re: How do you feel about restaurants adding a 15% order surcharge?

Well the easy answer is they shouldn’t be open. Who are they doing to for?

So they got a PPE loan and added a surcharge? Many are applying bonuses to employees with the PPE. You can also use it to give ownership a raise. So I’d be curious what they’re doing to pass this burden onto the consumer. Obviously there are different factors at play

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Does it really matter if they opt for the service charge vs. raising prices across the board

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It’s an optics thing. 15% is a lot whether it’s a charge or added to a menu, not sure either are the answer. Are people doing to tip after seeing a surcharge? It’s probably going to hurt their employees more in the long run with taking people who are generously tipping right now

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Are people doing to tip after seeing a surcharge?

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Doesn’t seem to have been an issue

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I always tip 20% or more when we eat out but I don't think we should be forced to pay surcharges."

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It was enough of an issue for a Karen to take to Facebook about it. Her tone doesn’t sound like tipped as well. And now an army of Karen’s are forming

Take a close look at your receipt. It’s not only restaurants but now some retailers are adding it. I know of a motorcycle shop that charges 4% on anything if not paying cash, including motorcycle, ATV’s, etc

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That’s his own fault. I’m not even sure the second round is out of money now

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It was the first round. He got the second one.

My wife got it the first round, but only because she stayed at her office Friday night and her banker worked all day Saturday to get it done.

Don’t disagree with you there. Raise prices by 20% and pay staff 20% of your average sales. Then they’re still making the same as they do now and there isn’t any guesswork involved.

Unfortunately, this is something all restaurants would have to unanimously decide to do together because the numbers have shown for each restaurant that has tried to do this... customers will always choose the place with lower menu prices + tip being at their discretion. Same reason retail stores don’t show the price post tax here like they do in other countries.

The general public has proven they will always flock to the lowest price even when it isn’t actually the lowest.

They were gonna charge me 3.5% on a $1,600 invoice for tires last week to use my card at a dealership. I wrote them a check instead.

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The tipping culture should end.

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If you’re ordering a $100 wine bottle vs a $30 wine bottle, at 20% you have to tip $20 in the 1st scenario vs $6. The waiter is still bringing a wine bottle to the table. So does it make sense to pay more when the waiter is doing the same thing?

Whenever I travel to Asia, I pay what’s on the menu. Server doesn’t expect anything or gives dirty look. It’s the culture. And when I tip for good services, the waiter/waitress is in shock and very thankful.

Like you said, just increase the menu prices and the wages of the waiting staff. Better waiters higher wages than average waiters.
Everyone ends up paying the same prices...regardless of cheap customers or generous customers. And there’s no need to ask “how good was the service?”, “how much should I tip?”, or “what’s 18% of $89.50?”.

I have zero issue with it, as long as it is disclosed.

It is going to be a long, hard road ahead for bars and restaurants, and if I can do my part to make sure that the places I love survive, I'm happy to do it. If at any point I can't afford to pay a little bit extra to go out, I will no longer go out.

Tip on top of it, obviously. I was in the bar business for over a decade so I am especially sensitive to servers and bartenders.