Greedy restaurant slammed by internet over hidden living wage fee added to bill

A disgruntled patron posted a receipt from a recent trip to a restaurant that charged its guests a mandatory “living wage fee” on Instagram threads — and the internet was incensed.Tipping culture has long been a point of contention for Americans, and as prices continue to rise, the practice has become an even more controversial topic.But now it seems that businesses are taking things too far by tacking on extra fees such as this one — and people aren’t happy about it.“Price increase without having to update the menu,” claimed one reply on the post.“[This] means I’m never eating at that restaurant again,” said another.Meanwhile, another commenter proposed an entirely separate issue of debate: the pooling of tips.

“If I wanna tip a person, I wanna tip that individual, not the entire team.This is unfair to the server and to me.”However, a few lonely restaurant-goers cut the restaurant, which remained unnamed in the post — and the growing industry trend — some slack, and fired back at fellow commenters.“Y’all have been asking for no tipping, this is what it looks like.

It could reflect in drink/food prices, but then you all would say the place was too expensive.No one is trying to trick you — if they were transparent about the service fee, STFU,” one empassioned viewer responded.“Just include [the fee] in the cost of the food and drinks, like the rest of the world is doing, and pay the workers properly.

Sincerely, a guy from Europe,” one aggrieved commenter suggested under the post.This response was the sole sentiment that united incensed restaurant patrons on both sides of the debate.“Mind your European business,” advised one reply, while another said: “Hey, stay out of our insanity!”For some small, family-owned restaurants, implementing charges like this living wage fee might allow the business to stay afloat and support their employees — especially amid a cost-of-living crisis.Durham, North Carolina-based Lula &am...