RosieKat
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Posts: 5,580 
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Post by RosieKat on Jun 1, 2024 15:48:00 GMT
I don't necessarily mind paying the CC fees - but I do mind it at restaurants that only accept CC. It's more and more common around here that a place will not accept cash.
The other place it annoys me is buying tickets for my kids' sporting events. A lot of times you can only buy them with a CC, and then they will charge you as much as a 40% "CC and convenience fee." But...it's the only way I'm allowed to buy a ticket!?! So a $5 ticket is really $7, but the school only gets $5 of it. It's really annoying.
ETA - I agree with others that I don't mind covering an employee health care portion, but just roll it into the overall cost, not as a line item. And I also agree that the places that do that are probably trying to make a statement.
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Post by chaosisapony on Jun 1, 2024 16:36:41 GMT
I just placed an order online this morning for a product I've wanted to try out. At checkout there was a "payment processing fee" line item. This is not cute. Price your products accordingly, do not lure customers in with smaller prices to hit them with a fee on the end.
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Post by disneypal on Jun 1, 2024 17:22:16 GMT
I recently had my first experience with a restaurant charging me for using a credit card. I rarely carry cash, but luckily had it that day.
I know it wasn’t the employee’s fault but told her that needs to be indicated on their door and/or menu.
It annoyed me & needless to say, I won’t be going there again. (food was just ok anyway). That’s part of doing business and if you must pass it to the consumer, just charge a little more for the food so the cost is hidden.
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Deleted
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Nov 28, 2024 6:31:26 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2024 18:28:54 GMT
this charge that the Affordable Care Act allows? Do you have evidence of legislative codification of surcharges within the ACA? |
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kate
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Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
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Post by kate on Jun 1, 2024 18:31:22 GMT
Personally, I would rather have the merchant be up front and add on the extra 3% or whatever for those patrons choosing to use credit vs. just automatically raising the prices across the board for all customers regardless of how they pay. That way only the people who are incurring the extra costs are the ones benefiting from utilizing that convenience. Fair enough - but it really does need to be stated up front - before I purchase - IMHO. Then I can choose to get cash, go elsewhere, or cough up the fee. It's crappy to have it as a surprise at the end of a meal or at checkout with a full cart. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Jun 1, 2024 19:31:43 GMT
This is what I don't get when these posts come around. What difference does it make if they itemize the charge for employee healthcare or credit card fees or include it in the total cost of the food. Either way, you're still paying the same amount of money. So this logic baffles me.
And two, no one is entitled to eat out at a restaurant. I grew up in a household that never ate out. Not even McDonald's and I never recall feeling deprived. My opinion is that eating out is a luxury. When I eat out, I expect to pay. A premium price. I expect to tip, very well for good service. I go in knowing I'll probably have a cocktail and that might cost me $15 for one drink. I might have dessert and that might add another $15-20 to the bill. Double if Jeremy has one. But we reserve these treats for true occasions. We dress nice. We go to local establishments. Basically we treat it like it is a luxury. And we go all in on it. So I don't have any problem paying a premium price for a premium experience.
And yes, I totally get that my opinion differs from that of other people. But you asked for my opinion. And my opinion is that if you believe that eating out is a nickel and dime to death experience and that is society's prevailing opinion, don't be surprised when a restaurant follows society's lead and then nickel and dimes you.
I'm prepared to be hit by rotten tomatoes. 😂
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Post by chaosisapony on Jun 1, 2024 20:19:03 GMT
This is what I don't get when these posts come around. What difference does it make if they itemize the charge for employee healthcare or credit card fees or include it in the total cost of the food. Either way, you're still paying the same amount of money. So this logic baffles me. The difference is that if I see a menu price saying my entree's cost is $10 then I expect to pay $10 + tax + tip. In my state that would be $12.83. So I have that figure in my mind. I order, eat, enjoy myself and then the check arrives. My $10 entree is now $10 + tax + tip + surcharge + credit card fee. Using the lower figures given in the OP that means instead of $12.83 I am paying $13.38. It's not necessarily about how much of a price difference there is, it's about transparency. There are times when I would not have chosen to eat somewhere knowing that my total would go over a certain price because it wouldn't have been in my budget. But when they slap these fees on unsuspecting customers AFTER you've eaten, they've taken your choice away and now you have to pay for something you may not be able to afford. It really wouldn't be so difficult to just incorporate those costs into the menu and charge $10.55 for the entree to begin with. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Jun 1, 2024 20:39:14 GMT
This is what I don't get when these posts come around. What difference does it make if they itemize the charge for employee healthcare or credit card fees or include it in the total cost of the food. Either way, you're still paying the same amount of money. So this logic baffles me. The difference is that if I see a menu price saying my entree's cost is $10 then I expect to pay $10 + tax + tip. In my state that would be $12.83. So I have that figure in my mind. I order, eat, enjoy myself and then the check arrives. My $10 entree is now $10 + tax + tip + surcharge + credit card fee. Using the lower figures given in the OP that means instead of $12.83 I am paying $13.38. It's not necessarily about how much of a price difference there is, it's about transparency. There are times when I would not have chosen to eat somewhere knowing that my total would go over a certain price because it wouldn't have been in my budget. But when they slap these fees on unsuspecting customers AFTER you've eaten, they've taken your choice away and now you have to pay for something you may not be able to afford. It really wouldn't be so difficult to just incorporate those costs into the menu and charge $10.55 for the entree to begin with. I understand if you want to know about it ahead of time. That should be located right on the menu. Are restaurants not disclosing this? It's really a total surprise? I'll agree with this gripe but seriously if you are upset about the difference between $10 and $10.30 (3%) can you afford the restaurant at all? |
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Post by katlady on Jun 1, 2024 20:57:37 GMT
jeremysgirl I rather the credit card fee be separate because then you have the option to pay with cash. We usually see this at smaller places we go to, and we usually pay with cash if they have a credit card fee. As for the health insurance fee, I rather they incorporate that within the price of the food. Just a little thing about me, I really hate paying any fees associated with using a credit card. I refuse to get any credit card that has an annual fee. I’ll send a check to the DMV or property tax assessor rather than be charged a fee for using a credit card.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Jun 1, 2024 21:10:12 GMT
jeremysgirl I rather the credit card fee be separate because then you have the option to pay with cash. We usually see this at smaller places we go to, and we usually pay with cash if they have a credit card fee. As for the health insurance fee, I rather they incorporate that within the price of the food. Just a little thing about me, I really hate paying any fees associated with using a credit card. I refuse to get any credit card that has an annual fee. I’ll send a check to the DMV or property tax assessor rather than be charged a fee for using a credit card. I'd rather they incorporate it in the price of the food too. But we are paying for it one way or another. I have paid these types of charges too and I've never once been surprised by them. In every case they've been disclosed on the menu, sometimes at the hostess stand. When I made my first comment I didn't even realize it was legal to not disclose fees before providing a service. My comment also came before (wonky Tapatalk) reading the OPs follow up. Her issue seems to be more about value. And honestly that's a whole different issue. I'm not thinking it was really these charges that pissed her off but the fact that overall she paid $70 for a Red Lobster dinner. |
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Post by kamper on Jun 1, 2024 21:29:09 GMT
I just encountered the 3% the other day. I inquired about hiring day labor employees. They collect 3% on all invoices for health care. That could add up quckly for temporay employee agency with the amount of invoices they send out daily. Their office has about 6 employees. They don't pay health care for any of the temp employees, just help pay towards permanet staff health care. This is so wrong. My brother was going to hire 3 laborers for one 8 hour day with a bill of about $1,000. Can you imainge the money this company is raking in with this charge that the Affordable Care Act allows? What the heck are they doing with ALL that money they collect as I know healh care for 8 employees can't even begin to put a dent in what they collect. No wonder people get so upset these days. What does the ACA have to do with this? Businesses are ALLOWED to charge anything they want. |
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Post by chaosisapony on Jun 1, 2024 21:32:27 GMT
The difference is that if I see a menu price saying my entree's cost is $10 then I expect to pay $10 + tax + tip. In my state that would be $12.83. So I have that figure in my mind. I order, eat, enjoy myself and then the check arrives. My $10 entree is now $10 + tax + tip + surcharge + credit card fee. Using the lower figures given in the OP that means instead of $12.83 I am paying $13.38. It's not necessarily about how much of a price difference there is, it's about transparency. There are times when I would not have chosen to eat somewhere knowing that my total would go over a certain price because it wouldn't have been in my budget. But when they slap these fees on unsuspecting customers AFTER you've eaten, they've taken your choice away and now you have to pay for something you may not be able to afford. It really wouldn't be so difficult to just incorporate those costs into the menu and charge $10.55 for the entree to begin with. I understand if you want to know about it ahead of time. That should be located right on the menu. Are restaurants not disclosing this? It's really a total surprise? I'll agree with this gripe but seriously if you are upset about the difference between $10 and $10.30 (3%) can you afford the restaurant at all? In my town, no, the charges have not been disclosed ahead of time. There is no signage, no mention from the server, nothing. You just see the charges when you get the check. Even our local Round Table Pizza surprised me with a health insurance charge a few weeks ago. I figured it went without saying but I just picked $10 since it was an easy figure. You can't even get a meal from Taco Bell for $10 anymore. A meal at a typical sit down restaurant for a couple (heaven forbid a family, I don't know how you can afford to eat out as a family) will be around $60 before tip and taxes. Adding 3%-5% on top of that would be at least a few extra dollars. As someone living on a single, modest income you bet a few extra dollars on top of an already high bill of $60 would give me pause and may cause me to want to eat elsewhere. |
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Post by kamper on Jun 1, 2024 21:38:29 GMT
It did change. Just like it used to be against TOS to check ID, it used to be against the rules to pass along the interchange fee. Both of those have changed in the decade (can’t remember exactly when). It changed when the Dodd-Frank Act was passed in 2010. That act (thru an amendment from Durbin) was billed as a way to save consumers money when all it did was get rid of points programs associated with debit cards. Surprise merchants didn't lower their costs. Heads up Durbin is at it again and wants to allow merchants to process card payments through a service of their choosing. That means instead of your payment being processed by a secure system through VISA it could go through say China or Nigeria. |
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Post by kamper on Jun 1, 2024 21:40:43 GMT
I would not pay an employee health surcharge based on the price of my meal since that's not how insurance fees are calculated. I won't dine at a place that has this and I'd refuse the charge if it was presented after the fact.
This is why we really enjoyed our time in the Canary Islands. What was on the menu was what you paid.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Jun 1, 2024 21:43:21 GMT
I understand if you want to know about it ahead of time. That should be located right on the menu. Are restaurants not disclosing this? It's really a total surprise? I'll agree with this gripe but seriously if you are upset about the difference between $10 and $10.30 (3%) can you afford the restaurant at all? In my town, no, the charges have not been disclosed ahead of time. There is no signage, no mention from the server, nothing. You just see the charges when you get the check. Even our local Round Table Pizza surprised me with a health insurance charge a few weeks ago. I figured it went without saying but I just picked $10 since it was an easy figure. You can't even get a meal from Taco Bell for $10 anymore. A meal at a typical sit down restaurant for a couple (heaven forbid a family, I don't know how you can afford to eat out as a family) will be around $60 before tip and taxes. Adding 3%-5% on top of that would be at least a few extra dollars. As someone living on a single, modest income you bet a few extra dollars on top of an already high bill of $60 would give me pause and may cause me to want to eat elsewhere. I am blown away that there is no law there about disclosure. I will 100% agree with you that is wrong. You should know about that. But if 3% were going to make or break my decision to eat there, I'd be questioning my ability to eat out at all. I mean even menu prices at the same restaurant fluctuate wildly depending on what you order. That's why I view eating out as a luxury. So I guess on that point we just disagree.  I will disclose Jeremy and I eat in a restaurant maybe 3 times a year by our own choice. |
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Just T
Drama Llama
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Post by Just T on Jun 1, 2024 21:50:36 GMT
The difference is that if I see a menu price saying my entree's cost is $10 then I expect to pay $10 + tax + tip. In my state that would be $12.83. So I have that figure in my mind. I order, eat, enjoy myself and then the check arrives. My $10 entree is now $10 + tax + tip + surcharge + credit card fee. Using the lower figures given in the OP that means instead of $12.83 I am paying $13.38. It's not necessarily about how much of a price difference there is, it's about transparency. There are times when I would not have chosen to eat somewhere knowing that my total would go over a certain price because it wouldn't have been in my budget. But when they slap these fees on unsuspecting customers AFTER you've eaten, they've taken your choice away and now you have to pay for something you may not be able to afford. It really wouldn't be so difficult to just incorporate those costs into the menu and charge $10.55 for the entree to begin with. I understand if you want to know about it ahead of time. That should be located right on the menu. Are restaurants not disclosing this? It's really a total surprise? I'll agree with this gripe but seriously if you are upset about the difference between $10 and $10.30 (3%) can you afford the restaurant at all? While I do agree that the nickeling and diming of everything is ridiculous, I agree that if an additional amount less than a dollar makes your meal unaffordable, should you really be eating out? I don't eat out that often, but I do enjoy it. I know that I am going to pay way more than what the food and drink is worth. A $15 glass of wine irritates me, but it's part of the experience. If I decide to go out to eat, I try not to worry about the cost, and I go to restaurants I know I can afford. I tip well, too. The extra charge for a credit card does annoy me, especially if that is the only way you can pay. It doesn't seem right. But again, I guess that is a risk I take when I go out to eat. |
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Post by allison1954 on Jun 1, 2024 21:54:58 GMT
To me, it the the add on at the end that pisses me off.
It they did it at a grocery store, would you feel differently? The fact that it is a restaurant doesn’t make a difference to me.
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snyder
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Location: Colorado
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Post by snyder on Jun 1, 2024 22:21:10 GMT
this charge that the Affordable Care Act allows? Do you have evidence of legislative codification of surcharges within the ACA? Of course I can't find it now. I did find where it said it was allowed under the ACA, but I'll be derned if I can find that now. That document is only like 900 pages long, but I will keep looking. I believe it said it was created in 2014 and some places utilized that clause on their invoices, but it wasn't until the pandemic that it started showing up more and more. |
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Post by ChicagoKTS on Jun 1, 2024 22:21:47 GMT
On a positive side, there a few places we frequent that offer a small percentage off if you pay in cash.
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leeny
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Jun 27, 2014 1:55:53 GMT
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Post by leeny on Jun 1, 2024 23:04:14 GMT
Yep seen those charges for years in our area. What gets me is that when they add the fees for the credit card it just ups the amount that is being charged and they are paying that much more in fees!
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Deleted
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Nov 28, 2024 6:31:26 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2024 23:28:19 GMT
Do you have evidence of legislative codification of surcharges within the ACA? Of course I can't find it now. I did find where it said it was allowed under the ACA, but I'll be derned if I can find that now. That document is only like 900 pages long, but I will keep looking. I believe it said it was created in 2014 and some places utilized that clause on their invoices, but it wasn't until the pandemic that it started showing up more and more. There are several employer surcharges in the ACA. I don’t expect most people (including myself) to be familiar with all of them as the conditions, employee count, subsidies, etc. vary among employers. Historically, small independent businesses who opted in despite qualifying for exemption itemized the surcharge on restaurant bills to remain competitive in the job market and sustain their business within the industry. They’ve always had discretion on the method of funding. An influx of larger businesses followed suit due to pandemic related losses in profit and personnel. It seems there’s conflation between ACA induced codification of surcharges and clarification of existing non-mandated healthcare funding procedures that have nothing to do with the ACA (as with the example of the aforementioned small business owners choosing to offer healthcare). |
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snyder
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Post by snyder on Jun 1, 2024 23:43:27 GMT
Of course I can't find it now. I did find where it said it was allowed under the ACA, but I'll be derned if I can find that now. That document is only like 900 pages long, but I will keep looking. I believe it said it was created in 2014 and some places utilized that clause on their invoices, but it wasn't until the pandemic that it started showing up more and more. There are several employer surcharges in the ACA. I don’t expect most people (including myself) to be familiar with all of them as the conditions, employee count, subsidies, etc. vary among employers. Historically, small independent businesses who opted in despite qualifying for exemption itemized the surcharge on restaurant bills to remain competitive in the job market and sustain their business within the industry. They’ve always had discretion on the method of funding. An influx of larger businesses followed suit due to pandemic related losses in profit and personnel. It seems there’s conflation between ACA induced codification of surcharges and clarification of existing non-mandated healthcare funding procedures that have nothing to do with the ACA (as with the example of the aforementioned small business owners choosing to offer healthcare). Hey, its government related; can you expect any thing different. lol I recently did someone taxes and had to fill out a 2 page form with a bunch of calculations. After it was all done, I said to myslef. I could have come up with the same answer in 3 caluclatons. ha! |
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seaexplore
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Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Jun 2, 2024 0:54:48 GMT
I don't necessarily mind paying the CC fees - but I do mind it at restaurants that only accept CC. It's more and more common around here that a place will not accept cash. The other place it annoys me is buying tickets for my kids' sporting events. A lot of times you can only buy them with a CC, and then they will charge you as much as a 40% "CC and convenience fee." But...it's the only way I'm allowed to buy a ticket!?! So a $5 ticket is really $7, but the school only gets $5 of it. It's really annoying. ETA - I agree with others that I don't mind covering an employee health care portion, but just roll it into the overall cost, not as a line item. And I also agree that the places that do that are probably trying to make a statement. Yes! My DD is a gymnast and we MUST purchase meet tickets online only. They have a “convenience” fee- I’d rather pay at the meet with cash so it’s not really convenient. They have a service charge- because I HAVE to pay with a credit card. Just pisses me off. |
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pilcas
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Post by pilcas on Jun 2, 2024 2:11:23 GMT
This is what I don't get when these posts come around. What difference does it make if they itemize the charge for employee healthcare or credit card fees or include it in the total cost of the food. Either way, you're still paying the same amount of money. So this logic baffles me. And two, no one is entitled to eat out at a restaurant. I grew up in a household that never ate out. Not even McDonald's and I never recall feeling deprived. My opinion is that eating out is a luxury. When I eat out, I expect to pay. A premium price. I expect to tip, very well for good service. I go in knowing I'll probably have a cocktail and that might cost me $15 for one drink. I might have dessert and that might add another $15-20 to the bill. Double if Jeremy has one. But we reserve these treats for true occasions. We dress nice. We go to local establishments. Basically we treat it like it is a luxury. And we go all in on it. So I don't have any problem paying a premium price for a premium experience. And yes, I totally get that my opinion differs from that of other people. But you asked for my opinion. And my opinion is that if you believe that eating out is a nickel and dime to death experience and that is society's prevailing opinion, don't be surprised when a restaurant follows society's lead and then nickel and dimes you. I'm prepared to be hit by rotten tomatoes. 😂 Every single store and other businesses manage to pay their employees health care without adding a specific fee for their healthcare as if it were our responsibility. . Restaurants are not paying their workers a fair wage and little by little they have made it our responsibility to supplement their wages via our rising tips. People are getting tired of this. People are not dumb, we know it doesn’t have to be like this because we are one of the few countries that have this tipping culture. Yes, eating out is a treat but that doesn’t mean people enjoy being taken advantage of. Transparency is an issue because when you look at a menu you should be able to estimate what your meal will cost. We eat out once a week, not a fancy place, just one of our neighborhood places. We rarely have dessert due to health reasons, my husband might have a beer I usually drink water. It is not meant to be a luxury experience and the service is usually fine but nothing out of the ordinary. And that’s fine with us but we do expect the establishment not to engage in price gouging. To me it has nothing to do with luxury. If I were to buy a Chanel bag I would pay the price + tax and the service would be wonderful. Why does the restaurant industry get away with not paying their employees a fair wage? Why are their responsibilities as businesses being placed on the consumer? It really isn’t about being able to afford it or not, it’s about having something that is not your responsibility fostered on you. |
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Post by ntsf on Jun 2, 2024 2:50:01 GMT
in our town, I always see the fees on the menu. no surprises. the health care fee started way before the aca when our town mandated employer provided health insurance or a fee paid to the city so the workers could use the city run healthcare insurance. we covered everyone before the feds.
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westiemom
Shy Member
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Aug 14, 2023 4:21:57 GMT
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Post by westiemom on Jun 2, 2024 3:56:13 GMT
jeremysgirl I rather the credit card fee be separate because then you have the option to pay with cash. We usually see this at smaller places we go to, and we usually pay with cash if they have a credit card fee. As for the health insurance fee, I rather they incorporate that within the price of the food. Just a little thing about me, I really hate paying any fees associated with using a credit card. I refuse to get any credit card that has an annual fee. I’ll send a check to the DMV or property tax assessor rather than be charged a fee for using a credit card. I'd rather they incorporate it in the price of the food too. But we are paying for it one way or another. I have paid these types of charges too and I've never once been surprised by them. In every case they've been disclosed on the menu, sometimes at the hostess stand. When I made my first comment I didn't even realize it was legal to not disclose fees before providing a service. My comment also came before (wonky Tapatalk) reading the OPs follow up. Her issue seems to be more about value. And honestly that's a whole different issue. I'm not thinking it was really these charges that pissed her off but the fact that overall she paid $70 for a Red Lobster dinner. Umm......no. Red Lobster did not charge the employee health fee or the credit card fee. The disclosure of what we paid was to illustrate how prices in restaurants have gone up markedly.
There is definitely a "tone" in your post so let me clear a few things up for you. Prior to Covid, we ate dinner out at least three nights a week. I also did lunch with friends a couple times a week. As I said, dining out was not an option for us for quite a long time.
Covid taught everyone a new lifestyle. While we can afford to go out to eat (and a $70 meal at Red Lobster for our anniversary was not a hardship), it is a waste of money and a risk. When I cook a meal, I know my hands were washed. I know my counters are clean. I know raw chicken does not get cut on a cutting board. I cannot be sure of any of those things when we dine in a restaurant. I can't be the only one who has seen restaurant employees outside smoking. Did they wash their hands when they came in?
Suze Ormand was quoted a month ago saying that one of the biggest ways we waste money is dining out. Other big-name financial gurus agreed.
I worked as a waitress to get thru college (in the 70s). We prepared many of the dishes tableside (Steak Diane, Cherries Jubilee, flaming Irish Coffee, etc) and were darn glad to get a 15% tip. Now you can't even get the dirty plates cleared and 15% is not enough.
My complaint is not with the $70 meal at Red Lobster. My complaint is all the extra charges, which I THOUGHT I explained when I wrote the first post. I also think these charges should be posted where the customer sees them BEFORE they sit down. In the situations we experienced, we did not know about these "line item charges" until the bill came.
And YES it was the two charges which, quote, pissed me off. I am pretty new here and some of the attitudes are enough to piss anyone off.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jun 2, 2024 4:38:15 GMT
jeremysgirl I rather the credit card fee be separate because then you have the option to pay with cash. We usually see this at smaller places we go to, and we usually pay with cash if they have a credit card fee. As for the health insurance fee, I rather they incorporate that within the price of the food. Just a little thing about me, I really hate paying any fees associated with using a credit card. I refuse to get any credit card that has an annual fee. I’ll send a check to the DMV or property tax assessor rather than be charged a fee for using a credit card. 100% this. Many times when we eat at a restaurant we choose to pay with cash, especially at smaller non chain places. So to roll the credit card fees into the prices means everyone who chooses to pay with cash is subsidizing everyone who chooses to pay with credit because the overall prices are higher for everyone regardless of whether they are directly contributing to that particular expense being higher. The employee health insurance fee is a cost of doing business that should be rolled into the prices because the employees are serving all customers and therefore it’s something that all customers should be contributing to, if that makes sense. FWIW, we too will mail a check or pay with cash if it means we won’t be hit with an additional fee. |
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Post by lesserknownpea on Jun 2, 2024 6:40:53 GMT
I haven't seen an add for an employee health fee but I'll gladly pay it when I do. If I can help a working person have health insurance by paying a couple of bucks more, I'm going to do it. I used to get irritated by the credit card fees, but I've gotten used to them now that they've become more common. I get where you’re coming from here, and I agree with the sentiment. But the way they have added this item to the bill as an extra, as if this is an onerous extra that is too much for them, or perhaps so as to say without this extra amount their employees will not get health care. I don’t like it. And who all gets it? Restaurants traditionally rely heavily on part time employees. Do they also get health care? Or only full time ones? There’s a very good chance the server, dish washer, busser working while you enjoy your meal may not “qualify”. Call me sceptical. I’m all for employees getting health care. At least until everybody does. But I really don’t think surprising customers with an extra charge at the end of their meal is the way to do that. Run the numbers and set the menu prices accordingly. |
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snyder
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Post by snyder on Jun 2, 2024 7:22:26 GMT
I haven't seen an add for an employee health fee but I'll gladly pay it when I do. If I can help a working person have health insurance by paying a couple of bucks more, I'm going to do it. I used to get irritated by the credit card fees, but I've gotten used to them now that they've become more common. I get where you’re coming from here, and I agree with the sentiment. But the way they have added this item to the bill as an extra, as if this is an onerous extra that is too much for them, or perhaps so as to say without this extra amount their employees will not get health care. I don’t like it. And who all gets it? Restaurants traditionally rely heavily on part time employees. Do they also get health care? Or only full time ones? There’s a very good chance the server, dish washer, busser working while you enjoy your meal may not “qualify”. Call me sceptical. Supposedly, this is for companies that are less than 50 employees and from what I read, it is only for full time employees. I previously mentioned about a temporary labor office of a few people collecting 3% on all labor invoices they send out. It would result in them raking in astronominal amounts of money. It would be WAY MORE than what health care coverage would cost for that office. Something stinks with this law.
I'm still looking for where in the ACA it speaks of this, but my google searches are just small articles that talk about customers being surprised with the surcharge on their invoices/receipts.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Jun 2, 2024 10:04:36 GMT
I'd rather they incorporate it in the price of the food too. But we are paying for it one way or another. I have paid these types of charges too and I've never once been surprised by them. In every case they've been disclosed on the menu, sometimes at the hostess stand. When I made my first comment I didn't even realize it was legal to not disclose fees before providing a service. My comment also came before (wonky Tapatalk) reading the OPs follow up. Her issue seems to be more about value. And honestly that's a whole different issue. I'm not thinking it was really these charges that pissed her off but the fact that overall she paid $70 for a Red Lobster dinner. Umm......no. Red Lobster did not charge the employee health fee or the credit card fee. The disclosure of what we paid was to illustrate how prices in restaurants have gone up markedly.
There is definitely a "tone" in your post so let me clear a few things up for you. Prior to Covid, we ate dinner out at least three nights a week. I also did lunch with friends a couple times a week. As I said, dining out was not an option for us for quite a long time.
Covid taught everyone a new lifestyle. While we can afford to go out to eat (and a $70 meal at Red Lobster for our anniversary was not a hardship), it is a waste of money and a risk. When I cook a meal, I know my hands were washed. I know my counters are clean. I know raw chicken does not get cut on a cutting board. I cannot be sure of any of those things when we dine in a restaurant. I can't be the only one who has seen restaurant employees outside smoking. Did they wash their hands when they came in?
Suze Ormand was quoted a month ago saying that one of the biggest ways we waste money is dining out. Other big-name financial gurus agreed.
I worked as a waitress to get thru college (in the 70s). We prepared many of the dishes tableside (Steak Diane, Cherries Jubilee, flaming Irish Coffee, etc) and were darn glad to get a 15% tip. Now you can't even get the dirty plates cleared and 15% is not enough.
My complaint is not with the $70 meal at Red Lobster. My complaint is all the extra charges, which I THOUGHT I explained when I wrote the first post. I also think these charges should be posted where the customer sees them BEFORE they sit down. In the situations we experienced, we did not know about these "line item charges" until the bill came.
And YES it was the two charges which, quote, pissed me off. I am pretty new here and some of the attitudes are enough to piss anyone off.
Disagreeing is not a tone. I didn't intend any tone. I just think these fees are not a big deal. I believe we are paying for them one way or another. My post was a difference of opinion. Second it sounds like I was both right and wrong on your assessment of things. You were both upset about the fees as well as upset about the value of the meal. AnD I do believe value is another issue. Prices are going up. At the grocery store too. We all have to assess what we are willing to pay. And I understand value because when I go out shopping I don't play a sales game (like Kohl's, I won't even shop there because one week something is 25% off then the next it's 40% off and that's not even mentioning the coupons/cash what have you) I have a target price in my head and I pay it even if maybe I wait a week it will be cheaper. I pay what I think is fair and don't think twice about it. I don't coupon or anything. Again, no judgment of anyone else in how they choose to do things, this is simply the way I operate. I have also over the years found that a lot of things that bother others are very meh for me. Would it be nice to have everything rolled into one charge? Yes. I can get on board with that. But as long as I know, I feel like they are being honest about things and i absolutely support their employees having healthcare. If I've got to pay an extra 2-3% for that to happen I'm ok with that. Maybe too, if I were going out more frequently it would bother me more. I can't imagine going out to eat as frequently as you do. It's a whole different mindset. I think it's interesting to see just how differently people think and do things. I also enjoy cooking and I put a lot of effort into it. I have been disagreed with this entire post. I called it in my first post. I knew I would be. But after years on this board I don't take it personal. I hope you don't take my post disagreeing personal either. I like it here and I hope you will too. Most of the peas care about one another despite our differences. |
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