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man2010 t1_j271ljo wrote

Where's the bait and switch? It's not like they're putting a filet mignon on the menu and then telling you it's not available but you can have meatloaf instead

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and_dont_blink t1_j272wvh wrote

I believe they mean advertised prices, which a menu is (either in your lap or seen from the street). eg, if they have filet mignon on the menu for $30 but then the bill comes and there's a kitchen-appreciation-fee it's not really the fee-for-service that was advertised.

They could also mean they'd like to know if the money even gets to the kitchen, or if the fee itself is kind of a scam where the restaurant is just passing padding margins.

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Hype_x OP t1_j2728rg wrote

Menu

Filet $60

Bill

Filet $62

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man2010 t1_j272h9j wrote

Menu:

"We charge a 3% kitchen appreciation fee for all bills"

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Hype_x OP t1_j276tig wrote

Tiny print at the bottom. Below the shellfish and steak are trying to kill you.

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man2010 t1_j279iib wrote

"It's the restaurant's fault that I didn't read the menu"

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Hype_x OP t1_j27bfft wrote

It’s really more annoying that they tack on some lazy fee that is “optional”

If it’s optional then give me options to not pay for the janitors heath insurance, the owners dividend, or the managements salary. I want complete control over which part of the business I get to tip. Maybe I am want to jilt the fish vendor that night!

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tacknosaddle t1_j28r14y wrote

You might be able to tell them to take it off the bill. Similar to if you go out with a large party where they tack on a gratuity and have really shitty service you can tell them to remove it as they can't force you to tip.

This seems like the kind of thing that the Attorneys General office should be looking into so that they are prohibited or at least made abundantly clear before you go to eat.

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Wtf_is_this1234 t1_j28x4t4 wrote

They know 99% of people will be too embarrassed to ask to have it removed. It's a complete scam.

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tacknosaddle t1_j28y8uf wrote

That's why the AG should get involved, I'm sure there are laws about "hidden fees" or other consumer protection requirements that they could flex.

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Wtf_is_this1234 t1_j28yc0z wrote

My guess is as long as it's disclosed before you order, it's legal.

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tacknosaddle t1_j28z781 wrote

Businesses get popped all the time for contracts that have fees or other onerous requirements buried in the "fine print" of a contract. So even though it's "disclosed" it's still prohibited to hide it like that as a deceptive practice. If the kitchen fee is a small footnote on the menu it could be considered deceptive in the same way because an "ordinary consumer" would consider the listed menu price to be the pre-tax total.

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man2010 t1_j27d2np wrote

You could just not go to the restaurant it bothers you so much

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