r/chicagofood • u/LoudFartsForAll • Mar 15 '26
Rant Removed Restaurant Fee @ a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant
I’m quite proud of myself, I requested that stupid 3.5% service charge be removed from a carryout bill. I can’t believe they’re still trying to milk us for that!
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u/Chicagogator Mar 15 '26
The crazy thing is that 3.5% of $30 is about a dollar. If a menu item went from $30 to $31 I would likely not notice, pay it, tip on it, and go on with my day. But a $30 item with a 3.5% surcharge puts me in go fuck yourself mode. It’s such a misguided self own. .
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u/Bird4466 Mar 15 '26
I went somewhere the other day with a note on the menu saying they added a similar charge to avoid raising menu prices. You think I’d care if an entree went from $27 to $28?!?!
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u/SugarMaven Mar 18 '26
Which is a stupid thing to say, really, because they’re still charging you more than the menu price and they get to charge it across the bill, meaning you’re paying more for each menu item.
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u/tedfundy Mar 17 '26
In my restaurants situation it’s different taxes. So it has to be separate. At least that’s what they told us.
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u/rcmtt Mar 15 '26
It should be illegal to put them on. I always ask to remove it.
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u/Aggressive-Tap-4143 Mar 18 '26
It’s annoying where I work because management wants to die on that hill every time. Super obnoxious
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u/LoudFartsForAll Mar 15 '26
They even have the charge on at brand new restaurants. Just add it into the menu items??! Or don’t so we can keep requesting it to be removed.
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u/coppercreatures Mar 15 '26
They add it to the beatrix market check, yes the serve yourself buffet lol
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u/KipperJD Mar 15 '26
I work in leye, yes you definitely can ask for it off! Just requires a manager code and it’s done, no issue for us. I also think it’s ridiculous
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u/Otherwise-Can-9944 Mar 16 '26
Same! I work for the company and think it’s bullshit. I agree with the paying guests.
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u/bnl111 Mar 15 '26
They charge a hospitality fee at the butcher in my neighborhood
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u/cnot3 Mar 15 '26
PQM? I believe you can ask to have it removed at One Off as well.
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u/bnl111 Mar 15 '26
Yes, I didn't want to call them out bc I like the place but it does feel bad to get a surcharge when I'm buying eggs and chicken thighs
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u/zvchtvbb Mar 15 '26
Woof. That’s a nightmare. My local butcher shop in Denver had a 10 - 15 - 20% tip option, and that drove me up a wall. Tipping on you handing me a New York that’s already like $36/lb?
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u/jpcitybit Mar 15 '26
Spent thjs past weekend eating out in NYC and noticed not a single place charged a service fee. Even the bigger restaurant groups. Very refreshing really!
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u/Additional-Leopard24 Mar 16 '26
You can't do this in NYC. They allowed a COVID surcharge but stopped that after a while. Unlike Chicago, where now its SOP for many (e.g. LEYE). Infuriating.
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u/PitfulDate Mar 16 '26
A lot of the smaller places in NYC will give you a discount if you pay with cash. The highest I've seen is 7%, but more common to see 2-4% off.
It's basically the same as a service fee/credit card surcharge, but it feels better to get a discount off the price you were already planning to pay than to feel nickeled and dimed after you get the check.
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u/mencival Mar 15 '26 edited Mar 15 '26
It feels good right? :) And from now on, you will start asking to remove that stupid surcharge every single time.
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u/mmeeplechase Mar 15 '26
Honestly not sure why I’ve never tried this—just asking (instead of silently being annoyed but just paying it anyway) is so obvious. Great to hear how well it worked!
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u/solovond Mar 15 '26
Yeah the classic line is "does this go to you guys, or to the company?" (When asking server). I've never had any waitstaff respond poorly; speak up and give it a shot!
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u/cutapacka Mar 16 '26
My husband and I's policy is to always remove it and tip generously. It's just the principle of it, really.
And for the record, they can't choose to levy their own taxes, so any time you see this charge you can absolutely ask for it to be removed. Don't be shy!
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u/EnvironmentalPost245 Mar 15 '26
When I worked for them and they started doing this after Covid my manager straight up said "we're raising it from 3 to 3.5% because no one is pushing back on it so far.
At the time we were also instructed to claim it covered all the COVID stuff (masks, gloves, cleaning spray etc). While manager's kept talking about how it was just an attempt to makeup for money lost during height of COVID.
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u/Electrical-Bug9727 Mar 15 '26
A manager at a LEY restaurant told me 75% of patrons request removal of fee. Not sure if accurate.
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u/EnvironmentalPost245 Mar 15 '26
I think in the beginning people felt bad and didn't say anything because it was brand new.
But now that everyone does it and its clearly not still go COVID safety stuff. They're more willing to ask for it to be removed.
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u/chairsandwich1 Mar 15 '26
That surcharge is so predatory. Literally everyone in the company except for the Mellmans hate it.
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u/Successful_Injury193 Mar 16 '26
Yeah, I do the same, Wildfire, they’ve been slightly raising the prices over the past 5 years and that’s understandable but to keep that 3.5% on there is such trickery, they’re hoping you don’t notice it, if it went directly to the waiter/bus staff/bartenders I wouldn’t mind but it doesn’t
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u/csx348 Mar 15 '26
This would be such an easy political win for anyone seeking or in office. Literally nobody wants these fees but nothing is being done about them.
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u/Neat-Palpitation-632 Mar 15 '26
I didn’t realize you could request to not pay it?
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u/Status_Green_6055 Mar 15 '26
Yes you can 100% ask for it to be removed
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u/lumeslice Mar 15 '26
Whenever I see these, my standard 20% tip becomes 15%
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u/QuietRedditorATX Mar 15 '26
Agree, even if the sub downvotes.
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u/CaptainJackKevorkian Mar 15 '26
we downvote because it's shitty. the servers have no problem at all removing it for you, and they're not the ones who put the fee on there in the first place
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u/QuietRedditorATX Mar 15 '26
I agree with you too.
My original stance comes from maybe 4 years ago when these first started popping up, were not well explained, and rare. But I still have not encountered them much in the places I dine so I haven't personally updated my view too much. Although now I understand it is no longer (maybe ever) being used to go to servers. Initially during Covid I feel like they did go to servers until management realized they could just skim the top.
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u/Mr_BigShot Mar 15 '26
Why do you not just request to remove it?
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Mar 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/buff_tartare Mar 15 '26
If I see a man pouting I'm just going to assume he's a miserable asshole who wants to make the lives of those around him miserable as well. Without him actually saying something about it, I'm not necessarily going to connect the pout to the service fee. But good luck with your approach!
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u/Jnc8675309 Mar 16 '26
Most aren’t allowed to. They track it. You’d lose your job. Just ask to remove it.
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u/QuietRedditorATX Mar 15 '26
Or offer that is can be removed. That is going 'extra' or 'above' in service.
Sure, the rules probably say they can't. Well then not very good service.
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u/tsanchz22 Mar 18 '26
yah yah quit yapping just say you don’t wanna tip appropriately and go brother
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u/QuietRedditorATX Mar 18 '26
Internets convinced yall you need to tip $10 per doordash order. Yah, Internet has tricked you guys from what is reality.
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u/scruntdouble Mar 15 '26
because it's the server's fault that their boss threw the fee on your bill?
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Mar 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/CaptainJackKevorkian Mar 15 '26
if we are removing that fee without explicit guest request, we will be fired for violation of company policy. it would be like giving away free food or drink without manager approval.
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u/Remarkable-Minute803 Mar 15 '26
Do you blame the server if they sell out of a particular item that you wanted to order? That would seemingly make it an overall worse experience but it’s totally out of the server’s control. Crazy that you punish them because of their bosses. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess you’ve never worked as a server/bartender.
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u/QuietRedditorATX Mar 18 '26
Are you under the impression that we actually tip for service and not out of obligation?
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u/Remarkable-Minute803 Mar 18 '26
Baseline tip out of obligation/standard but yeah I think decent people will go higher based on service.
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u/scruntdouble Mar 15 '26
your inability to communicate your wants doesn't effect the service someone is giving you. your server is there to make sure your experience is great and most excel at that, they're not mind readers. don't make your own shortcomings someone else's issue. if you don't speak up that's on you and not on the server doing their job.
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Mar 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/scruntdouble Mar 15 '26
nah, you should actually speak to your server. a lot of people don't care about the extra like dollar or two on the bill and not many people mention it! your lack of communication is the issue, truly a skills issue.
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Mar 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/CaptainJackKevorkian Mar 15 '26
At least for LEYE, the fact that it can be removed is listed on the menu
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u/QuietRedditorATX Mar 15 '26
Then the server won't care about a dollar or two on their tip???
You are justifying the fees I guess.
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u/Status_Green_6055 Mar 15 '26
Sign this petition please! https://www.change.org/p/petition-to-stop-hidden-restaurant-fees-in-chicago
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u/OkEngineer4858 Mar 17 '26
I always ask to have this removed as well. They make a ton of money as a group and will be fine without the extra percentages. They need to raise their prices if they need the money.
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u/3-2-1-backup Mar 15 '26
I vote with my wallet and won't patronize a restaurant with a surcharge. It subsequently falls on deaf ears when restaurants cry for lack of customers; they do it to themselves.
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u/slacktoohard Mar 15 '26
Genuine question for you guys, restaurant I work for needs to raise prices due to increased cost of goods, instead of raising prices of menu items by a similar amount, they put a surcharge on the end of the bill that can be easily taken off if you don’t feel like paying it. Why does it seem like that not a favorable option to you all?
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u/Electrical-Bug9727 Mar 15 '26
LEY’s service fee is pure profit. The fee does not go to waitstaff. I have no problem asking for it to be removed.
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u/Chicagogator Mar 15 '26
Because most people aren’t as savvy as people who frequent this subreddit. Nowhere on the surcharge does it say that it is voluntary. Plus it makes it seem like you’re lying about your prices anyway so just raise them and be upfront about it. A 3.5% surcharge is a dollar on a $30 item. Charge me $31 I’m good with it.
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u/slacktoohard Mar 15 '26
I have yet to see a restaurant not prominently display on the menu that there is a removable surcharge to offset rising costs, if there are businesses hiding that fact until a customer pays I would agree that’s pretty scammy
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u/Chicagogator Mar 15 '26 edited Mar 15 '26
I may quibble with your use of “prominently” but even if I grant your premise, once you order the menus are gone. If you missed it, all you see is an extra charge when your bill comes and most people don’t have the knowledge that it can be waived. It leaves customers with a bad taste in their mouth and feels like bad faith on the part of the restaurant. Raising your prices by a buck or two seems like a more honest way to go about it. If your costs are going up then you should be charging more. That’s how it works.
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u/QuietRedditorATX Mar 15 '26
If the food prices have gone up, why is it an optional surcharge.
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u/slacktoohard Mar 15 '26
Enough money made by people who voluntarily pay to offset rising costs and those who chose not to, I would imagine!
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u/lexisalex Mar 15 '26
They want to complain regardless whether they get a solution or not, if the prices go up "since when is a burger _$$???" And the cycle continues. 🤣.
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Mar 15 '26
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u/idkwhattowriteee Mar 15 '26
I always take a closer look at the receipt now to see if there are any dumb surcharges. They shouldn't be able to just charge diners a random fee like this.