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Restaurants respond to wage hike with dining surcharge
The San Diego Tribune ^ | January 1, 2017 | Lori Weisberg

Posted on 01/02/2017 6:57:54 PM PST by artichokegrower

The next time you wander into Sammy’s Wood-Fired Pizza for a burrata and pesto pie, indulge in a shrimp-filled bucket at Rockin’ Baja Lobster, or decide to splurge on beef tenderloin at George’s at the Cove, don’t be surprised to see an added charge when your check arrives.

Girding for the second minimum wage hike in six months and the fourth in 2-½ years, many of San Diego’s full-service restaurants are introducing for the first time an average surcharge of 3 percent of the meal’s cost to help cover increased labor expenses that some operators say amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single year.

(Excerpt) Read more at sandiegouniontribune.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: california; economy; food; surcharge; wages
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To: sport

In fact, it was pulled on me one time several years ago. My wife and I went to this place, the server brought the check. At the bottom of the check was printed:”We have added a 1 and half percent charge to your total”. We usually tipped at least 10%, depending on the bill. We would leave 5 dollars for her and 5 dollars for me for the server. Whom ever whom was treating who paid the bill, the other left the tip. That time I was treating , she was reaching into her purse for the tip money. I informed her to forget it because they figured the tip into the bill. And they gyped the server out of at least 3/4 of her tip. Had I been asked if I would object to a one and half percent surcharge[ If they would have said we would have said we do not object] .It was them taking it upon themselves. We took it as a, “We do not want your business”, and we honored their request.


21 posted on 01/02/2017 7:27:46 PM PST by sport
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To: artichokegrower

Some States have what they call ‘eat in tax’ whether you eat in or not...Mickey D’s did that to me once in PA...never went back to any of them again...


22 posted on 01/02/2017 7:28:53 PM PST by HarleyLady27 ('THE FORCE AWAKENS!!!' Trump/Pence: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!)
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To: Fungi

It is not anger. Just statements.


23 posted on 01/02/2017 7:29:02 PM PST by SkyDancer (Ambition Without Talent Is Sad, Talent Without Ambition Is Worse)
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To: del4hope
I'm beginning to agree with Mr. Pink.


24 posted on 01/02/2017 7:29:17 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: 2banana
From the article:

While the kitchen staff already is paid above minimum wage, their monthly income is dwarfed by that of the servers, who, like tipped workers at most restaurants, are paid no more than the minimum wage. That’s because a sizable portion of their earnings comes from tips.

This was phrased awkwardly, but the point is that in California, tipped workers make the minimum wage, which in the city of San Diego is now $11.50 an hour.

In California, tips belong the to employee. The employer cannot count the employee's tips towards the employer's minimum wage obligation.

This may cause the custom of tipping to be re-evaluated. If someone is already making a "living wage", why should they be tipped over and above that, just for doing their job?

25 posted on 01/02/2017 7:29:33 PM PST by jeannineinsd
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To: SkyDancer

Semantics.


26 posted on 01/02/2017 7:31:36 PM PST by Fungi (Having my fungus and eating it too.)
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To: WENDLE
... I have the finest quinine from my micro wave...

How do you get a "quinine" from a microwave?

27 posted on 01/02/2017 7:32:21 PM PST by Cobra64 (Common sense isn't common any more.)
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To: central_va

It is not the thing whether the world is ending or not. It is them adding something to my bill that I was not aware of. If it is up front and I decide to go there anyway, fine. If they spring it on me unawares, that is when we part company. The world can do as it pleases.If you want your pocket picked, more power to you.


28 posted on 01/02/2017 7:34:58 PM PST by sport
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To: sheana
Yep. If I see a surcharge it will get deducted from the tip and I’ll make sure and tell the waitress/waiter why. They can talk to the management.

Why tip at all if they're making $15/hr?

29 posted on 01/02/2017 7:38:29 PM PST by OrangeHoof (Get used to it - President Donald J. Trump)
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To: artichokegrower

Frankly, if I get to where I need to worry about a 3% hike, I shouldn’t be going out to eat.

We don’t go out to eat very often, except when we travel and even then we have found fun ways around most of it.


30 posted on 01/02/2017 7:38:30 PM PST by Gator113 (I use liberal tears in my milkshake ~DRAIN THE SWAMP~ ~ LOCK HER UP ~ ~DRAIN THE SWAMP~)
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To: artichokegrower

I bet the customers will respond by moving their business elsewhere.


31 posted on 01/02/2017 7:42:28 PM PST by Pilgrim's Progress (http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/BYTOPICS/tabid/335/Default.aspx D)
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To: artichokegrower

That should really cut into the tips.


32 posted on 01/02/2017 7:45:51 PM PST by FrdmLvr ("A is A. A thing is what it is.)
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To: HarleyLady27

A waitress at a popular breakfast haunt confided in me that the owner soaked his potatoes in butter, along with the steaks and nearly everything else so it would taste better.

You never know what is on your plate. Restaurant food should be avoided.


33 posted on 01/02/2017 7:55:06 PM PST by Loud Mime (Liberalism: Intolerance masquerading as tolerance, Ignorance masquerading as Intelligence)
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To: HarleyLady27

A waitress at a popular breakfast haunt confided in me that the owner soaked his potatoes in butter, along with the steaks and nearly everything else so it would taste better.

You never know what is on your plate. Restaurant food should be avoided.


34 posted on 01/02/2017 7:55:06 PM PST by Loud Mime (Liberalism: Intolerance masquerading as tolerance, Ignorance masquerading as Intelligence)
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To: Loud Mime
A waitress at a popular breakfast haunt confided in me that the owner soaked his potatoes in butter, along with the steaks and nearly everything else so it would taste better.

I do that at home!

35 posted on 01/02/2017 7:58:06 PM PST by SamAdams76
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To: central_va

I think the “first” income tax was 3% .... and they have left it at that since and enacted no other taxes as well. /s/


36 posted on 01/02/2017 7:59:44 PM PST by RetiredTexasVet (Dan Rather, a 60 Minutes Investigative Reporter for CBS, invented "Fake News"-fake but accurate.)
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To: artichokegrower

My limit is $5.88 per meal including sales tax (no tip). That’s what breakfast costs me at Jack-in-the-Box (with two egg sandwiches).


37 posted on 01/02/2017 7:59:57 PM PST by steve86 (Prophecies of Maelmhaedhoc O'Morgair (Latin form: Malachy))
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To: Loud Mime

I would be angry if someone did that to my butter.


38 posted on 01/02/2017 8:02:46 PM PST by tinyowl (A is A)
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To: steve86

I went to a restaurant in western Wisconsin and they came to our table with a card swipe machine and on the screen my only options was to tip either 20%, 25% or 30%. If you try and pay in cash they make you select on the screen the same and make change for you at the table while printing the receipt.

No option for no tip......which is what they deserved.


39 posted on 01/02/2017 8:12:01 PM PST by ThE_RiPpEr. (Make America Great Again - FOR EVERYONE!)
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To: ThE_RiPpEr.

You need to go to TripAdvisor and write a review.

Any restaurant that allows only a 20% or more tip needs to be reviewed there. Potential customers would like to know.


40 posted on 01/02/2017 8:14:50 PM PST by ladyjane
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