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Recently when picking up take out food orders I was charged a fee, supposedly to cover the cost of packaging supplies. In one case it was 50 cents to cover the cost of a small sheet of aluminum foil and a small paper bag for a burrito. Another time it was 75 cents for a pizza box. In both instances the fee was not made known to me when the order was placed.
Most restaurants, other than upscale ones, generate a substantial portion of their revenue from offsite consumption (take out and delivery). My thought is that the additional cost of packaging supplies is more than offset by savings in additional rent for additional floor space that would be needed to generate additional revenue from onsite consumption that would be needed to compensate for offsite revenue if it was not available.
My thought this is just another tactic to squeeze more money out of the consumer, similar to hotel resort fees, airline fees, etc. Anyone in the industry care to comment?
Yes. I'm not in the industry but I have shopped at a Costco business center, which stocks restaurant supplies and is open to regular Costco members. They are getting gargantuan amounts of aluminum foil and take-out containers on the cheap; it's not necessary to charge you. The trade off is that if they didn't offer take-out they might not get those orders at all. You saved them from washing more dishes too.
For crying out loud, it's MANDATORY n the town I live in - it's one of the taxes. 1% to be exact. Yes, I'm dead serious. We pay an additional tax for takeout food from a restaurant. It goes to the Village. They had this bright idea maybe ten (?) years ago.
Are we back to the tipping thing again? Do I tip on picking up a to-go order? No. I don't tip at Starbucks or a drive-thru; why should people tip on a to-go order? It's totally different from eating in at a restaurant. And patrons don't have to pay for containers when they eat in and take their food home. Why should they pay for containers to take their food to-go? "Because the restaurant wants them to," is not a good reason. Carrying the food in a container is part of the cost of doing business.
I certainly am not a bad tipper but I don't tip on take out either. I wonder why every time something like this comes up there are a few that want to discuss tipping habits. I think this is something that is a private matter. There are those who do not tip: not my business but I do not approve; There are those who tip 25% again, i don't understand the thinking but it is their money.
Sorry, but those products cost the business money to send out the door. Why shouldn't they price accordingly? Not only that, but it can take more time for someone to put together a to-go order than simply plate it and send it out to the dining room.
All these things cost money, it all adds up in the end.
the real cost to the restaurant on take out orders is the fact that you are not buying a drink
soda is their highest profit margin item
they are attempting to recapture that lost revenue by charging for aluminum foil..... sad
The cost of packaging takeout orders should be reflected in the menu prices of the items in the order. The customer will never notice the extra 50 cents on the menu but will get ticked off at an extra 50 cents tacked on as a line item. The proprietor is chasing pennies and losing dollars in repeat business.
I tip 10% for takeout.
Yep, restaurants just need to know where to charge it. Increase your prices a bit to offset material costs. Don't add it as a line item on every takeout order. That will just irritate the customer.
the real cost to the restaurant on take out orders is the fact that you are not buying a drink
soda is their highest profit margin item
they are attempting to recapture that lost revenue by charging for aluminum foil..... sad
That is interesting. I usually have only tap water with a sit down restaurant meal because I think drinks (not just soda) are way overpriced. Also, I avoid caffeine after breakfast and few restaurants carry my preferred soft drink or decaf tea.
A few places have started this annoying practice here. It is just greed. I either don't return to the establishment or reduce their tip amount.
I've never heard of this custom here in the U.K, certainly not in the area of central London where we live, I can't speak for any other part of the country.
We don't have take-out very often, maybe once per month, usually Indian, Thai, or Chinese food.
Mostly I'll call an order in, then go collect it, I don't tip for that, if we have it delivered, then I tip the guy who delivers it.
If I found that a restaurant was charging for plastic food containers, paper bags etc., I'd be inclined to call them and place a big order, say £75, ($90), then say, "Oh, by the way, do you charge for containers?"
If they answered in the affirmative, I'd say, "Really? Forget it then, but thanks for letting me know."
A nicer restaurant by me charges .25 if you want a to go cup which is crazy because it is not a cheap restaurant but the owner is a cheap person (we know them personally).
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