An unidentified diner who had saved up to treat herself and others to breakfast was upset after she discovered a fee had been added to her bill. The 30-year-old woman took to social media to share a picture of the receipt from Paperboy in Austin, Texas, where the bill for 3 meals added up to $72.03. There on the bill was a 3% charge for “kitchen appreciation.” The woman said that kitchen labor at a fair wage should be included in the price of a $20 order of chicken and biscuits. She told the manager that if she had known about the 3% fee, she would have ordered something else, as $20 was her limit. She called the fee “deceptive” and said she would no longer patronize the restaurant. The restaurant defended its decision, saying the kitchen appreciation fee has been a part of their business for 2 years now. The fee is added on because the kitchen staff can’t receive tips like waiters do and they wanted to “bridge the gap” between the two. The spokesperson said the fee is clearly stated on the menu and guests can ask to have the fee removed at any time. Despite the motive behind the fee, social media users were outraged, saying that kitchen help — including cooks — have never received tips and that they would mark Paperboy off of their list of restaurants to patronize.
Texas Diner Finds a “Kitchen Appreciation” Fee Added To Her Bill
An unidentified diner who had saved up to treat herself and others to breakfast was upset after she discovered a fee had been added to her bill. The 30-year-old woman took to social media to share a picture of the receipt from Paperboy in Austin, Texas, where the bill for 3 meals added up to $72.03. There on the bill was a 3% charge for “kitchen appreciation.” The woman said that kitchen labor at a fair wage should be included in the price of a $20 order of chicken and biscuits. She told the manager that if she had known about the 3% fee, she would have ordered something else, as $20 was her limit. She called the fee “deceptive” and said she would no longer patronize the restaurant. The restaurant defended its decision, saying the kitchen appreciation fee has been a part of their business for 2 years now. The fee is added on because the kitchen staff can’t receive tips like waiters do and they wanted to “bridge the gap” between the two. The spokesperson said the fee is clearly stated on the menu and guests can ask to have the fee removed at any time. Despite the motive behind the fee, social media users were outraged, saying that kitchen help — including cooks — have never received tips and that they would mark Paperboy off of their list of restaurants to patronize.