Aren't they supposed to state it somewhere at the door or outside!
And isn't the extra charge to go to cover the staff wages!
The place was woefully understaffed which they agreed. ( 2 in kitchen, 1 behind bar & 1 delivering food, coffees & drinks. They said they didn't know if it was going to busy or not! LOL It was in a busy tourist town.
We'd had to wait to get a seat.
I had to 'bus' our table (clear plates, glasses & wipe the table, get menus & glasses for the water.
Asked for a bottle of water bc there wasn't any jug or water bottles on the bar where there should have been. When I asked for one instead of reaching & giving me one as she went past we had to wait for her to deliver coffees & meals & then deliver a bottle of water to our table where we were asked if we wanted plates or just serviettes to eat our pizza off! (I'd already ordered a pizza from the bar).
I was only when I went back in to get a beer for the man - a 600ml bottle I happened to ask how much it was ($18!) that I was told that they had a 15% surcharge on for NY's day. Same beer $12 ( Emersons) that we'd bought twice at a different restuarant that we'd lunched at the previous 2 days. Ordered him a tap beer instead.
Beef soaked in dark beer pizza with fresh rosemary arrived with one half sprinkled with parsley, not fresh rosemary. Man politely said I think they've put the wrong herb on this. The waitress said do you want me take it back. No he said ( it was 2pm & we were starving).She came back to say the rosemary was infused in the pizza. LOL.
We ate the pizza which was oily / moist no hint of rosemary whatsoever. When we went to pay the man questioned the rosemary infusion & the chef hunted for some time & was eventally able to find a single rosemary leaf in the dark beer brine! LOL Man asked why they had put parsley on it & the kitchen guy said they put parsely on all their pizza. The mans who is a bit of a chef & who has taught cooking classes explained, that you shouldn't really put a soft herb on red meat & said if you don't want to take positive criticism well . He'd also said it was a good idea that they had soaked the beef in dark beer.
I gave the pizza 5/10 the man gave it 6/10. We asked if they'd waive the 15% surcharge but no. Sigh
Didn't even get into that I had to bus the table & get the menu& the man had given me a $5 tip
mme,
Jan 2, 10:15am
Aren't they supposed to state it somewhere at the door or outside!
And isn't the extra charge to go to cover the staff wages!
The place was woefully understaffed which they agreed. ( 2 in kitchen, 1 behind bar & 1 delivering food, coffees & drinks. They said they didn't know if it was going to busy or not! LOL It was in a busy tourist town.
We'd had to wait to get a seat.
I had to 'bus' our table (clear plates, glasses & wipe the table, get menus & glasses for the water.
Asked for a bottle of water bc there wasn't any jug or water bottles on the bar where there should have been. When I asked for one instead of reaching & giving me one as she went past we had to wait for her to deliver coffees & meals & then deliver a bottle of water to our table where we were asked if we wanted plates or just serviettes to eat our pizza off! (I'd already ordered a pizza from the bar).
I was only when I went back in to get a beer for the man - a 600ml bottle I happened to ask how much it was ($18!) that I was told that they had a 15% surcharge on for NY's day. Same beer $12 ( Emersons) that we'd bought twice at a different restuarant that we'd lunched at the previous 2 days. Ordered him a tap beer instead.
Beef soaked in dark beer pizza with fresh rosemary arrived with one half sprinkled with parsley, not fresh rosemary. Man politely said I think they've put the wrong herb on this. The waitress said do you want me take it back. No he said ( it was 2pm & we were starving).She came back to say the rosemary was infused in the pizza. LOL.
We ate the pizza which was oily / moist no hint of rosemary whatsoever. When we went to pay the man questioned the rosemary infusion & the chef hunted for some time & was eventally able to find a single rosemary leaf in the dark beer brine! LOL Man asked why they had put parsley on it & the kitchen guy said they put parsely on all their pizza. The mans who is a bit of a chef & who has taught cooking classes explained, that you shouldn't really put a soft herb on red meat & said if you don't want to take positive criticism well . He also said it was a good idea that they had soaked the beef in dark beer.
I gave the pizza 5/10 the man gave it 6/10. We asked if they'd waive the 15% surcharge but no. Sigh
Didn't even get into that I had to bus the table & get the menu& the man had given me a $5 tip
tarawera99,
Jan 2, 10:53am
Dare I ask which cafe you were at!Personally I avoid restaurants and cafes on public holidays for that reason.
roadie,
Jan 2, 11:07am
We stopped off at a cafe on sh 2 - amazing service, no surcharge, the guy came around to check that we had all of our order and were happy - very busy, but they still found the time to do that. Will definitely stop there again!
mme,
Jan 2, 12:53pm
No I don't want to name it but I was wondering if it true that they only have to tell you on ordering which they didn't when I put in our order for a pizza. I only got told due to the high price for a 600ml beer & I didn't even ask why it was so expensive the girl just mentioned the fact & said we are advising ppl when they order after I said don't you have to have it a sign at the door. A bit crap as we'd already waited for a table & I'd cleared & wiped the table got the water glasses not to mention that we didn't get what we ordered.
We dined there on the Sat night before - another pizza. The chef ( not there the 2nd time on Jan 1) had come out and asked the man what he thought of it. He'd said 8/10 but said the topping pieces could be bigger. The guy told him they had really stuggled through the winter. Hmm
Overall the place is nice but needs major tweaks.
I'm just wanting to clarify if they do need to display a sign!
PS I asked the man if the chef had recognised him as a gastronaut to due his girth! He said no I'm just portly! I say fat!
mme,
Jan 2, 12:55pm
Which cafe roadie!
davidt4,
Jan 2, 12:56pm
My understanding is that any retailer, including food retailers, can charge whatever they like.It is up to the customer to decide if they want to buy or not.
(edited to add) In some states of Australia public holiday surcharges are banned but the eating places can still levy a "cover charge" as a way of getting around it.
mme,
Jan 2, 1:07pm
I found that a link that suggests they do have to & there are serious penalties if that don't & given that they only had a skelton staff on I'd say they profited from the surcharge.
I found that a link that suggests they do have to & there are serious penalties if that don't & given that they only had a skelton staff on I'd say they would have profited from the surcharge.
It s only a breach of the Fair Trading Act if the retailer uses public holiday costs as an excuse but overcharges compared with the actual extra costs.
""The Commerce Commission has no role to play in businesses' decisions whether to apply a surcharge on a public holiday. New Zealand businesses are free to determine the retail price for goods and services and they do not have to justify their prices to customers," said Kate Morrison, Commerce Commission General Manager, Enforcement. "However, if a reason for a price is given, to avoid the risk of breaching the Fair Trading Act, that reason needs to be accurate and not misleading," said Ms Morrison.
mme,
Jan 2, 6:27pm
Yes they didn't actually say it was due to the Holidays Act when was I ordering a beer but I would have thought they would have needed to tell you before you ordered.There was nothing on menu& no sign & they hadn't told me when I ordered the pizza anyway, which was what they said they were doing!
nfh1,
Jan 2, 6:35pm
I assume all restaurants are adding the surcharge unless they have a poster up to say they are not.I always use the ones who do not surcharge.
holly-rocks,
Jan 3, 7:29am
It was New Years day. Most people would expect a surcharge. If you were unsure, you could of asked.
Sorry but I think you are being a bit fussy really.
terachaos,
Jan 3, 7:44am
A few eateries I know of give their regular (casual/part-time when it suits) staff the day off and bring in their family members to work public holidays; and still charge a surcharge. Then again, supermarkets, and other stores also have to pay their staff to work the holidays and they don't charge a surcharge. So why do cafes` etc!
mme,
Jan 3, 7:50am
Actually Holly most do not have a surcharge these days. The surcharge is ment to cover the increased pay for the staff. We wouldn't have minded ifthe place had been adequately staffed not to mention we didn't get what we ordered.
mme,
Jan 3, 7:55am
I've never seen a place with a poster up to say they are not. We looked at a few other places before & none had posters up either way.
roadie,
Jan 3, 8:04am
Not sure of the name, but I think it is called 'Cafe on SH2' lol - coming back up to Auckland from the Thames turnoff - on the left hand side.A few ks before (so South of) the one with all the pots outside.Not the one that used to be a petrol station, and not the Pink Pig (which is on the other side of the road). Doesn't help much, does it!
I think that those charging surcharges do need to display it.Will be in the legislation somewhere - if OP wants, he can look that up - www.legislation.govt.nz - no idea what act it would be under - public holidays! Employment!
mme,
Jan 3, 8:07am
Likely bc staffing in a restaurant, cafe etc is a greater % of doing business. More are costing it into their annual running costs as the other businessesthat open on the stats do. As I've said we wouldn't have minded if the place had been adequately staffed & I really doubt that you can just be told when you are ordering.
mme,
Jan 3, 8:12am
Thanks roadie
He is a she : )
nfh1,
Jan 3, 9:19am
The cafes/restaurants around here with no surcharge always have a poster up saying 'No Surcharge' - excellent for business - they are the ones busy and the empty/quiet ones are those with the surcharge.If we did venture into one with no poster, it would be the first thing I asked - I am far too mean to pay an extra 15%!
duckmoon,
Jan 4, 10:27am
Cafes can do what they like on public holidays. But since I choose not to pay a surcharge, I stay away, which is my choice.
They just don't get my money
duckmoon,
Jan 4, 10:56am
they need to clearly advertise the price they are sell their items at. For example, if the menu, or the blackboard says $3 for coffee.they cant just decide to sell it at a different (and higher price) . They either need to tell you, or have a sign.
Having said that, it is unrealistic to think that cafes won't have a surcharge.
I work in an industry which is open many (but not all) public holidays. And I didn't say to people on chrismtas day"by the way there is an extra charge'
seano7,
Jan 4, 4:28pm
I own a cafe and I will never have a surcharge. It has to be at the door or by the till. What a pack of what with the pizza i would of just walked out and gone to mc donalds and eaten it out side there place.
truckstrains,
Jan 4, 9:06pm
hi,my husband and I went to the Lone Star @ bush inn on tuesday night -no surcharge,great meal,will be going back there
liamjosh,
Jan 5, 9:04am
See, I still don't understand the need for this surcharge to so call cover extra wages.Thousands of other retailers, big and small, are open on public holidays without adding a surcharge so why is it necessary for the cafe and restaurant traders to add this.
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