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Restaurant adding a ‘3% operating charge’: Why not just hide it in the item prices?

Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:43 am
Posted by weagle1999
Member since May 2025
1546 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:43 am
Restaurant last night had a note at the bottom of the menu: ‘A 3% operating charge will be added to all checks’. This charge was included regardless of payment type (cash or credit).

Why not just increase the cost of everything 3% and not say anything to your customers so as not to annoy weirdos like me? Knowing about this policy makes me not want to return to that restaurant.
Posted by Fun Bunch
New Orleans
Member since May 2008
127675 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:45 am to
They already did that
Posted by jdavid1
Member since Jan 2014
2581 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:45 am to
So they don't have to buy all new menus with the new prices.
Posted by jlovel7
NOT Louisiana
Member since Aug 2014
23696 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:47 am to
3%? Lucky frick. In DC feels like every one I go to adds 20%!

I will not go to restaurants that do this after realizing how many were. It’s one of the shittiest things to come out of COVID.

If I ever come across a place that does this take whatever percentage out of the tip and circle it with an arrow pointing to it.
This post was edited on 10/8/25 at 11:12 am
Posted by upgrayedd
Lifting at Tobin's house
Member since Mar 2013
137947 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:49 am to
This is probably to offset the costs of assholes eating half their meal then demanding to not be charged or our dine and dash friends.
Posted by SirWinston
PNW
Member since Jul 2014
99504 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:50 am to
Yah the LAX airport adds a 10% operating fee on top of their already higher prices. Bowl of wonton soup at PF Changs is $26.50 now and I can't even eat the wontons on my keto diet

This post was edited on 10/8/25 at 10:54 am
Posted by DaBeerz
Member since Sep 2004
18258 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:50 am to
I just tip less when they do that, hate to do that for the server but they can blame their greedy owner
Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
15521 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:52 am to
I like having the option to save 3% if I'm paying cash
Posted by Mizzoufan26
Vacaville CA
Member since Sep 2012
18965 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:53 am to
Allows them to conceal the actual costs from you.

Posted by PeteRose
Hall of Fame
Member since Aug 2014
17776 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:53 am to
Just put a posted note on your credit card saying you’ll be tipping 3% less because the operating cost of getting to the restaurant has increased by 3%.
Posted by Y.A. Tittle
Member since Sep 2003
109336 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:58 am to
quote:

They already did that


Why did this flip?
Posted by idlewatcher
Planet Arium
Member since Jan 2012
91758 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 10:59 am to
LA is a cesspool of grifting. That receipt is nuts.
Posted by shutterspeed
MS Gulf Coast
Member since May 2007
70155 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 11:01 am to
Also, subsidize our wait staff through tips.
Posted by Shexter
Prairieville
Member since Feb 2014
18919 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 11:02 am to
It says right on the receipt that gratuity is included


quote:

this is a gratuity and will be distributed equitably amongst the team helping you today
Posted by SuperSaint
Sorting Out OT BS Since '2007'
Member since Sep 2007
147710 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 11:03 am to
quote:

Bowl of wonton soup at PF Changs is $26.50 now and I can't even eat the wontons on my keto diet
overpriced food at an airport

More news at 10
Posted by jmarto1
Houma, LA/ Las Vegas, NV
Member since Mar 2008
37692 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 11:04 am to
It is a damned if you do and a damned if you don't situation. Prices are already sky high due to rising costs with insurance premiums being a big part of that. Blame dumbass lawsuits like the DQ sisters for that

Daily Voice DQ Sisters Lawsuit


Credit card companies hit businesses hard. For me as a restaurant operator I pay for every time we run a transaction. You also pay a "credit card discount" on the tips. For instance, if the business has a discount rate of 5% that means if someone tips a server $100 on their card the credit card company keeps $5 of that when they do their disbursement
Posted by SallysHuman
Lady Palmetto Bug
Member since Jan 2025
12127 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 11:04 am to
Winston... why tf did you tip 25% on a single food item that they already charged you a 20% gratuity on? Actually, they charged you more than 20% on as they used the service fee to pad the subtotal before force tipping.

Posted by Mingo Was His NameO
Brooklyn
Member since Mar 2016
35746 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 11:05 am to
quote:

For instance, if the business has a discount rate of 5%


Why are you paying a 5% processing fee? That’s high
Posted by weagle1999
Member since May 2025
1546 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 11:05 am to
Thanks for chiming in. F&B is a probably as challenging as ever right now.
Posted by SuperSaint
Sorting Out OT BS Since '2007'
Member since Sep 2007
147710 posts
Posted on 10/8/25 at 11:07 am to
quote:

Winston... why tf did you tip 25% on a single food item
because $4 isn’t significant enough to worry about. Especially if the server was cute.




Maybe the fella was wearing tight jeans
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