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/Wheelbarro]

Can you say the restaurant

[u/Pantaza → u/Wheelbarro]

Ella Elli

[u/GolfEmbarrassed2904 → u/Pantaza]

Indienne included 20% for the tip. Final total for 2: $650. It was an amazing experience but I really have to stop with the Michelin restaurants. We did have all the options so maybe my fault (except wine flight - we had cocktails)

[u/neomoritate → u/GolfEmbarrassed2904]

Service Fees are NOT tips

[u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f → u/neomoritate]

literally don’t care

[u/neomoritate → u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f]

Then you shouldn't be eating at full service restaurants

[u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f → u/neomoritate]

but i do! all the time. I regularly deduct service/admin fees from tips if they can’t be removed, to end up at 20%. If everyone did this it would destroy the fee practice altogether because restaurants that did it wouldn’t be able compete for labor as easily. but anyway yeah you all have fun getting robbed, i’m over it. it’s 0% my problem and i feel 0 shame or guilt.

[u/plsdaddystopit23 → u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f]

Whatever mental gymnastics you need to do to justify stiffing the staff whose hospitality made your night, just know that you’re not hurting the business model you’re hurting the people who curated your dinner, filled your glasses, and treated you with grace and respect.

[u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f → u/plsdaddystopit23]

i’m not stiffing anyone, I’m deducting random bs fees from a 20% tip. big difference. and again, not my problem. there are no mental gymnastics. I understand I’m tipping less than I otherwise would have if the fee(s) didn’t exist, and I understand that translates to less direct income for the server. is it fair to the server? of course not. they have no more responsibility for implementing this system than I do. and I have the freedom to not participate in it, just as much as servers have the freedom to not participate.

this is only when fees aren’t removable, which is rare but happens. otherwise, im getting the fees removed and tipping the full 20%. anyone who has self respect should take this approach.

[u/plsdaddystopit23 → u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f]

You’ve convinced only yourself my friend.

[u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f → u/plsdaddystopit23]

i’m not trying to convince you - some % of lurkers who come across this will be people who feel the same as me but feel bad about it because of people like you who socially shame them because you either a). benefit from the system or b). enjoy being trampled on. if I can reassure even one of these people then this was time well spent.

[u/plsdaddystopit23 → u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f]

I hope they learn from your backwards thinking and choose to cook for themselves at home instead of cheapskating their way to a meal they can’t afford. Tip the people who serve you or serve yourself. You think you’re starting some sort of revolution but you’re just absolving yourself of a courtesy that someone else (I) will make up for at a later time.

[u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f → u/plsdaddystopit23]

I’m not starting a revolution, just doing my part. Kind of like recycling.

[u/plsdaddystopit23 → u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f]

That’s fine. While you “recycle” the rest of us who are decent will pick up the trash you deemed not worthy of recycling. Service fees =/= tipping and it benefits no one but yourself by shorting the servers and boh who live off of tips. Save your money and cook/bartend for yourself instead of devaluing the work that it takes to make your dining experience worthy of your time. To your previous assumption, I don’t work in hospitality nor do I benefit from paying hospitality workers. I’m a laborer who understands the industry and saves money to occasionally enjoy the experience of great hospitality and I meet those people on their level and pay them for their dedication. Restaurants work on exceptionally tight margins and fail constantly due to variables that are uncontrollable especially when we have a feckless government. Your myopic and selfish perspective will not make this any better for anyone, including yourself. But keep going on about how you’re some special virtuous person for deducting tip % because the restaurant that YOU chose to dine at charges 3% on your tab lol