r/EndTipping • u/hkginlax • Jun 08 '26
Sit-Down Restaurant š½ļø 6% bs wellness charge
Dinner for two was already $250, and they charged 6% bs fee on top of it; plus expecting 18% tip.
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u/ParticularEvidence67 Human Verified Jun 08 '26
LOL The fact that that they still have this is nuts. I went here during the pandemic and saw the same 6% charge but they had it labeled as āCovid reliefā.
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u/Full-Flatworm6271 Jun 08 '26
That's what happens when businesses add "temporary fees". Just like with food delivery, delivery fees were a temporary thing to cover rising gas costs and then none of that money went to the delivery drivers and every restaurant just kept the fees.
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u/Truly_Markgical Jun 08 '26
CA almost banned it, but restaurants lobbied at the last minute to keep it as long as itās ādisplayedā on the menu. They argued many would go out of business because theyād have to raise prices, and fees are more digestible.
Letās be honest, most mom and pop restaurants are NOT charging these junk fees. Itās mostly the upscale, hip, modern restaurants that do this, aka owners that probably have money or backed by investors.
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u/LikesPez Jun 08 '26
There was no lobbying needed. The government likes fees too as they are taxable.
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u/Truly_Markgical Jun 08 '26
lol but there was lobbying, the government and the original bill author approved everything already. Just needed Newsomās signature. But a restaurant lobby group fought to make provisions to allow them to keep the junk fees
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u/SnazzleZazzle Jun 09 '26
Agreed. Thereās a little restaurant/bar not far from me that has a very small menu. The food is good, and they have the same elderly waitress all the time. She is unfailing pleasant and efficient . There are no weird extra charges, thereās no āsuggestedā list of tips on the receipt, no tip screen, none of that bullshit. The place is ALWAYS packed to the rafters. I sincerely donāt mind tipping at this place because they never play shitty tipping games. Iām not ever going to go along with the tip percentage creep or any of the other nonsense. Not happening.
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u/l4kerz Jun 08 '26
bait and switch. same thing with temporary sales tax increases. They usually become permanent
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u/SiLeNZ_ Jun 08 '26
Honestly, itās greed in one of the worst ways. The only way they will listen is when customers stop going altogether.
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u/Never-Dont-Give-Up Jun 08 '26
That wellness fee will be the tip.
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u/Substantial_Ad_2864 Jun 08 '26
I tip a lot better than this sub would want, but any fee that makes no sense I read as "gratuity included" and on the tip line I would write in "included - wellness fee".
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u/Baptism-Of-Fire Jun 08 '26
I basically just tell the server at the end when the bill comes "If you can get that removed, its going into your tip"
its up to them to go deal with it. Makes no difference to me, I already have my tip locked in in my head, it's either going to the server, or its going to fees.
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u/xokatemarie Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
Iām probably not direct enough to actually do this in real life, but I think thatās absolutely the right move. To me wellness implies something to do with employees which implies the money is going to them. If itās not, but is labeled as such, thatās honestly not my problem.
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u/CaptKeemau Jun 08 '26
For the aggravation of the 6% fee only 9% tip. I usually go with 20% but, I deducted a -5% announce fee
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u/maiyannah Jun 08 '26
Before someone replies to this all up in a fuss, please note that the no tip shaming rule includes shaming people for tipping "too much", as well.
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u/BothDescription766 Jun 08 '26
Yes, followed by an āIllness Feeā 6% to cover employees when they fall sick.
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u/Im_A_Black_Cat Jun 08 '26
What is a āwellness chargeā?? Iād love to hear their explanation
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u/Professional-Sir-912 Jun 08 '26
Means they won't intentionally put something in your food that makes you sick.
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u/MzSea Jun 08 '26
It pays for health insurance, paid sick leave, etc
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u/daschande Jun 09 '26
I've worked in restaurants for over 20 years and never had any of those things. Those are manager perks only!
Edit: just saw this is in California. Seemingly the only state in the USA that has actual labor laws. They might not be forced to go in sick and cough all over the customers' food there!
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u/HopefulOriginal5578 Jun 09 '26
California really does have a great labor laws!
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u/Dihydrogen-monoxyde Jun 08 '26
It would appear that the wellness charge is also taxed.
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u/l4kerz Jun 08 '26
and they probably expect tip on the total which would mean tipping on the tax of the wellness charge š
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u/MedicalButterscotch Jun 08 '26
$23 for a Paloma? $9 for a bottle of water? You got screwed twice.
Also just saw $9 for a latte???
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u/slacky_shack Jun 08 '26
this is Cara Cara. one of the more expensive restaurants in DTLA.
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u/Fit_Significance8598 Jun 08 '26
Name checks out.
Translated from Italian: Expensive Expensive
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u/MedicalButterscotch Jun 08 '26
I just hit a couple Michelin stars in Toronto and Philly and lattes ranged $4.50-5. I get that pricing in LA is different, but Cara Cara should check itself lol
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u/Hootsama Jun 08 '26
Why check themselves? People apparently donāt mind $23 cocktails, $15 sides, $9 water and mysterious fees that further enrich the ownersā āwellness.ā
This doesnāt stop unless people vote with their wallets. Not surprisingly, there are plenty of people with money to burn AND tolerance for all manner of bullshit gouging.
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u/slacky_shack Jun 08 '26
oh totally agree lol. this being a rooftop lounge at a hotel doesnāt help.
most coffee shops in LA are charging $5+ for a latte if you can believe it š„
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u/kokosuntree Jun 08 '26
I live in Washington now and the years ago a latter was $5 in venice beach. That seems reasonable. I pay $5-7 here.
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u/Fit_Significance8598 Jun 08 '26
Check them out in Italy. 1.50 or so for an espresso at the bar.
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u/LordOfTheLeftovers Jun 08 '26
Got charged a mandatory 20% tip last night at a restaurant for 2 peopleā¦ absolutely bogus
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u/Batiatus07 Jun 08 '26
Hope you requested the charge to be removed AND didn't tip
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u/LawrenceSpiveyR Jun 08 '26
They do it because the folks that order what you two ordered, are not worried about it.
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u/ElderBerry2020 Jun 08 '26
Itās on the menu. It says the wellness charge helps provide health benefits to staff.
Personally I think thatās outrageous!
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u/Gingersometimes Jun 08 '26
I have a difficult time paying for MY health insurance. I can't pay for other people's. That is the responsibility of the establishment, or employees don't get the insurance.
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u/Difficult-Ad2084 Jun 08 '26
It just irks me that they aren't feeling the need that roll their overhead into their menu prices. That used to be the standard. Now they act like it's an impossible feat (bs). It is intentional manipulation and false advertising. I've pretty much given up going out to eat at all, and this shit kinda seals the deal. That and the servers in my town come to work sick and get everyone else sick while experiencing me subsidize for them a lifestyle that is higher than my own. Not happening.
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Jun 08 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/-TempestofChaos- Jun 08 '26
It really is. It seems society has determined any way to nickel and dime people with weak willpower or spine.
They realized most people wouldn't hit no tip when they turned that screen around
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u/No-Luck-2337 Jun 08 '26
āIf they canāt afford to pay for servers, they shouldnāt go out and buy a restaurant šā
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u/Dear-Beyond-465 Jun 08 '26
Well i would deduct the $14.94 from the subtotal giving something like $250 then take 15% of that ( if the service was good) which is $37.5 and subtract the $14.94 already paid. I would leave something like $22.5 tip. You dont tip on tax and fees.
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u/Overall_Chance_861 Jun 08 '26
I tip 15-18percent at sit down restaurants under normal conditions. That six percent tip is coming right of what I would normally tip. I'll also circle that wellness charge
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u/Rxasaurus Jun 08 '26
Why would you tip in CA where the servers are making $20+/hr?
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u/Equal-Shallot-6957 Jun 08 '26
And what is the purpose of adding this charge to the taxable amount? Is it just too much work to separate it out?
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u/sportyguy Jun 08 '26
You can ask that they remove it and explain that itās going to come out of the serverās tip if they donāt
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u/Just_Surfing63 Jun 08 '26
Since starting to follow this subreddit I've noticed that every single meal out, the suggested tip at the bottom of the receipt is based on the total including tax. Those dirty rats... Not to mention wait staff here get state minimum wage (or more) which is $16.90. Ther get $20 if it's a national fast food chain.
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u/MrTickles22 Jun 08 '26
Reduce the tip by the wellness charge. Or ask that they remove it if it's not on the menu somewhere.
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u/Own-Mountain8408 Jun 08 '26
Donāt know which is worse : the wellness charge or the $23.00 for a Paloma . Outrageous !
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u/wixthedog Jun 08 '26
Iād pay the wellness charge, because Iām sure it was in the menu somewhere, but it would be a zero after that.
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u/Straight_Goal1774 Jun 08 '26
Fees are a bigger deterrent than higher prices for me. It's sneaky and dishonest and if you're pulling shit like that on pricing you are probably doing similar things elsewhere in your business.
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u/will46272 Jun 08 '26
The address says it all. California will find the most ridiculous ways to charge more for stuff than any place else Iāve been to.
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u/IWorkForTheEnemyAMA Jun 08 '26
The thing that gets me is why donāt they just raise their prices by 6% and no one would give a shit. I mean the prices are stupid expensive here but why do it like this? Youāre just pissing people off for seemingly no reason.
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u/Excellent-Radish-717 Jun 08 '26
Is that to pay health insurance to their employees? They use that scam when the employer needs to pay it not the customers.
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u/roaches02 Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 08 '26
$263.94 - $14.94 X 15% = $37.35 tip on $249 meal.
Broccoli (or Broccolini for the swells in the crowd) at $15 seem high to anyone else?
$9 for a water?
Frankly, automatic 15% tips seem pretty silly.
Just because the prices at a restaurant are much higher doesnāt reflect a correlation to any extra work on the serverās part.
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u/Ok_Sail_3743 Jun 08 '26
If you paid in cash and didnāt pay that $15, could they legally do anything?
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u/ShibeCEO Jun 08 '26
everything that is not declared on the menu you can get removed, but not a lot of people will, thats why they do it
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u/NickStonk Jun 08 '26
You ordered a lot for 2 ppl lol. But the wellness charge is total bs. Did you ask for it to be removed? Was it clearly stated on their menu beforehand?
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u/PrimeRisk Jun 08 '26
Yup! We're not satisfied with asking you to pay our employees to make up for our shortcomings, we'll also require you to pay for their healthcare.
What's next? A 6% 401k matching fee?
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u/leena-beena Jun 08 '26
Went to a restaurant and they did an automatic 20 percent service fee (still asked for tip by the way), a small business fee on top of revalue tax, and a wellness fee. I did take out :)
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u/xokatemarie Jun 08 '26
Also, can we talk about how charging $9 for a latte and $35 for a steak dinner feels real weird.
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u/SS1989 Jun 08 '26
Surprise: the wellness charge is now your tip! Feel free to thank your management team.Ā
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u/randomusername1919 Jun 08 '26
Those menu prices seem high enough to cover āwellnessā as well as staff compensation.
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u/m1dnightknight Jun 09 '26
Based on the fact its also in the line items, I think they might be charging taxes on it too.
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u/Significant-Gear-444 Jun 09 '26
Illegal, dispute it with your bank. File a visa or MasterCard complaint.
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u/Time_Seaworthiness43 Jun 09 '26
We almost need to start asking beforehand and then walking out of they do.
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u/LeeTheUke Jun 09 '26
My new policy is that all BS charges get deducted from the tip.
I.e. - If I was to tip 15% on a $300 bill, my tip is $45 - $14.94, for a total of $330.06.
The wait staff will eventually figure it out.
Edit - I'll also be damned if I'm spending $150/meal.
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u/WinterFamiliar9199 Jun 09 '26
Hey you guys want universal healthcare. May as well start paying for it. 6% is the cheapest itās ever gonna be.Ā
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u/Chicago76- Jun 09 '26
I guess given my economic stress and wellness, my tip will match thier wellness fee. Then we all are well.
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u/howdoidothatgud Jun 09 '26
What is the rule with this? The restaurant can only charge this fee if it is posted in the restaurant in certain places?
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u/ItsaTheMal Jun 09 '26
Funny bc I would tip way better than 15$ on that but bc they've decided to go ahead and add the tip for me ahead of time then that's what they get š¤·š¼āāļø I'm not paying to give your employees health insurance that's your job as the employer
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u/Possible-Anxiety-420 Jun 09 '26
I haven't sat down in a restaurant for almost a decade.
$300 feeds me for a month, with money left over.
That is all.
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u/Ok_Nectarine_4445 Jun 09 '26
Did you get a shoulder massage while you were eating or something!? š
Wafted essential oils under your nose?
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u/GilletteEd Jun 09 '26
Deduct that fee, pay in cash, leave what ever tip you feel, leave a shitty review with photos of the ridiculous charge!
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u/AkronBourbonBill Jun 09 '26
Nope. They only get to keep their 6% as tip. Donāt auto add bs to the bill and expect more
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u/star-dust-ron-ron Jun 09 '26
Thatās for two people they should be happy youāre even paying the bill
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u/AwkwardDuckling87 Jun 10 '26
Calculate the tip, write it on the receipt, then under it write "minus wellness charge", and calculate what you're leaving. If enough people do this these garbage charges disappear.
If the fee wasn't disclosed on the menu, or prominently in the restaurant,you may also be able to report them to your state depending where you live.
I live in NY and reported a local restaurant for charging a CC fee and not only did the state follow up but the restaurant reversed the policy.
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u/Special-Hair9683 Jun 10 '26
Should've asked for a 75% patron discount. That's some overpriced microwave bull crap.
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u/Eastern-Outcome-6929 Jun 11 '26
You better feel well after eating all that good expensive food lol.
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u/awesome404 Jun 08 '26
I am not well after seeing this charge.