“Next we’ll have food rentals”: Stingy restaurant charges bizarre fees for taking food to go

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Dec 10, 2023 5:00 PM EST

Going out to eat is an expensive venture these days. In my city, you can hardly get away from a dinner with a friend for under $50, and I'm just talking about your portion. Eating at restaurants is one of life's greatest joys, though. I'm sometimes convinced that it's the reason I was put on this earth. But with inflation, my wallet can hardly take it. So it's girl dinner scavenged from the fridge most nights. 

But when you do go out to eat, you hope that you're at least getting what you pay for. I like to put in the research and pride myself in knowing the best spots for top quality food. And when I make the choice to go out, I'm prepared to pay for it. But what sometimes comes as a slap in the face is when an unexpected fee comes up. Like, I'm already tipping at least 20%, give me a break. Read on for a particularly flagrant example of restaurant fees. 

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  • 01
    r/mildlyinfuriating u/Whatplanetweon • 3d America the fee- soon they'll charge for eating the food per bite.
    via u/Whatplanetweon
  • 02
    A S S 12/3/2023 3:56:14 PM *** TO- GO *** 2 @ 11.75 o/ Soft Tacos 3 @ 3.25 Mexican Rice 2@ 5.25 Burrito 1 Combo #9 SUBTOTAL: To Go Fee To Go Fee To Go Fee To Go Fee To Go Fee To Go Fee TAX: TOTAL: Last Serviced GUESTS 1 12/3/2023 4:19:31 PM 23.50 9.75 (DISCOUNTS excluded TAX included) 15.0%= $8.91 17.5%-$10.39 20.0%=$11.88 Call to Order: 10.50 11.75 55.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 3.89 $62.39
    via u/Whatplanetweon
  • 03
    Restaurants don't even hide it anymore. I asked the guy what's this 'to go fee' and he stated it's for the containers the food goes in. Cheap styrofoam... (which they never did before) Then as he stared at the pen signing the paper, I gave him a 5$ tip and that was being generous.
    via u/Whatplanetweon
  • 04
    MethFacSarlane • 3d Here in France some places actually give you 10% off the menu if you take away...
    via u/MethFacSarlane
  • 05
    CAY HO WeTurned TheFrogsGay • 3d FROGS It's genius too, because they have more room for people to sit and don't lose out on customers who don't want to wait. I don't know why American restaurants punish people ordering food to go.
    via u/WeTurnedTheFrogsGay
  • 06
    treehuggerfroglover ● 3d A lot of these places also have a fee for eating in. If you ask why it's because they have to pay their employees to clean up after you and such. So no matter what you do they add a fee. It's a terrible long term business practice but a great way to milk every last cent out of your customers before inevitably going out of business
    via u/treehuggerfroglover
  • 07
    Known Alcoholic • 3d ● I can't wait to pay for the Eat-In fee for causing wear and tear to their floor, chair, table and utensils. All separate charges, of course.
    via u/KnownAlcoholic
  • 08
    Jaroldo3 3d ● 8 items and 6 Togo fees, seems like you lucked out. On a serious note, I wouldn't be going there again.
    via u/Jaroldo3
  • 09
    theclan145.3d Why you giving a tip for a to go order
    via u/theclan145
  • 10
    Onederbat67 • 3d Funny story I heard from a co worker: She was out with her friends for dinner, some smaller establishment, but not a mom and pop type joint. Anyway, the bill comes, and they are charging her "fees" for dining in, additional food that was ordered to go, etc. She asks about these fees because, wtf? Waiter says "if you can't afford the bill don't eat here" SO aggressive for just a simple question. So she puts in her tip, then adds lines saying "being mean fee" "no explanation fee"
    via u/Onederbat67
  • 11
    • 3d That would be the last time I patronized that establishment if I were you Blklight21
    via u/Blklight21
  • 12
    Just-Scallion-6699 • 3d The whole to-go order tipping thing is just so bizarre to me. When you order delivery, my understanding was the tip went to the driver and not to the rest of the staff. So, if I'm doing the driving, why am I suddenly expected to tip everyone else? What's even the "value" for me doing this?
    via u/Just-Scallion-6699
  • 13
    As-much-as-possible • 3d Next we'll have food rentals ... Reply 468 Suffering BearsFan • 3d I'd have fun returning it after processing 00
    via u/As-much-as-possible & u/SufferingBearsFan
  • 14
    TravelingGonad • 3d Do not tip for to go order or any counter service. They are not serving you. They are serving their employer. or Whatplanetweon OP • 3d I agree it was stupid of me to Reply 156
    via u/TravelingGonad & u/Whatplanetweon
  • 15
    burnorama6969. 3d Normalize leaving the food there and sticking the restaurant with the loss of revenue. This is a scam and nothing more.
    via u/burnorama6969
  • 16
    Whatplanetweon OP • 3d It was a called in to go order LitNotFig. 3d And they didn't say there was a fee before you called it in? 01 415 ... 432 Whatplanetweon OP • 3d Nope. I even asked what the total would be since this order is for 4 people... I would get my share and he only told me the $56 total
    via u/Whatplanetweon & u/LitNotFig
  • 17
    TheOneTrueBuckeye • 3d Tell them next time you changed your mind and want to eat in. Then when it's on a plate and the fee gone, take out some Tupperware and put the food in.
    via u/TheOneTrueBuckeye
  • 18
    Midas Mcfly. 3d There was a restaurant who tried doing something similar to me in NY last weekend. I just left the food on the counter and said I changed my mind. If it's not a charge on the menu, it doesn't exist:)
    via u/MidasMcfly

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scammer inflation eating out tipping reddit story restaurant scams tip jar mildly infuriating restaurants scam reddit thread Reddit restaurant work money
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