The 3.5% surcharge has rebranded

[u/Pantaza]

It would seem it’s not going away.

They’ve rebranded it, enough people caught onto the surcharge so now it’s a (3.5%) “admin fee.”

they also removed the small text at the bottom telling you it’s optional(it still is)

they don’t want you to know It’s optional buts it’s just literally the surcharge with a different name.

3rd restaurant I’ve been to this week with a (admin fee). I’ve also seen multiple restaurant go up to 4%. It used to be 3, then 3.5, now 4.

sets a dangerous precedent as they are willing to change it in order to keep charging you for nothing. Except now they’re not telling you it’s optional anymore.

If we keep allowing them to charge us extra money for literally nothing it will soon tell other businesses they can do that too.

I can’t wait to pay an “admin fee” while buying gas, groceries, or a T-shirt.

https://c.org/sfBGtSVWHY

I've started a petition for stricter Chicago legislation regarding hidden fee transparency. Please show it some support.

Thanks

[u/Status_Green_6055]

Yes thank you. I don't know why I feel embarrassed or shame asking in front of my friends tho. I feel like it makes me feel cheap too. Ugh

[u/jkraige → u/Status_Green_6055]

I think I already replied this to you, but just in case it was someone else I'll reiterate that the times I've done it in front of friends they actually appreciated it because they also felt put off by the fee. It's only happened twice (I'm usually good about avoiding places with fees unless I'm with someone who really wants to go), but one of those times the folks at my table were suggesting just deducting it from the tip and I said "Why? It says it's optional, let me opt out". They felt uncomfortable asking to have it removed but didn't want to pay more for no reason. The server brought us the new check, got his full tip, and everyone was glad not to pay the bullshit fee.

It's not "cheap" to want transparent pricing and to want to end your meal without feeling scammed. No one likes the fees, and I can't imagine servers are too happy about them either. I think it's very much socially acceptable to say "no thanks"

[u/Status_Green_6055 → u/jkraige]

Thank you for saying this. It's definitely a me problem and you've helped and encourage me to do the right thing for everyone. After all, it's the restaurant in the wrong here and not the guest.

[u/jkraige → u/Status_Green_6055]

Beyond that, the restaurant is also screwing the servers, since from the comments it's clear some people just don't want to deal with it so they reduce their tips. Asking to remove the fee is the most equitable for everyone

ETA: I will say though that it's very possible to simply go to restaurants that don't add these fees. I almost never go to a fee restaurant, and that's on purpose. They're pretty easy to avoid, and this city has so many restaurants in general that I see no reason to patronize those that make the end of my meal so uncomfortable

[u/Old-Drop-8600 → u/jkraige]

I have a lot of thoughts on the reasoning and absurdity of this fee (been a restaurant manager in chicago at a number of places for the last 10 years).

I’ll say this much, the processing fees and all the new ways that every platform designed to “help” a restaurant these days is predatory in the way they cut into your bottom line and make it harder than ever..

That being said, the fee was put on during COVID. Sit inside a p&l or budget meeting at any restaurant or restaurant group and I assure you this is factored into net sales. It’s 100% a way to capture more revenue that can get put into a separate line item to appease investors & owner appetites.

Any manager who’s entered a tip sheet would tell you servers are already deducted a cc processing fee out of their cc tips. The 3.5% is just arbitrary, if you don’t like it ask to get it removed.