The world has gone through pandemics in the past but for most of us alive today, this is the first one we’ve had to go through. Some businesses have been closed down for weeks at this point and many will never be opening their doors again.
People around the world are struggling just to survive at this point and they may have difficulty making ends meet. Businesses are all in the same boat, and restaurants are perhaps at the top of the list of those who are struggling to stay afloat.
At first glance, you might think that the pandemic has not affected restaurants. Many of them have been able to stay open, even if it is only for drive-through customers and carry out. The fact of the matter is, however, restaurants have been hit hard.
One of the reasons why restaurants are struggling is because they have lost some of their customers who made it a habit to dine in on a regular basis. There are also some significant hikes in pricing that have affected them due to COVID-19 as well. Now that restrictions are being relaxed in some cities and counties in the United States, the restaurants are free to reopen again, but some are adding a fee.
If you have not yet seen a restaurant receipt with a “COVID-19 surcharge,” it is just because you haven’t been looking. It is typically added as a line item to help restaurants make up for the rising cost of food.
Perhaps you’re wondering why restaurants don’t simply add the extra charges on the menu, rather than adding the surcharge. Primarily, this is because the fee is considered temporary, and hopefully it will disappear one day from the receipts. At that time, you can go back to paying a few dollars less for your restaurant meal.
The amount that restaurants are charging varies from one to another. One customer said that they were paying 9% as an additional fee and they weren’t planning on going back to the restaurant in the future.