Yes, prices on each item should increase. This is just a sneaky way of avoiding doing that. A bunch of dick head restaurant owners tried doing shit like this when my city passed a law making $15/hr the minimum wage with no exemptions for tipped workers. Restaurant owners like Tom Douglas had to raise prices but didn’t want to so they tacked on an extra fee and claimed it was a living wage fee but you were still expected to tip just as much. If I was certain that money was actually going to workers, I might be okay with it but there is nothing forcing them to give it to workers. Also, it is straight up admitting that you were paying starvation wages before.
People expected tons of restaurants to close after the minimum wage went up. None really closed and prices are fairly similar to most large cities. Some place did love to a no tip model with higher prices but generally it has been the same where you to 18-20% on the cost of the bill.
AnxiousOtter@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Ya this. The extra 18% should be baked into the menu pricing so that at least the cost is known up front. This is kind of like sneaking it in.
DacoTaco@lemmy.world 10 months ago
As a european, not knowing and legit asking: isnt that the thing all over the usa? I mean, you pick up something at the store, go to the counter and then SUPRISE, tax is added on top of the price. Like, that also feels like sneaking in extra costs?
Drivebyhaiku@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Basically. People just get used to the nebulous mental calculations of how much tax one can expect. It encourages a culture of routine overspending and should be illegal.
People expect to budget roughly tax and tip, they are basically mad because this is not a cultural norm and they got stung by surprise.
SeaJ@lemm.ee 10 months ago
A sales tax is expected in most states and is generally fairly similar within each state and almost never come to more than 10%. That also pays for services that most people use.
This extra charge at this restaurant is not common nor is it expected. They also set it at 18% which is a standard tip rate but specifically say it is not a tip. They claim it is to provide decent wages but considering they still allow tips (some places do this but do not allow tipping on top) , that pretty obviously is not true. This is just a bullshit tactic to have prices seem lower than the menu price.
DacoTaco@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Sale tax is everywhere. And still, if its a static amount per state, why not include it on the sticker price so you know exactly how much you will be paying?
Inventory and sticker work is done by computers, they know the price …
albert180@feddit.de 10 months ago
Yes, we have sales tax too. It’s just stupid that it isn’t included in the sticker price