Outraged diner pays $34 for a single cocktail – and you won’t believe the bar’s sneaky ‘surcharge’
- Diner outraged over restaurant surcharges
- The restaurant added a 6.5 percent ‘venue surcharge’
- Australians have complained about the ‘sneaky’ tactic
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A Sydney diner has been left shocked after popular restaurant at a sneaky surcharge to his bill that left him paying an extraordinary $34 for a single cocktail.
The man had ordered just one Cadillac Mango Margarita cocktail at one of El Camino Cantina’s Sydney restaurants on Friday evening.
When he checked his invoice he was astounded to find that on top of the $32 beverage, he had been stung with an unexpected $2.08 ‘venue surcharge’ and additional 0.46 cent card processing fee.
El Camino Cantina is owned by restaurant group Pacific Concepts – previously part of Rockpool Dining Group.
A diner has been left shocked after realising Sydney restaurant El Camino Cantina had charged him a 6.5 percent ‘venue surcharge’
The angry customer told news.com.au not only were prices already ‘extremely high’, there was a 6.5 per cent venue charge, a credit card charge, plus a request for a tip.
‘This should be all paid by the restaurant as an expense they provide … can’t they claim that on tax anyway as a business expense?’ he said.
The customer said he now felt hesitant to go out to restaurants since discovering the sneaky tactic.
‘I am appalled by how businesses really destroy customer confidence in going out for a meal,’ he said.
Pacific Concepts told news.com.au all its restaurants required customers to pay a 6.5 per cent venue surcharge but claimed it was ‘commonplace’ across the industry.
‘Card processing fees and service charges are commonplace across the Australian hospitality industry and cover various costs incurred by businesses,’ it said.
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‘We are fully transparent about charges, which are noted on our menus, websites, and receipts across Pacific Concepts restaurants.’
Australians have taken to social media to vent frustrations over restaurants adding surcharges and pushing tipping onto customers
However, diners have been taken back by the charges, with many venting their surprise and frustration online.
‘Surcharges need to be as prominent as the price on the menu, not just in small font under the menu items,’ one customer said.
‘Sneaky fees added to the menu at each of their venues, be warned. Stay clear,’ another said.
Others labelled the ‘continuous attempt by management to enforce tipping’ as ‘pathetic’.
Restaurant group Pacific Concepts said it is ‘fully transparent about charges, which are noted on our menus, websites, and receipts’
QR code ordering – which became prevalent during the Covid-19 pandemic – has been slammed by customers for asking for tips for before staff had provided a service.
Last year, Australians took to social media to plead with hospitality venues to stop copying America’s tipping culture.
Patrons said Australians should not be expected to tip in bars and restaurants when wages were high and food and drinks were already some of the most expensive in the world.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Pacific Concepts for comment.
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