The Mystery of PUF Fees
One of the most elusive fees is called the PUF or “public user fee.” It’s popping up on restaurant bills more and more often, and although it’s usually only about 1% of the total, people want to know what they are paying for.
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It turns out that some businesses add a PUF to fund the construction or upkeep of their parking lot, building, or even the roads customers take to get there. It’s typically enforced by the property developer, but customers pay the price.
Credit Card Fees Are the New Normal
While credit card fees have always been around, historically, restaurants have paid for them instead of asking the customer to do so.
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However, these pesky 1.5%-3.5% fees are now more commonly added to the bill instead, and as so few people carry cash these days, it’s leaving restaurant-goers fairly annoyed.
Some Cards Change Even More
For customers of American Express, they may have to pay up to a 5% service fee to use their card at a restaurant.
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In the past, restaurants have opted out of accepting American Express to avoid the high fees, but since customers are now paying, it’s less of an issue.
Servers Are Even Paying These Fees Now
Additionally, some restaurants are even forcing their waiters to pay the credit card fee on the charged tips they receive.
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This can really add up over time; for example, if a server makes $500 a week in credit card tips, that may be as much as $70 a month. It’s one of the reasons why most servers far prefer cash tips.
The Cash “Discount”
Because people have expressed frustration for having to pay the credit card fees, some restaurants have started offering their customers a “cash discount,” essentially advertising that people will have to pay less if they skip the card.
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But it’s actually not a discount at all since the only reason it’s less than it would be if they used a card to pay is because they don’t have to pay the credit card fee.
Resorts Are Adding More Fees Too
Typically, resorts are the worst for hidden fees. Between beach taxes, service fees, and required gratuity, the bill is often far more expensive than it was supposed to be.
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Not to mention the fact that the majority of the time, these fees aren’t explained so consumers don’t know what they are paying for.
Many Restaurants Now Charge a Kitchen Fee
There’s another new fee circulating restaurants around the world called a “kitchen fee,” that is given to the chefs at the end of the shift.
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The idea behind the kitchen fee was to ensure chefs, who often make minimum wage, retain an income that’s closer to that of the servers who make quite a bit more thanks to tips. But again, that just means higher bills for the customers.
Customers Are Even Paying the Restaurant Itself
Some restaurants have added “employee recruitment and retention” fees to their bills, which are typically about 2.85%.
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This fee goes directly into the restaurant’s account in order to help find and train new staff. And most consumers agree that it should really come out of the restaurant’s pocket, not their own.
The To-Go Box Fee
The majority of people have come to expect that they will have to pay extra if they order their food to go either via an app or over the phone.
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But now, some restaurants are even charging customers extra if they want a to-go box to take home part of their meal they didn’t finish.
The Most Surprising Fee of All
And last, but certainly not least, is the most surprising new fee of them all. Some restaurants are officially adding a fee to any table with children.
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In fact, one restaurant in Georgia supposedly added a whopping $50 because the children they were serving were so poorly behaved.
Restaurants Are Far More Expensive Than They Used to Be
With inflation on the rise and the cost of living increasing almost daily, it’s no surprise that menu items at most restaurants are also going up.
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And with the many hidden fees and excessive tip expectations, going out to eat is more expensive than ever before. Some wonder if the industry will take a hit in the near future if they don’t make some serious changes.