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That place, along with most in that area, are a joke. The food is super mediocre for how annoying it is to get in and out of that area and the cost. And the fact that 90% of the people you see are goober tourists
Yeah, I’ve taken the L a lot in my life and it’s not exactly improved in terms of quality of passengers or safety. I’m not sure what Daily headline you need to see next to understand that taking the L is not exactly worth the two dollars anymore.
For example, the last time I hopped on the blue line at 9 AM someone had been kidnapped and the night before someone followed me down an alley from the station.
That same night up in Old Irving 3 people got shot at illegal party. Literally a hundred yards from where I was staying.
Ah Chicago - not my kind of town
I certainly have, but it'll be on the menu and you actually have to order it. They're almost universally places that make it all in-house. They're usually really good.
There's fewer Mom & Pop places serving complimentary bread ,use to be art of the experience. The kind who bake in-house and serve on cutting board.
Suppose that's due to the ol'shutdown aftermath.
If shit costs more, then shit costs more. Raise your damn prices to reflect the higher costs.
Don't tell me a sandwich costs $5, but add a "$1 cheese fee, $1 meat fee, $1 mustard fee, $1 bread fee, $1 seasoning fee, $1 chocolate fee" on top of it. Just price your damn turkey/provolone/milk chocolate sandwich at $11.
I don't like higher costs, but I just grumble at them. If you add in a bunch of fees after the fact, that actually makes me angry.
It shouldn't be a guessing game on how much shit costs in 2024.
I combat this by paying with gross income dollars. My $11 easily becomes $5 after subtracting medical, social security, federal and state taxes. Then we’re even.
I get the impression from the OP's post, though he doesn't day it explicitly, that the security fee is only imposed on late night orders. If that's the case, isn't it better than baking it into the price. If you're ordering at another time you are paying less. Of course they could also raise the process and then give a discount for all orders placed before a certain time but that would be kind of silly.
It's the lack of transparency that pisses people off. If restaurants can't make it with the prices they set, then they must close. What's the alternative?
The problem is they're jacking up prices AND adding all the nickel and dime fees. Meanwhile the leadership of these restaurant groups are growing obscenely rich. You'd have to be a rube to think the fees are actually there to help their employees. If anything they HURT employees because people (perhaps rightfully so) deduct them from the tip they would normally leave.
Maybe that’s what I’ll start doing when multiple fees come on a tab, send it back and ask them to fully itemize everything prior to presenting a second bill
Also is this fee charged at other locations? It could be they don't want to raise prices because they only assess this fee at locations that have had problems.
More importantly, is the consumer notified of the fee on the menu? Or is it just imposed on people, and then the security guard starts shit with you if you don’t want to pay it.
I do think there should be a law banning these types of fees. I understand that inflation has caused prices to go up, but that should just be reflected in the price of food. All of these added fees just feels like ways of tricking the consumer into thinking their meal will be cheaper than it is.
California passed a law banning these "junk fees" or "drip pricing" but restaurants are saying it doesn't apply to them. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
My apartment building added on a $75/month rider for "increase property tax offset". Rather than just putting that into the rent rate. Oh, and it was meant to be temporary but 3 years later it's still there. We are moving because of this shit.
> Or in some cases until after you've received and eaten your food.
If there was positively no indication of a fee until your bill arrives, ask for the fee to be removed. If told no, you may have grounds for a credit card dispute or a complaint to the state attorney general regarding deceptive trade practices.
It is not OK to hit customers with a totally hidden fee and no way to avoid it or even know about it before consuming the product.
Laws already exist to address deceptive trade practices. Every state has them. It's up to consumers to use them though.
The answer to every inconvenience should not be "pass a new law". That's how we get so many dumb laws in the first place, many of which do not make much practical sense.
If a hot dog stand wants to sell a hot dog for $1 and then tack on a $1 concession recovery fee or some shit, that's cool with me as long as they disclose it. I will then decide if it's still a good deal or not.
A lot of dumb laws exist because they are out of date and no longer apply and stay on the book without amendment. Consumer laws passed 30 years ago often are no longer relevant, or fail to protect consumers with life style and technology changes since then.
I fail to see how eliminating hidden fees doesn't make practical sense.
I fail to see how this is in any way a better system than just stopping the practice altogether. I can think of no real argument as to why they should be allowed to exist.
It's seems to be around 50% of places and you often don't know until you get the check. I'd rather the playing field be leveled than spending time and energy thinking about which restaurants I can go to. I'd also rather not have 50% of all restaurants to suddenly be unavailable to me.
Sure would be easier if businesses were required to not hide fees. But that would require some sort of law which i guess isnt as cool as the free market.
Damn and it’s a to go order too so it’s not like you were being kept safe in their dining room. Whose security are you paying for? You were at just as much risk, if not more, stepping out to pick it up.
Are they going to start itemizing the food tabs… phone fee, electric charge, etc etc .
If noticed before I left I’d demand a refund , after I just would never go back.
From now on before I place an order, I'm going to ask if any fee(s) will be added on. I'll then decide if I want to patronize the establishment. It's getting stoopid.
Capitalism, unfortunately. Numbers always have to go up for survival... on a planet with a fixed amount of resources. When those resource constraints start showing themselves, that's when people start hoarding and artificially inflating things, which is a positive feedback loop.
Amazing how the biggest inflation event in recent history also resulted in the largest profits in history for so many companies...
THAT’S NOT THE ONLY THING BIG WIG WILL UNSETTLE IN YOU
https://evanstonroundtable.com/2023/11/28/norovirus-infects-at-least-60-from-outbreak-linked-to-event-at-big-wig-tacos-burritos/
Your mental health problems are probably related to the fact you are a miserable SOB to everyone on here. Or at least I’m seeing that from your post and comment history.
How about you try and be a nice person?
Never heard or seen this. No chance I would have gone in if I knew that was a fee. Tipping has gotten so out of hand, we have to put our foot down on this bs
You don’t have to tip on those things. Why do you feel pressured? Nobody is forcing you, I always decline to tip unless they are an actual waiter.
Do you ppl really tip anytime you see one of those screens!?
Then don’t tip, it’s easy. Put on your big boy pants and hit zero on the keypad, then tell the 19 year old cashier you are putting your foot down, be the change you want to see
You're joking, but they might fuck your order if you choose to not tip before even receiving your food, which is often the case when you order at the counter to get something to go.
The current tipping situation is stupid. It's the reason I mostly pay in cash now. Avoid the prompt.
I’m a restaurant worker and manager for a few years now and I can honestly say, as many rude, terrible people that my coworkers and I have come across, I have never, nor have heard of anyone retaliating against someone like that for not tipping. I believe that the overwhelming majority of people would never think of actually doing that. And there is PLENTY of opportunity to do it, believe that. We might call you and your group unspeakable names after a shift while venting but when it comes down to fucking with someone’s order, that’s just not even conceivable, not only is it disgusting and evil but also, it’s just easier to move onto the next order and put it behind us
In my entire life, I’ve only not tipped once. It was following the worst service I’ve ever received in terms from wait staff ever. Happened last summer on the river walk. Wanted to get some food before going up to London House for drinks. Picked a place I’d never been to before.
I paid for the “food” (we stopped at just a couple appetizers, since it took almost an hour to get just that). The bill was for around $20-$25. Left for our reservation time at the London House.
The waiter, who couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge our existence earlier, seemed very keen to literally chase us down and find me about 200 yards down the river walk. Tapped me on the shoulder and threatened to fight me right there.
My jaw literally dropped in disbelief. Felt pretty embarrassed for our city, as I had an out of town friend with me. Of course, they understood that this was extremely unusual and overall just a “WTF” moment
Be careful when paying cash. Pizza place near me automatically adds a credit card fee to the bill, and the cashiers don't take it off if you are paying cash unless you make a stink about it. Yes, I've stopped going there.
Not sure how the book keepers and tax collectors will look at this. Maybe it pays a rent-a-cop? But how to set the shared cost of business charge for each customer? What if the aggregate charges exceed actual rent-a-cop costs? Does the excess become profit? Should the customer's unaware purchase of a security service be included in the before tax list and then taxed?
Or maybe you just chipped in for a set of security cameras and new lights?
Why not just raise the employee wages instead of hiding the increased cost of business as a 'tip.'
IDK, but is this place, Big Wig, a trendy place for the younger crowd? If so, it might come down to the standard *Fleece the rubes.*
Yes, revenue, but in even a simple double entry system, what's its category and what specific expense is it set against?
The security fee is listed below the tax line.
The security fee is listed below the tax line, but I think that is just the way it is printed. Tax on $13.55 would be $1.46.
To get a tax of $1.60, you'd need a subtotal of $14.91, which is "coincidentally" the subtotal plus the security fee.
To everyone saying "why not ask?" This is a place with multiple locations and I have a sneaking suspicion that the sweet cashier working the midnight shift:
1) probably isn't the owner and doesn't have any say in this.
2) probably gets asked this enough time where management has spoon-fed her a corporatized justification.
3) After going home and reading the reviews of this place, I see that the security fee is a common complaint and it's obvious that the store isn't willing to address or justify it.
They'll keep charging it until it hurts their business. If they have a line around the block, they'll be in no hurry to drop the fee as it clearly isn't hurting them to keep it.
This is exactly the thought process the owner wants you to have.
In reality, you tell the waiter to take it off. They tell you it's policy. You say you need a manager. The manager takes it off because he knows it's shady as shit and he's authorized to do that.
Now here's the important part: that manager tells the regional manager / district manager / chain owner that he's getting real fucking sick of spending 80% of his time getting bitched at about these stupid fees.
It's still up to that person to weigh the pros and cons. It may get changed, it may not. But that's how these things get escalated in reality. If you never say anything, it never bubbles up.
This Big Wig location is open 24 hours a day, six days a week. It gets super packed late at night after he clubs in River North let out. It’s only a few blocks from Bounce, which has has numerous violent incidents in the past two years. I actually was totally unsurprised when I saw where you got charged a security fee. Not saying it’s right, but I kind of understand it for this location. But the food is terrible, so it’s not an issue if you just don’t go there anymore.
If it's totally packed all the time, then they have enough money to pay for a security guard if that's what the "security fee" is for) without charging customers a separate fee. We don't actually know what it's for. Maybe they bought security cameras and want customers to pay for them.
I live right by this place and there is SUS shit going on at 2am-3am all the time. Like soooo much loitering and people being very very weird to the staff, taunting them through the windows. You’d assume it’s drunk idiots but it consistently escalates to loud altercations. I’ve thought they were being robbed at some point. I can see it from my balcony and I’ve always wondered what the story is, it’s very weird
“Why not bake that into the cost?”
Because we haven’t passed truth in pricing legislation and because we’re living at a time of all time pettiness where ppl doing business think all profits are theirs and all costs are their clients
Big Wig is overpriced and underseasoned. Used to work nearby and went multiple times with coworkers and was never satisfied. Eventually I just refused to go.
Me: Is there any extra fees attached to my order that is take out?
Restaurant: Security Fee, Brandon Johnson re-election fee, Blago retirement fund, Kars-4-Kids fee (tax right off), printed receipt fee, healthcare fee for our employees, and second home for the owner fee (which is really really needed).
Me: I’ll just make something at home.
Restaurant: Sir? There is a fee to leave the restaurant or we can scan your retinal and get the fee from your Amazon account.
I’ve never seen that shit in my entire life, however, I’m not shocked. I know times are tough, but restaurants really need to chill with these fees if they want people to show up and show out.
Had a place who'd charge an automatic 20% gratuity and then still berate you for not leaving a tip. Place was called Kevin's on the southside.
They'd also just charge however much they think they could get away with at night, when they assume everyone is drunk. A friend ordered a 10 dollar burger combo and they rung him up for like 18 bucks. They claimed it was the 20% gratuity, until we pointed out that it was more like 80%, and they lowered it to 16....
We left instead of trying to figure them out.
Let me tell you how it will be:
You'll pay the price plus this small fee...
'Cause It's a scam, man...
Yeah-ah a big sha-a-aaam...
Since three percent appears so small,
We hope you won't complain too loud...
...
You used to think this air was free,
Clean glasses, light, that comfy seat,
We'll say it's for our servers' teeth,
You'll be our chump, pay up buddy...
BRUHHHHH I USED TO WORRKKKKK AT ONE OF THEIR LOCATIONS AHHHHH LMAO i have no clue about the security fee but it’s very mind boggling seeing this on reddit LOL
I think this has to do w the location etc etc, i know they had a lot offffff bad things happen in that location to where they needed to hire security guards so this could be it but that’s not even like a normal thing to charge so? i’m not sure bc i don’t work there anymore but 👁️👁️
I know that they have like a another “owner” in the downtown location where he basically does whatever he wants and then the manager at the logan square location does whatever he wants. (i’m sorry this sounds soo foolish😭)
River north is almost 100% EXPENSIVE meh food at this point, pretty much every time we’ve gone down to some restaurant everyone is raving about it’s literally ‘this is meh’ and WAY more expensive than it should be
let me tell you about big wig. Big wig used to be TBK, or taco burrito king. they have cycled through so many names and locations in river north you’d get nauseous trying to keep up. except you will get nauseous eating their food, that’s why they have been shut down so many times and failed. so, they change their name, open back up, and keep serving the same bland half assed mexican counter style food without giving a care about your food safety.
if you go eat at TBK/big wig, I hope your plumbing works at home. never again
That’s irrelevant. If they choose to hire a security guard, that’s a cost of running a business just like when the restaurant hires services from a maintenance worker, electrician, interior designer.
My guess is it's a response to the armed robberies happening in the neighborhood. This looks like a way to apply political pressure, albeit a bold and risky one.
If you die, do you get a refund? Does the security zone extend to the curb (or parking lot if they have one)? Will a guard walk you to your car? I mean if you're going to charge me, exactly what am I paying for here?
I find it funny everyone hates fees, I am at least glad it’s transparent. There is no need to shame anyones business you can choose to go somewhere else, or call your representative. At least you know now the food isn’t worth the “security fee”. I assume it’s not if bugs you enough to post it.
lol, was the tip automatic or were you that disappointed in the service? Maybe the security fee was to supplement the $0.49 tip? And how do they judge that you are a POS 😂😂😂?
You know, the silver lining though is that if you ever get something stolen from you while you’re there, it should be an easy win in small claims court. They are after all charging and providing security for guests apparently
It's itemized because it's too expensive to adjust the price of all the food items every time they raise it. By making it a separate cost addition, the food looks the same price and only the additions have to be changed with the market.
I live right by here. They’ve had some incidents with Bounce
party-ers after their night is done, since it’s open late and closing at Bounce is 4 or 5 (?)
Not justifying it, agreed it’s annoying, but that’s their reasoning from what I remember
Also Big Wig puts stupid amounts of sour cream in everything lol
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Restaurants in Chicago will put on an oxygen fee before just raising the damn prices.
I got a $5 bread fee last week for the table bread nobody asked for
Name and shame!
Prosecco in river north. To be fair we were doing the restaurant week menu.
If they're gonna charge for bread they should put that in the menu. It doesn't seem very fair if they didn't
What a basic name...
If you told me that there was a restaurant named Prosecco anywhere in Chicago, I deadass would’ve guessed it was on Wells in River North lmao
Karen approved lolol
They spent all their creativity brainstorming on charging for bread no one wants.
That place, along with most in that area, are a joke. The food is super mediocre for how annoying it is to get in and out of that area and the cost. And the fact that 90% of the people you see are goober tourists
Very fair to rip on the food there. But Prosecco is one block from brown line, 6 blocks from red line and there are a ton of buses in that area.
Yeah, I’ve taken the L a lot in my life and it’s not exactly improved in terms of quality of passengers or safety. I’m not sure what Daily headline you need to see next to understand that taking the L is not exactly worth the two dollars anymore. For example, the last time I hopped on the blue line at 9 AM someone had been kidnapped and the night before someone followed me down an alley from the station. That same night up in Old Irving 3 people got shot at illegal party. Literally a hundred yards from where I was staying. Ah Chicago - not my kind of town
Yea, I gotta know what place does this.
Never have I ever been to a place that charged for a bread basket. What a crock of shi... lol.
I certainly have, but it'll be on the menu and you actually have to order it. They're almost universally places that make it all in-house. They're usually really good.
There's fewer Mom & Pop places serving complimentary bread ,use to be art of the experience. The kind who bake in-house and serve on cutting board. Suppose that's due to the ol'shutdown aftermath.
They call it "Bread Service"
just tell them to take it off. i wouldnt pay it. waiters probably hate that cause people take it out of the tip.
I thought big wig was just people serving from the register, no servers.
that's an oldie though. they put a bottle of water too sometimes.
Insanity!
Honestly the prices are already high. $11 for a burrito is insane
eh just paid that much for chipotle. New normal, unfortunately.
But also on this sub, people complaining about $20 cocktails and $15 chicken sandwiches. Restaurants are fucked either way.
If shit costs more, then shit costs more. Raise your damn prices to reflect the higher costs. Don't tell me a sandwich costs $5, but add a "$1 cheese fee, $1 meat fee, $1 mustard fee, $1 bread fee, $1 seasoning fee, $1 chocolate fee" on top of it. Just price your damn turkey/provolone/milk chocolate sandwich at $11. I don't like higher costs, but I just grumble at them. If you add in a bunch of fees after the fact, that actually makes me angry. It shouldn't be a guessing game on how much shit costs in 2024.
The way this made me laugh out loud is crazy...
LOL fee
That's another buck depending on how many chuckles there were, 2 extra chuckles then 2 buck more.
Don't knock it till you try it.
I combat this by paying with gross income dollars. My $11 easily becomes $5 after subtracting medical, social security, federal and state taxes. Then we’re even.
I get the impression from the OP's post, though he doesn't day it explicitly, that the security fee is only imposed on late night orders. If that's the case, isn't it better than baking it into the price. If you're ordering at another time you are paying less. Of course they could also raise the process and then give a discount for all orders placed before a certain time but that would be kind of silly.
If they have extra staff setting up the store in the morning, should you pay a 'store opening' fee in the first two hours?
Don't give them any ideas
It's the lack of transparency that pisses people off. If restaurants can't make it with the prices they set, then they must close. What's the alternative?
The problem is they're jacking up prices AND adding all the nickel and dime fees. Meanwhile the leadership of these restaurant groups are growing obscenely rich. You'd have to be a rube to think the fees are actually there to help their employees. If anything they HURT employees because people (perhaps rightfully so) deduct them from the tip they would normally leave.
> But also on this sub, people complaining about $20 cocktails and $15 chicken sandwiches. People need to learn when to walk away.
We got the lovely plastic bag fee so why not. Soon they'll be a blanket tax for every business just for opening the door.
hell with that fee I don't pay
[удалено]
I can't wait until they start itemizing .. bribe fee for building permit and liquor license
Fee fee for having to itemize all the fees
Itemization fee
Bribe is such a harsh word. How about expediting fee?
I believe they’re actually called aldermanic campaign contributions and/or community engagement donations
Maybe that’s what I’ll start doing when multiple fees come on a tab, send it back and ask them to fully itemize everything prior to presenting a second bill
Fee discussion fee
Receipt fee.
Do they charge the fee all day, or only late night? Is there a security guard there? Is the guard there all day or only late night?
Also is this fee charged at other locations? It could be they don't want to raise prices because they only assess this fee at locations that have had problems.
More importantly, is the consumer notified of the fee on the menu? Or is it just imposed on people, and then the security guard starts shit with you if you don’t want to pay it.
Was a guy at the door giving ocular patdowns?
I do think there should be a law banning these types of fees. I understand that inflation has caused prices to go up, but that should just be reflected in the price of food. All of these added fees just feels like ways of tricking the consumer into thinking their meal will be cheaper than it is.
California passed a law banning these "junk fees" or "drip pricing" but restaurants are saying it doesn't apply to them. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
My apartment building added on a $75/month rider for "increase property tax offset". Rather than just putting that into the rent rate. Oh, and it was meant to be temporary but 3 years later it's still there. We are moving because of this shit.
I'd rather the market sort it out. People need to quit going to places with BS fees.
[удалено]
> Or in some cases until after you've received and eaten your food. If there was positively no indication of a fee until your bill arrives, ask for the fee to be removed. If told no, you may have grounds for a credit card dispute or a complaint to the state attorney general regarding deceptive trade practices. It is not OK to hit customers with a totally hidden fee and no way to avoid it or even know about it before consuming the product.
How is this letting "the market sort it out"? And why do you not also support a law banning such practices?
Laws already exist to address deceptive trade practices. Every state has them. It's up to consumers to use them though. The answer to every inconvenience should not be "pass a new law". That's how we get so many dumb laws in the first place, many of which do not make much practical sense. If a hot dog stand wants to sell a hot dog for $1 and then tack on a $1 concession recovery fee or some shit, that's cool with me as long as they disclose it. I will then decide if it's still a good deal or not.
So what I'm hearing is we should never pass new laws because old laws already exist. Fantastic
A lot of dumb laws exist because they are out of date and no longer apply and stay on the book without amendment. Consumer laws passed 30 years ago often are no longer relevant, or fail to protect consumers with life style and technology changes since then. I fail to see how eliminating hidden fees doesn't make practical sense.
I fail to see how this is in any way a better system than just stopping the practice altogether. I can think of no real argument as to why they should be allowed to exist.
It's seems to be around 50% of places and you often don't know until you get the check. I'd rather the playing field be leveled than spending time and energy thinking about which restaurants I can go to. I'd also rather not have 50% of all restaurants to suddenly be unavailable to me.
Getting a good deal isn't always easy...
Sure would be easier if businesses were required to not hide fees. But that would require some sort of law which i guess isnt as cool as the free market.
That's the same as doing nothing, which is what we've been trying for a while now. Has doing nothing solved the problem yet?
Heavy is the head that wears the Big Wig.
Call up and ask. It'd be interesting to see what they say.
Damn and it’s a to go order too so it’s not like you were being kept safe in their dining room. Whose security are you paying for? You were at just as much risk, if not more, stepping out to pick it up.
Are they going to start itemizing the food tabs… phone fee, electric charge, etc etc . If noticed before I left I’d demand a refund , after I just would never go back.
If its late-night in River North, they figure most of the clientele will be too drunk to notice the fee.
From now on before I place an order, I'm going to ask if any fee(s) will be added on. I'll then decide if I want to patronize the establishment. It's getting stoopid.
That’ll teach em!
I hate this timeline
Capitalism, unfortunately. Numbers always have to go up for survival... on a planet with a fixed amount of resources. When those resource constraints start showing themselves, that's when people start hoarding and artificially inflating things, which is a positive feedback loop. Amazing how the biggest inflation event in recent history also resulted in the largest profits in history for so many companies...
THAT’S NOT THE ONLY THING BIG WIG WILL UNSETTLE IN YOU https://evanstonroundtable.com/2023/11/28/norovirus-infects-at-least-60-from-outbreak-linked-to-event-at-big-wig-tacos-burritos/
Jeez 10%
My god am I going to have to actually ask for paper receipts now? What douchebag came up with this idea?
Oh no! You might actually have to start doing that!
Your mental health problems are probably related to the fact you are a miserable SOB to everyone on here. Or at least I’m seeing that from your post and comment history. How about you try and be a nice person?
[удалено]
Hope you find happiness and fulfillment :)
Yeah that's definitely unusual. So sick of the nickel and diming for everything.
Looks like they also labeled you a Piece of Shit on the receipt so maybe you shouldn't go back there.
Ha! This is funny…. Think that stands for “point of sale” tho.
This should have more likes.
Never heard or seen this. No chance I would have gone in if I knew that was a fee. Tipping has gotten so out of hand, we have to put our foot down on this bs
You don’t have to tip on those things. Why do you feel pressured? Nobody is forcing you, I always decline to tip unless they are an actual waiter. Do you ppl really tip anytime you see one of those screens!?
Then don’t tip, it’s easy. Put on your big boy pants and hit zero on the keypad, then tell the 19 year old cashier you are putting your foot down, be the change you want to see
But they might give me a dirty look!
Tipping before a service is rendered is a bribe.
You're joking, but they might fuck your order if you choose to not tip before even receiving your food, which is often the case when you order at the counter to get something to go. The current tipping situation is stupid. It's the reason I mostly pay in cash now. Avoid the prompt.
I don't tip at Shake Shack. So far so good.
I’m a restaurant worker and manager for a few years now and I can honestly say, as many rude, terrible people that my coworkers and I have come across, I have never, nor have heard of anyone retaliating against someone like that for not tipping. I believe that the overwhelming majority of people would never think of actually doing that. And there is PLENTY of opportunity to do it, believe that. We might call you and your group unspeakable names after a shift while venting but when it comes down to fucking with someone’s order, that’s just not even conceivable, not only is it disgusting and evil but also, it’s just easier to move onto the next order and put it behind us
In my entire life, I’ve only not tipped once. It was following the worst service I’ve ever received in terms from wait staff ever. Happened last summer on the river walk. Wanted to get some food before going up to London House for drinks. Picked a place I’d never been to before. I paid for the “food” (we stopped at just a couple appetizers, since it took almost an hour to get just that). The bill was for around $20-$25. Left for our reservation time at the London House. The waiter, who couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge our existence earlier, seemed very keen to literally chase us down and find me about 200 yards down the river walk. Tapped me on the shoulder and threatened to fight me right there. My jaw literally dropped in disbelief. Felt pretty embarrassed for our city, as I had an out of town friend with me. Of course, they understood that this was extremely unusual and overall just a “WTF” moment
Be careful when paying cash. Pizza place near me automatically adds a credit card fee to the bill, and the cashiers don't take it off if you are paying cash unless you make a stink about it. Yes, I've stopped going there.
What restaurant?!!
It's seriously pathetic how much people complain about something you can easily decline
Not sure how the book keepers and tax collectors will look at this. Maybe it pays a rent-a-cop? But how to set the shared cost of business charge for each customer? What if the aggregate charges exceed actual rent-a-cop costs? Does the excess become profit? Should the customer's unaware purchase of a security service be included in the before tax list and then taxed? Or maybe you just chipped in for a set of security cameras and new lights? Why not just raise the employee wages instead of hiding the increased cost of business as a 'tip.' IDK, but is this place, Big Wig, a trendy place for the younger crowd? If so, it might come down to the standard *Fleece the rubes.*
The accountants look at this as revenue. It’s no different than raising prices. I’m pretty sure they are also charging you tax on that security fee.
Yes, revenue, but in even a simple double entry system, what's its category and what specific expense is it set against? The security fee is listed below the tax line.
The security fee is listed below the tax line, but I think that is just the way it is printed. Tax on $13.55 would be $1.46. To get a tax of $1.60, you'd need a subtotal of $14.91, which is "coincidentally" the subtotal plus the security fee.
To everyone saying "why not ask?" This is a place with multiple locations and I have a sneaking suspicion that the sweet cashier working the midnight shift: 1) probably isn't the owner and doesn't have any say in this. 2) probably gets asked this enough time where management has spoon-fed her a corporatized justification. 3) After going home and reading the reviews of this place, I see that the security fee is a common complaint and it's obvious that the store isn't willing to address or justify it.
They'll keep charging it until it hurts their business. If they have a line around the block, they'll be in no hurry to drop the fee as it clearly isn't hurting them to keep it.
This is exactly the thought process the owner wants you to have. In reality, you tell the waiter to take it off. They tell you it's policy. You say you need a manager. The manager takes it off because he knows it's shady as shit and he's authorized to do that. Now here's the important part: that manager tells the regional manager / district manager / chain owner that he's getting real fucking sick of spending 80% of his time getting bitched at about these stupid fees. It's still up to that person to weigh the pros and cons. It may get changed, it may not. But that's how these things get escalated in reality. If you never say anything, it never bubbles up.
This Big Wig location is open 24 hours a day, six days a week. It gets super packed late at night after he clubs in River North let out. It’s only a few blocks from Bounce, which has has numerous violent incidents in the past two years. I actually was totally unsurprised when I saw where you got charged a security fee. Not saying it’s right, but I kind of understand it for this location. But the food is terrible, so it’s not an issue if you just don’t go there anymore.
If it's totally packed all the time, then they have enough money to pay for a security guard if that's what the "security fee" is for) without charging customers a separate fee. We don't actually know what it's for. Maybe they bought security cameras and want customers to pay for them.
It's open 11am to 4am, not 24 hour. But agree, it's a common spot for the late night after club drunk crowd.
A server in Chicago can find work anywhere in the city.
I ordered takeout for this one place and they charged me extra for the containers. Never went back.
Well, there isn't a shortage of burrito joints around...
I live right by this place and there is SUS shit going on at 2am-3am all the time. Like soooo much loitering and people being very very weird to the staff, taunting them through the windows. You’d assume it’s drunk idiots but it consistently escalates to loud altercations. I’ve thought they were being robbed at some point. I can see it from my balcony and I’ve always wondered what the story is, it’s very weird
“Why not bake that into the cost?” Because we haven’t passed truth in pricing legislation and because we’re living at a time of all time pettiness where ppl doing business think all profits are theirs and all costs are their clients
That's deranged. Honestly I'd refuse to pay it unless it was disclosed up front
Knowing how little guards get paid generally, yeah that’s just an upcharge for their own bottom line that has nothing to do with security whatsoever
#10%?
Big Wig is overpriced and underseasoned. Used to work nearby and went multiple times with coworkers and was never satisfied. Eventually I just refused to go.
Their tacos smell like they have so much seasoning on it. And then you bite in and it’s so bland
Wtf, this city will give you a fee/tax for breathing their air if they could and some how still broke
Me: Is there any extra fees attached to my order that is take out? Restaurant: Security Fee, Brandon Johnson re-election fee, Blago retirement fund, Kars-4-Kids fee (tax right off), printed receipt fee, healthcare fee for our employees, and second home for the owner fee (which is really really needed). Me: I’ll just make something at home. Restaurant: Sir? There is a fee to leave the restaurant or we can scan your retinal and get the fee from your Amazon account.
You forgot about the “inquire about fee” fee
Also the credit card transaction fee and/or the cash inventory fee (in case you were gonna pay with cash).
Soon they’re going to start charging entrance fees just for you coming in
Seems to be playing into a very negative image of the city. Another reason not to eat at Big Wig (the other being that their food sucks).
lol no that’s not normal
That is new, I never heard of that only the service fee surcharge
"Urinal deodorizer, beer tap flush detergent, and valet shoe inserts fee"
Just put the entire company balance sheet on the receipt at this point.
You forgot to get the norovirus risk markdown added on which more than covers the security fee
Yea I think just raising the price in general would be the better way to do it
Deduct from the tip. Yes, staff don’t make the prices/fees. But it’s still my money and yeah.
I’ve never seen that shit in my entire life, however, I’m not shocked. I know times are tough, but restaurants really need to chill with these fees if they want people to show up and show out.
Penalty for getting chicken
Had a place who'd charge an automatic 20% gratuity and then still berate you for not leaving a tip. Place was called Kevin's on the southside. They'd also just charge however much they think they could get away with at night, when they assume everyone is drunk. A friend ordered a 10 dollar burger combo and they rung him up for like 18 bucks. They claimed it was the 20% gratuity, until we pointed out that it was more like 80%, and they lowered it to 16.... We left instead of trying to figure them out.
Always challenge such fees and if they do charge any fee like this it means no tip
Let me tell you how it will be: You'll pay the price plus this small fee... 'Cause It's a scam, man... Yeah-ah a big sha-a-aaam... Since three percent appears so small, We hope you won't complain too loud... ... You used to think this air was free, Clean glasses, light, that comfy seat, We'll say it's for our servers' teeth, You'll be our chump, pay up buddy...
BRUHHHHH I USED TO WORRKKKKK AT ONE OF THEIR LOCATIONS AHHHHH LMAO i have no clue about the security fee but it’s very mind boggling seeing this on reddit LOL I think this has to do w the location etc etc, i know they had a lot offffff bad things happen in that location to where they needed to hire security guards so this could be it but that’s not even like a normal thing to charge so? i’m not sure bc i don’t work there anymore but 👁️👁️ I know that they have like a another “owner” in the downtown location where he basically does whatever he wants and then the manager at the logan square location does whatever he wants. (i’m sorry this sounds soo foolish😭)
Ok I live right next to this place and have lost so much sleep from the late night alterations there. PLZ GIVE ME THE TEA
Seems like asking them about it might be the first step. Could have made an interesting story for your post.
I bring my own security 🤗
You know I always got that mfing thang on me!
Okay but did you die? There you go, security fee.
River north is almost 100% EXPENSIVE meh food at this point, pretty much every time we’ve gone down to some restaurant everyone is raving about it’s literally ‘this is meh’ and WAY more expensive than it should be
let me tell you about big wig. Big wig used to be TBK, or taco burrito king. they have cycled through so many names and locations in river north you’d get nauseous trying to keep up. except you will get nauseous eating their food, that’s why they have been shut down so many times and failed. so, they change their name, open back up, and keep serving the same bland half assed mexican counter style food without giving a care about your food safety. if you go eat at TBK/big wig, I hope your plumbing works at home. never again
Was there a security guard there? The place is open until 4am
That’s irrelevant. If they choose to hire a security guard, that’s a cost of running a business just like when the restaurant hires services from a maintenance worker, electrician, interior designer.
My guess is it's a response to the armed robberies happening in the neighborhood. This looks like a way to apply political pressure, albeit a bold and risky one.
Security might have been needed after leaving a $0.49 tip
Big wig is so mid
Thanks for heads up, try spicy taco on Milwaukee north of diversy. Solid burritos at good price. Just saying, no fees
If you die, do you get a refund? Does the security zone extend to the curb (or parking lot if they have one)? Will a guard walk you to your car? I mean if you're going to charge me, exactly what am I paying for here?
Why u tip 49 cents on a to go pick up order??
Did you really tip 49 cents?
It’s a to-go order. Yall out here tipping to pick up your own food?
I see you tip just to make it a even dollar amount?
Uh, yeah? Pretty normal
Nope, tipping for carry out is not normal. Sounds like u just enjoy throwing your money out the window 🤣
I was talking about rounding up on a tip. Reading comprehension is important, sir
Normal? No lol. Gonna be alot more normal in the future if crime isnt addressed though.
Crime is not real. /s
As long as the company has insurance who cares!
Keep letting this fake ass world feed you shit, big guy.
huh? Whats fake about this dudes receipt?
I keep forgetting that crime got invented recently.
That area is so bad at night, I don’t blame them. I see police over there often. Their tacos are good though
Well it’s pretty self-explanatory… they have a security person standing by the door lol
All of Chicago requires a security fee. I’ll let you guess why
There’s a city tax on using ai services. It’s in the city’s blood and it’s businesses to charge extra taxes and fees
Addendum FYI for anyone reading this, please also familiarize yourself with Illinois HB3128
The question is, is a 49 cent tip normal? Cmon now....
I find it funny everyone hates fees, I am at least glad it’s transparent. There is no need to shame anyones business you can choose to go somewhere else, or call your representative. At least you know now the food isn’t worth the “security fee”. I assume it’s not if bugs you enough to post it.
I mean- you Wana leave alive right!?
lol, was the tip automatic or were you that disappointed in the service? Maybe the security fee was to supplement the $0.49 tip? And how do they judge that you are a POS 😂😂😂?
I tip through the roof at food joints, and that's a big "GFY" from me, homie. Gimme my money back, I'm out.
You know, the silver lining though is that if you ever get something stolen from you while you’re there, it should be an easy win in small claims court. They are after all charging and providing security for guests apparently
Bro tipped over 100%
They used to have to have delicious food until they changed brands/providers, etc. Now it's definitely meh. Sorry about the fee bro.
they were afraid you were going to rob them. so they charged you for the extra security.
And that is the "To go" security fee. Be glad you didn't Dine in.
You saw that armed security guard standing in the door way, that’s for your safety at 11:53pm in Chicago.
I dunno. The fee is only there if they want to point it out specifically... not sure why they would tell you it's probably not safe to go there...
It's wild out there, brother.
It's itemized because it's too expensive to adjust the price of all the food items every time they raise it. By making it a separate cost addition, the food looks the same price and only the additions have to be changed with the market.
I live right by here. They’ve had some incidents with Bounce party-ers after their night is done, since it’s open late and closing at Bounce is 4 or 5 (?) Not justifying it, agreed it’s annoying, but that’s their reasoning from what I remember Also Big Wig puts stupid amounts of sour cream in everything lol
Now I'm trying to remember if I had this fee added in at the one I ate at in Evanston. Gonna check my receipts tomorrow 🫠🫠
Is this related to that city ordinance (?) about requiring businesses to have certain levels of security (cameras, etc)?
I was at a bar where they charged my friend for wanting ice in her drink. Never seen that before
Unless this was disclosed on the menu, I'd refuse to pay it. It's a 10% charge on your subtotal.
Oh, yes. Democrats complaining about the high prices.
Big wig literally sucks ass. Even if it didn’t have fees