Restaurants increase service fees by 36.4% from April 2021 to April 2022|Waferboard is|CC BY 2.0
Restaurants are introducing new charges to checks as a way to combat price inflation.
The new additions
Lightspeed, a global developer of point-of-sale software, told Wall Street Journal that the number of restaurants adding service fees increased by 36.4% from April 2021 to April 2022.
From subtle surcharges to clear mention of temporary inflation fees, restaurants now include additional charges like ‘fuel surcharge’, ‘kitchen appreciation fee’ or ‘temporary fee‘ and a ‘noncash adjustment’ for credit card users.
Is the addition getting noticed?
Some outlets like Romano’s Macaroni Grill informed on its website that a $2 temporary fee is being added to checks to “offset macroeconomic pressures”.
Some extra charges are clearly mentioned than others, sometimes making it hard for customers to realize the additional fees.
Experts advise consumers to read the check to better understand what they are paying for.
