Posted on 03/03/2010 5:43:27 PM PST by Cheap_Hessian
Nothing succeeds in the travel industry like a bad idea. The latest hidden mandatory add-on is a "health" charge added to restaurant bills. As far as I know, this scam cropped up first in San Francisco, but you can count on it to spread.
The rationale for this one is to cover the employers' mandatory contribution to the City's "Healthy San Francisco" health-coverage system. The charge actually is levied on employers, but at least some restaurants are adding a few dollars or percentage points to each customer's bill to cover this charge.
The restaurants' excuse for assessing this charge separately is to let customers know how much they're paying for employees' health coverage. That's the same excuse hotels use when they add "resort" or "housekeeping" fees to unsuspecting guests' room bills. It's the same excuse airlines would use to exclude fuel surcharges from their advertised fares if the Department of Transportation would allow them. And it's sheer nonsense. Employees' health insurance is no less of a cost of doing business than rent, property taxes, food costs, security services and all the other inputs businesses require to operate. To single out health care for a separate surcharge is unwarranted.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Hey! What a surprise! Business taxes get passed on to the consumer. Who knew?
I suspect they may come up short on tips
I agree with the restaurants. Why should they hide the tax that the government is making them pay? I think the Tribune is upset that the restaurant would actually blame their higher prices on the state.
I would not only not leave a tip but let the management know that his establishment is permanently off limits!
I guess you can add things like pulling the chair out, seating customer charge. Or how about a pouring you water charge. Or maybe giving you a menu charge or a charge for just looking at the menu, a condiments charge (salt and pepper and whatever provided) perhaps the “is everything Ok charge”, the clearing the table for dessert charge, then of course there’s the giving you the bill charge, service not included charge .....
(TP and Washing Hands Expense??)
I actually agree with restaurants slapping this on the bill like they are. Anytime expenses increase, it is reflected in cost- in this case the city's health tax is charged to the restaurant so logically, they have to pay for it somehow. This way, diners can see right in front of their face how much these policies cost them.
.
bttt
So you would rather this charge just be slipped in with the price of the meal? Seems like they are making a stand pointing out the kind of expense the city government is levying on them.
Actually, I applaud it: the clowns who vote for socialism should see its results.
I would like to see the price of otherwise-hidden taxes printed on all reciepts for all purchases. Especially fuel purchases.
Ever since my city added a 10% resturant tax, I have not set foot in one or McD’s, About 10 yrs now.
I’m with you on this, surprised more Freepers aren’t. One of the problems with so many of our taxes are that they are invisible to most people. Put it in their faces, and they might get a clue (although that’s very unlikely in SF).
As long as these fees are known to the customer before any purchase is made then what’s the problem?
These are ‘taxes’ to treat the sexual degenerates in the bizarro world of Frisco. Why any healthy, normal person would willingly live in California much less a diseased hole like SF is beyond a rationale.
They originally figure it into their costs and have just found out a new way to raise prices!
“This way, diners can see right in front of their face how much these policies cost them. “
I’d be ok with it, if they did it upfront - but you and I both know what people would do with an upfront greeting like: “We’re adding a $5.00 service fee for health insurance if you choose to dine here”
They would be out of business in a week.
It’s tacky to wait until the bill is presented for diners to find that the restaurant can’t handle it’s business.
The restaurants didn’t mandate the charge, the stupid government did. Just like a local gas station puts on their pumps “$.55 of every gallon is tax”.
I’ll bet they don’t even serve Rice-A-Roni anymore, “The San Francisco Treat”.
Bastards.
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