Restaurants start charging 'COVID-19 surcharge': customers outraged

Various establishments in the United States, such as restaurants and lounges, have begun to charge customers extra due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Writes about it Fox News.

Photo: Shutterstock

Customers found a “surcharge” of coronavirus in the amount of $ 2,19 on the receipt of a restaurant in Missouri. This caused a negative reaction in social networks, but the restaurateur says that he is trying to make ends meet in this difficult time.

Billy Uzar said he decided to add the surcharge to offset rising food costs from suppliers, rather than raising prices on every item on the menu. The restaurateur added that his establishment is one of many restaurants in West Plains that have introduced such a surcharge.

He also said that he had not heard complaints from his clients. Instead, Yuzar complains, he was bombarded with negative reviews from people who had never visited this restaurant. It all started with a tweet from a woman who, judging by data on social networks, lives in California.

"Sorry, that? Additional payment for COVID-19? — a Twitter user captioned a photo of a receipt from Kiko Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Lounge, which included an “additional charge due to COVID-19.”

The tweet quickly became viral, gathering hundreds of comments. Most of them were disapproving, although there were also those who sided with the restaurant, explaining that the cost of additional disinfection and protective equipment for workers must be somehow covered.

Screenshot from Twitter / @ talialikeitis

“If I ever see this on my bill, I won’t pay,” one user wrote. “I’m also trying to make ends meet.” Who should I bill to?”

But the West Plains restaurant isn't the only establishment that has added a pandemic surcharge to its bill. As restaurants struggle to stay afloat, some see this innovation as a necessity.

In San Diego, a Mexican restaurant announced it was charging an extra $1 for Carne Asada due to a meat shortage, and in Michigan, a burger joint added $1 to every order due to a decline in orders.

Screenshot from Instagram / reviewermag

On the subject: 13 restaurants where you can eat for free during a pandemic

And this is not only done by restaurants. A dental office in Jacksonville, Florida began to charge an additional consultation fee of $ 10 for personal protective equipment, and in Texas, some hairdressers began to charge an additional $ 3 for disinfection.

Kiko Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Lounge posted on Facebook a message emphasizing that the measure was temporary.

“We are not trying to hide this surcharge and have chosen this option rather than raising menu prices so we can adjust the surcharge weekly,” the restaurateur wrote. — We put notifications about surcharges in front of the establishment and write about it on the receipt. Please understand that we cannot control rising prices for meat, seafood, poultry and other products."

The restaurant owner said that additional information appears on the Internet, there is a surcharge leaflet on the restaurant’s front door and there is also a warning at the checkout, so customers are aware of this.

“We are not hiding anything. When you walk into our restaurant, you see everything,” explained Billy Uzar.

He said a Twitter user who posted the photo was not a restaurant visitor.

Now, Yuzar is worried about his employees and the restaurant's reputation, which he believes is tarnished by negative reviews from people from Canada and Texas, while they never even visited this place, but simply saw a viral photo on Twitter.

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