Lost in all of this talk about how Burnaby restaurants will reopen after months of being closed for sit-down service is how much will it cost?
And when I say “cost,” I mean to the restaurants that are reopening and to the customers?
The costs are enormous to Burnaby restaurants, who have to pay for new food orders despite many of them not having any revenue the past couple of months due to COVID-19 closures. Many were not able to do takeout and so have had no money coming in.
Then there is the cost for renovations, personal protective equipment such as masks and face shields, and giant containers of hand sanitizing.
So, yeah, there is a big cost.
But does that justify a Burnaby restaurant charging an extra “COVID-19 fee” like the one pictured above?
The receipt was sent to me by someone I know and it includes an extra 5% fee related to COVID-19. According to the bill, it’s just $1.68 – so not much.
This person didn’t want the restaurant mentioned. The point of this person emailing the photo was to spark a discussion about whether this is right or even a good strategy for a restaurant that has just reopened for sit-down service.
The server was asked why the fee was being charged. The response was that reopening during the pandemic meant extra costs and this was a way to recoup those costs.
“I don’t know how I feel about this,” the person wrote. “I get the point, but why should customers have to cover this when it’s about safety?”
That’s a good point.
Restaurants traditionally are responsible for the safety of their food and the cleanliness of their establishments. Before COVID-19, a restaurant wouldn’t charge an extra fee for the cleaning supplies required to keep the bathrooms and kitchen spotless and free from salmonella, right?
So, is it right to suddenly charge for some of the extra safety steps needed during COVID-19?
Seriously, I’m asking because I don’t have an answer.
Personally, I don’t mind paying a little extra. I’ve eaten some sit-down meals out recently and have tipped heavily because I appreciate the serving staff taking risks by working during the pandemic. But that’s me and my choice.
But while being charged a fee automatically doesn’t bother me personally, I could see some people being irked by it.
I mean, customers are taking a chance too by coming and eating at your restaurant. I don’t see grocery stores dinging customers extra, why should restaurants?
I don’t really think it’s a smart business strategy. You’re trying to lure customers back and this might deter them, even it’s in only $1.68 in this case.
Yeah, it’s complicated. Food shouldn’t be this complicated, but here we are.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
