HEALTHCARE SURCHARGE ON RESTAURANT BILLS

I just got home from having lunch at a.o.c. in West Hollywood, and I am pretty upset right now. At the bottom of the paper menu, in a small box, in the tiniest print I’ve ever seen on a menu, was this message: “a 3% charge is added to all checks to cover the cost of full health care benefits for our employees. thank you for supporting a healthier & happier restaurant staff.”

How offensive is that?! I really couldn’t believe my eyes.

When I got home, I mentioned it to Mr. X, who eschews eating in restaurants (not because of the expense, but rather because it takes too long, so he considers it a supreme waste of time.) He knew what it was about right away. I did not, until he explained it to me, and even then I couldn’t believe it. He had to prove it in print before I could fully wrap my head around this absurdity.

And I still had to do research on the topic, to confirm what he told me. Turns-out, it’s supposed to be some dig at Obama-care.  Sick people.

I never write anything political in this e-zine, but this is just insanity. And rude to the customers of the eateries involved in this craziness. I think that all parties, (political and otherwise,) would not want to participate in this practice.

I’m all for everyone having full health care benefits, and the three-percent is not a lot at all, (for example, on a hundred dollar bill, that’s just an extra three dollar charge,) but how is that the patron’s responsibility? The restaurant owners should be paying those fees on their own!

They could just add pennies onto each dish, if they really need it covered, (which I’m sure that every single one of these establishments could handle itself,) and not even tell us what it’s for! And if they’re worried that they’d look cheap by adding a few cents here and there, they could just make it fifty cents more, or if they like to have their menu items be an even dollar, then just round it up to the next dollar, (which is disgraceful, too!)

But raising already-inflated prices is not really the way to go. The restaurants should just pay the health care themselves!!! They should appreciate that this country finally has an affordable healthcare system, so they can take care of their employees. It’s terrible that servers never had employer-provided health insurance before!

These supposedly upscale venues look really cheap to not be able to spend that extra three dollars on their employees by themselves, without having to get their customers involved.

I know that I will not be frequenting any of these places until they stop the nonsense. And I hope that all of my fellow Angelenos feel the same way. I know at least the smart ones do!

[Note: At least a dozen restaurants in all are doing this stupidity in Los Angeles. I understand that, in addition to a.o.c., some of the others are: Lucques, Son of a Gun, Rustic Canyon, République, Tavern, Mélisse, Hungry Cat, Milo & Olive, and Animal. As soon as I find out who else is in this group, you just know that I’ll be busting them here, as well, as an update. Just more places to boycott.]