Customers stunned after spotting five ‘sneaky’ charges on restaurant bill – and diners confused about ‘appreciation’ fee

ANGRY consumers have blasted a restaurant for tacking on five extra fees to their bill.

One of the angry customers posted a copy of their receipt on Facebook and asked her followers if they had any information about these extra charges .

Facebook/karen.r.gentz

“When I worked at a restaurant in College, part of the servers tips went to the kitchen workers… Shouldn’t this be something people choose to do?” asked the consumer on Facebook.

“It’s bad enough that prices getting crazy expensive but now it seems like restaurants are sneaking in added taxes & fees on top of the ones we already have to pay,” they added.

The post received over 70 reactions on Facebook and 100 comments from many consumers saying that these sneaky fees are adding up.

“It happens more often than anyone realizes it’s getting out of hand honestly,” commented one consumer.

“Restaurant receipts are looking more like a phone bill with all the added fees and taxes!! Ugh,” echoed another.

Others said they’ve stopped dining out altogether to avoid the extra fees.

“I’ve been done with eating out for awhile. Food is not worth the price anymore. I’d rather just make it at home,” they wrote.

The charges included a Kitchen Appreciation fee (3%), an AR State fee (6.5%), a WA County fee (1.25%), a Johnson City fee (3%), and a Johnson A&P fee (1%).

One consumer said she started inquiring employees about the extra charges before putting down her card to pay.

“I’ll be changing my ways from now on and checking the details before I tip & sign the bill,” she commented on the Facebook post.

Some restaurants said they have been using surcharges to cover costly expenses like wages and rent.

A new state law will soon ban these hidden fees in businesses across California .

The ‘Honest Pricing Law’ or ‘Hidden Fees statue’ — Senate Bill 478 —goes into effect on July 1 and will make it unlawful to advertise a price lower than the final cost, excluding taxes, which range from three to six percent.

INFLATION CONCERNS

As more consumers feel the effects of inflation , many are concerned about a spike in grocery and restaurant prices.

When I worked at a restaurant in College, part of the servers tips went to the kitchen workers… Shouldn’t this be something people choose to do?

Karen Renegar Gentz Facebook

A 2024 report revealed that food prices varied depending on whether it was purchased for consumption at home or away from home, according to the US Department of Agriculture .

The department understands these trends using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) – a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for goods and services.

Specifically, the food-at-home (grocery store or supermarket food purchases) CPI was unchanged from April 2024 to May 2024.

However, the food-away-from-home (restaurant purchases) increased 0.4% in May 2024 and was 4% higher than in May 2023.

Meanwhile, another diner believed some fees were downright unnecessary, and claimed that the new culture of dining out is unbelievable.

And hidden fees are also popping up in other industries as one renter claimed her property management company unfairly charged her over $3,000 .

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