Independent Restaurants in New York City Fight to Add Surcharges to Checks
Photo Caption: An extra charge could be popping up on checks around New York City.
Skift Take
For operators, it's a way to avoid menu price hikes and equalize pay between the cooks and servers. For consumers, it's just a confusing price increase.
Some New York City restaurateurs are pleading with local government to lift current regulation that stipulates that restaurants cannot add any general surcharges or extra fees to checks.
As it stands right now, local restaurants are only allowed to charge direct food and beverage costs to the bill (with some clearly spelled-out exceptions, like adding a charge if two diners want to split the check). The regulation is governed by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs.
If the ban is lifted, restaurant operators will be able to apply surcharges to checks at their own discretion. There's no regulation or limit on how the surcharge is determined; it's up to the individual operator to decide if and how they'll implement the fee.
Why Are Restaurants Asking For This?
Andrew Rigie, the executive director of the New York Hospitality Alliance, explained at a public hearing on the matter that based on conversations with local operators, the surcharge will most likely be used in one of
