After a recent visit to a San Francisco restaurant, one customer was shocked to notice the small print at the bottom of the menu. This read: ‘A 5% surcharge will be added to all checks, in part, to help offset the cost of doing business in San Francisco. This is not a gratuity for services provided, nor is it intended to replace or supplement gratuity.’

The restaurant in question was Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. which has joined a growing list of US eateries to add a surcharge to their food. This was often the topic of heated debate in 2023, and it looks to have continued into 2024 with no signs of stopping either.

The image above was first posted to Reddit where the customer who took the photo added: “Why not just raise the menu prices by 5% to be more transparent?” While this may frustrate San Francisco diners, there may be some good news on the way. This is because SB 478 goes into effect on July 1, 2024. This bill is poised to remove the misrepresenting of goods and services which may have a big impact on the local restaurant industry.

Based on this, it looks as though these frustrations may be over by the summer. However, if loopholes can be found then this battle between customers and restaurant surcharges may rumble on.