Hai Hai restaurant drops controversial 20% surcharge fee after public backlash
Minneapolis diners will be pleased with a recent change of policy from the popular Asian eatery and bar, Hai Hai. On January 1st, the restaurant announced on social media that they would be dropping their controversial 20% surcharge fee. Unsurprisingly, this announcement was praised by locals who viewed it as a sensible move and showed a return to tipping instead of a compulsory surcharge. Up until now, the fee had been in place since 2020.
On Instagram, Hai Hai broke the news, stating: ‘There will no longer be a 20% service charge added to your bill in lieu of tipping, so please keep that in mind when visiting our restaurants. The tip line will return to credit card slips, so please add your tip for your server or bartender there or in cash.’
Throughout 2023, US restaurant culture saw an influx of surcharges introduced to eateries around the country which often left customers frustrated. While many restaurants claimed this was to combat inflation, many customers argued that raising prices would be a better, more transparent policy as opposed to adding fees to the menu. Based on this and the public response on social media, it looks as though this is a welcome move from Hai Hai which as a result, may see their business increase throughout the rest of the year.
