"We love our customers, and at the end of the day, I don't want my customers to be bummed out about some surcharge," Michael said. "That's the last thing I want. ... We're in hospitality. Our goal is never to have an adversarial relationship with our community."
"Junk fees," or undisclosed surcharges at the end of transactions, have been a hot-button issue in the Bay Area as of late. In June, restaurants received a last-minute exemption from Senate Bill 478, which bans California businesses from using junk fees. The eleventh-hour switch-up exasperated some consumers, who often take to the San Francisco subreddit to complain about unexpected surcharges leaving them feeling hoodwinked.
"A 7% charge is added to our menu items per the SFHSCO in order to offset the costs of full healthcare and benefits for our staff," read a sign posted at the register at Jane on Fillmore, per a photo included in the Sunday Reddit post. "Please let a team member know if you wish to remove this charge."
Many San Francisco restaurants charge similar HCSO fees, usually between 4% and 10%. Michael said she has provided health insurance for employees since...
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