Why are restaurants still adding surcharges?

I feel your pain. The extra fees can make it hard to swing a casual Tuesday dinner out. I’m not talking about set service charges like the 25 percent at Daisies or the 20 percent at Lula Cafe. Those are revealed upfront and are in lieu of a tip. This approach lets restaurants even out wages staffwide and helps cover employees’ health insurance.

Rather, it’s the opaque surcharges that concern customers. These started popping up on bills during the pandemic to cover things like PPE and to-go containers. Though COVID has waned, the charges, like Bavette’s 3.25 percent or Girl & the Goat’s 3 percent, remain. Often presented as a way to “offset rising costs” or cover credit card fees, these charges often go to the restaurant and are largely used to avoid raising menu prices. What can you do? If asked, many restaurants will remove the surcharge from the bill. But if you find yourself posting furiously to Reddit from the table, you’re probably better off elsewhere next time.

Email Amy at acavanaugh@chicagomag.com with your burning dining questions.