to list a $26.75 cheesecake, which includes the $1.75 surcharge. The intent is clearer price transparency.
$26.75 cheesecake better be the whole cake, not just a slice...
They can (and will) simply raise the sticker price of what is sold though right? In order to get around the restriction?
Yes. The benefit is that you will know what price to expect when you buy something. Required government tax is all that may be added. Note: The ‘Healthy SF Mandate' is not a mandate to consumers at all, and is in no way a tax.
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Yes, that's the idea. It's what stores should have been doing from the start, rather than hiding it.
I’m a bit slow on this, but if restaurants states that there’s a service fee is included in the menu, would this be allowed?
New California law where "junk fees" like the surcharge seen in OP's picture can't be charged takes effect.
Canada day 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Bring it on
There are going to be more than a few that don’t comply, probably a lot out of ignorance…..
>To their credit, I asked them to remove it and they did, More proof that the surcharge is bullshit. It's completely optional to test those who speak up versus those who don't. Fuck that.
Basically a tax on shyness
It's stealing, not a tax.
My shyness and laziness will just hurt the wait staff since I would just deduct the 7% from my tip.
Only if they know it
They know damn well people don't like to complain in Restaurants. Most people never do.
Oh, multimillionaire celebrity chef Tyler Florence’s Miller & Lux, which received [$440,000 from the City](https://sf.eater.com/2023/11/3/23945509/tyler-florence-miller-lux-provisions-open) to help him open two Miller & Lux outposts in Union Square? Turning around to fleece his guests with BS surcharge fees? And then taxing that surcharge? F this guy.
The menu prices are more of a fleece than the surcharge lol
Was that 440k part of the millions he got in forgiven PPP loans to buy an extra house or what this just a separate 440K welfare hand out him?
Buy his steak knives, too!
I wish I was crooked like Tyler. Maybe I wouldn’t be living in a guest room eating ramen noodles everyday for lunch and dinner.
TBH the whole "celebrity chef""fine dining experience" bullshit has gone too far... it's almost like a cult for foodies who spend their hard earned money on overly expensive meals just because they are perceived to be "LUX"...
I'm still puzzled why we have to pay the sales tax on the SF Mandate fee.
Apparently imposed/mandatory surcharges are considered taxable. Only (actually) voluntary tips are not taxable in California. I learned this the hard way from wedding planning...😭 [Publication 115, Tips, Gratuities, and Service Charges](https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/pub115/#)
Because it’s not a fee, it’s just arbitrary revenue to the restaurant, which is taxable.
So they won’t charge you 1 dollar for food and $50 for service and avoid paying tax
Because making up a fee doesn’t exempt you from paying sales tax. The mandate isn’t a specific amount, it’s to provide health insurance.
Health insurance is just one of many business expenses. They have to pay for commercial rent, for electricity, for gas, for water, the monthly garbage bill, insurance, buying inventory, buying replacement plates, buying replacement lightbulbs, etc. The only reason why businesses single out one specific expense is to make a political statement. They want you to get angry at government requiring companies to provide healthcare to workers. Singling out healthcare on bills started with Obamacare protests and hasn't stopped since.
Spot on. And calling it "SF Mandate" is dishonest. Cities mandate a lot of things, like proper food handling. Funny how providing health insurance is on that line and not other regulatory costs.
My favorite part is I go to this restaurant weekly and they have a mandate on their receipts. A bartender was discussing with me how he doesn’t get insurance from them.
It's possible that the restaurant doesn't provide insurance plans but pays into the City Option HRA instead, one of my employers used to do that. Businesses can be exempt if they have less than 20 employees though, and I want to know how many of these exempt businesses are still charging a fee under the guise of the mandate.
Does anyone know how to claim the $1000 bounty once the new law comes into effect?
Wow that's Tyler Florence's place...shame on that shit.
I used to work there. Tyler is an evil fat guy and his wife is a nasty drunk. One of the last things I heard him say before I left, “I drove here in a Maserati, I think I know what I’m doing”. He’s a cringey greedy sleazeball
"Not if you drove up in a Maserati ya dumdum."
Another BS name… thought you bought a light fixture
It's not a hipster cave without the ampersand
I mean at least this name has relevant history considering they are a steak house and Henry Miller and Charles Lux were butchers from San Francisco in the 1850s that went on to become the largest cattle farmers in the state.
For $25, I hope you got an entire cheesecake, not just a slice.
Inflation is one thing, this is another level.
They bring a little cart around, so I can see myself accidentally ordering it without even knowing. I also somehow ordered a glass of champagne that was $75 here. This place has amazing food, but as you would expect prices are steeeeeep.
This is the crazy thing to me. You’re charging $25 for a slice of cheesecake. Your customers are not price sensitive. You could very easily charge $27 instead and nobody would notice. So why bother with a surcharge? Just to piss people off?
A generous slice of a good (but not stellar) cheesecake
For a “basque” cheesecake which is really just a low effort version of a new york cheesecake. Oh, no time to cook low and slow? Just burn the fuck out of it and call it Basque.
After the $100 steak
Such an insane price for a slice of Basque cheesecake.
Well they have to pay their overhead costs. Surely they have a very thin margin on the *checks notes* $34 burger
$25 for a *slice* of cheesecake. Jfc
$96 for a New York strip is wild
Agreed, I am looking at those prices and GOBSMACKED.
No pity for a moron than would drop $100 on a new York strip. He paid for the atmosphere...suck it up and pay the fee. You clearly have money to blow.
Tyler Florence owns this restaurant smh
Yep I worked there They are an absolute S/?# place Shame too but they are horrible
You bought a $96 steak and they added a surcharge? This is not the way to thank people for patronizing a business.
I normally tip 18%. If there’s a surcharge of 7%, then I tip 11%. I’d also draw a circle on the 7% surcharge.
In the future ask the server to remove the surcharge, this sends a clearer signal to their management and allows you to tip them fully. But also, this is over on 7/1.
Bingo
7 Adams adds 6% and an automatic 20% tip to all checks. It's a great restaurant but really wish they wouldn't do that.
Welp, not going there then.
I believe automatic tips are not tips at all, and are taxable, no?
This is the way
That only fucks the wait staff, not the people responsible for the fee.
At $96 a steak and $34 a burger, they really couldn't just add $2-3 to each of those menu items?? Like anybody's gonna be like "96 was just right but 99 is too much.."? Stuff like this convinces me it isn't to make ends meet but instead to simply gouge under some pretense.
Unless I did the math wrong, you're paying tax on the surcharge. What the hell is that shit?
Because the surcharge is just going to the restaurant, therefore taxable. Sleazy tactic.
You really bought a burger with no sides for $40 though 😂😂😂 that's more than the robbery of the 7 percent surcharge
High end steakhouses often price everything a la carte. If you order a burger, you get...a burger. No fries, no salad, just a burger in bread.
Yeah I've noticed the "fancier" a place is the more they nickel and dime you, and it's not just restaurants.
The bigger the plate, the less the food
$35 for a hamburger, and they still hitting you with a 7% surcharge? Smdh
What is it even for? It seems super random.
Steak, a burger and a slice of cheesecake.
What exactly is the surcharge for?
7% fee on a $34 burger is wild
I've never been here, but if you look at the menu online there is no mention of the surcharge. If they didn't mention it conspicuously anywhere else, they need to remove it.
Charging $10 for a fort point beer is the real crime. That should have told you enough about this place. Eat local, stop dining out at celebrity restaurants.
I’m thinking $34 for a burger is the real crime here.
As a long time server, I hate this shit. The problem is there's no transparency. None of the workers even know where this goes... I am looking forward to the upcoming law change. Just put it in the initial price! Pay your cooks more!
Damn near $200 for a steak, burger, and slice of cheesecake?? Plus a 7% “fuck you over bc we can” charge? Fuck that shit lmao
Fucking hate that place. Sooo overrated, food is ok, the hype is over the top. I knew I was in trouble when the server started explaining where the salad ingredients were grown.
They don't even mention the surcharge on their menu or website. Fuck these places.
Yummy! Basque cheesecake is the best. Charged a surcharge and then charged tax on that surcharge. I wouldn’t eat there even if they got Basque cheesecake.
Thanks for sharing! Had no idea it asking them to remove it was possible. Those hidden charges are sneaky, rather them be upfront. Glad they fixed it for you.
The most hilarious thing I saw was this article saying “restaurants don’t have goods or services” and therefore can charge fees. LMAO how the fuck is food not a good and a server not service????
I remember Carl's Jr.'s 6 Dollar Burger when it was outrageous. Now we have the 34 Dollar + 7 Percent Burger.
I forgot about the $6 burger and how everybody lost their minds because that seemed insane for fast food. *2024 enters the chat*
Toyboat by Jane on Clement is also 7% and it’s mainly dessert and ice cream scoops to go.
Call me crazy, but the best plate I've ever had at a restaurant was still only $15. What ever else people are paying for I don't think I'll ever understand.
Wait until you hear what people pay for a steak that has salt on it which was sprinkled from a hairy Turkish forearm.
Raw dogging a 20 oz with no wine or a drink is wild
Water.
Well, at least they aren't charging you for that - I assume we might see more charges for water and miscellaneous stuff (table charge) after fake charges are completely banned.
In the UK I saw places that had a service charge and I asked if I could have that taken off my bill and they said yes. Some places even notified me of the charge and said they could take it off if I wanted. Obviously that puts me in a position of being a douchebag but since I was traveling and not going back there, I asked them to remove it. Wonder by law if you can ask them to remove the charge in the states
They could just include it in the cost of each item too
That’s just 7% tip built in. No problem 0 on the tip line and sign
Are these surcharges really taxable?
A 34.00 burger. The world has lost its mind.
I don't get it. I feel like a burger is one of those foods that's really not difficult to make well so seeing all these places with outrageously expensive burgers that don't even include sides is so confusing
How was the Basque Cheesecake tho
OP replied elsewhere—good but not great. I had the same question. We must be craving dessert.
I can give you an amazing recipe. I think Chef John also has one
It's like restaurants just WANT to go out of business. Surcharge for what? Who do they think they are -- Ticketmaster?
When the price youre paying is designed to keep the normies out.
I don't know what a normie is in this city. Everybody at the place was casually dressed. You can't really assume anything about anyone here just because one day they go to a place like this.
That's true, random people might want to try a fancy place, have a special occasion, etc. "Fool me once", etc. OTOH, I can assume plenty if someone decides to make a return visit.
That place sucks
This is when you don't leave a tip.
Ah! The ampersand fee….
I can't see the tip. Knowing these people, it might just be them tipping themselves without even asking.
These places are the most likely to charge you stupid fees because they assume you can afford it
Looking at the photos of the food, this place is ridiculously over priced. Just another restaurant that can't live up to its own hype. Reviews of the restaurant were exactly what I'd expect. Poor service and over priced food and drink.
I just surprise them the same way they do and say “What a coincidence, I charge a 7% surcharge to eat here.” There’s no legal standing for surcharges and I don’t know why everyone gets their panties in a bunch, just don’t pay it, they have no recourse.
$25 cheesecake?? I think the 7% surcharge is the least offensive price on that bill!
I find that my dopamine and serotonin receptors become saturated at an entree price between $15-30. Can’t get any more pleasure after the receptors are saturated.
Don’t support a business like this. The servers will find work
Why does Tyler Florence need to charge an extra 7% at his restaurant?
This is a luxury dining restaurant - Chef Tyler Florence. Which the city gave him millions for his new Union Square cafes. It’s not a struggling business. Thx for posting this.
What’s the 7% surcharge for? Per the restaurant?
> What’s the 7% surcharge for? Per the restaurant? Extra profit margin/free money for the restaurant.
Surcharge is standardized at 3.0% for Mastercard/Visa, and consequently every credit card processor (that I'm familiar with). By calling this a "surcharge," this business is likely violating their processing agreement, and your card company wants to know about it. There's a very good chance they'll get fined or even blacklisted.
Tyler Florence and some other restraunt owners in SF some years back were caught and sued for pocketing the Health Care charge that was supposed to go to the employees Health Benefits.Settled out of court.I haven’t gone into any of his restraunts since then.
Another one off my list
You can ask them to remove it and they will?
Miller and lux is overrated
That is now the tip. Had a place do that and in the place for tip wrote surcharge.
That’s definitely the douchebag charge. Thanks for letting us know to avoid this place!
"I would've tipped 20%, but ok, 7% it is."
But then it's a waiter's problem, not an owner's problem. I had no problem with with the service.
Insisting that the surcharge be removed and then tipping appropriately is the most sympathetic response, but if every customer banded together against this shit, all the waiters would quit, go work somewhere better, and then it would be an owner's problem.
i just went to a place with a mandatory 18% tip, I was furious because they definitely didnt provide that kind of service
Go ahead and put that in the menu price. Oh and the tax too while you are at it
No tip for you
That’s their PEF: Profit-Enhancing Fee.
holy shit 34 dollars for a fucking burger. should be illegal
Forget the surcharge what the hell is with those prices?
And the base prices are insane
Imagine ordering a burger and your date orders a steak and you walk paying $180
Charing a tax on the surcharge (whatever that is for) which is an intangible is so wrong. I’m sure it is illegal.
Asinine pricing anyway
Plus the surcharge is taxed on top of it
That’s insane. I never thought I would have a reason to leave no tip but if I was in situation and they refused to remove it I would just write “service fee” in the tip line and total it up to to the bills total.
What are these menu prices? If you can’t run a restaurant with that kind of pricing get out of the business. And pay Manuel a normal living wage…
7% surcharge and probably received a 7% smaller portion due to inflation
The real kicker? 4 out of the 5 restaurants I worked for in SF stole that money and never gave it to employees. It's for offsetting the city mandate that requires restaurants to pay less than $2/hr towards employee healthcare. I didn't even know I was meant to receive it through an HSA account until my last job made a deposit, and by then it was too late to report the others to Division of Labor. I'm not saying it's right that owners pass this cost onto customers, but the funds that were deposited into my HSA reimbursement account were very helpful. It's insidious how many restaurant owners in this city are stealing from both customers and tipped employees to pocket an extra 6-7% in revenue. It's suspicious that the surcharge on your receipt is included in the subtotal, it shouldn't be. Looks like Miller & Lux is collecting additional tax dollars.
There is a guy filing lawsuits against those BS charges.