Cafe charges customers 35 cent "minimum wage fee"

[Ryoken]

Soooo, the owner could have simply raised prices by 35 cents on the items, or added it as a 'service fee' and no one would bat an eye. Do it in a way that appears slightly political and every one goes crazy and dogs and cats live together, and there's mass hysteria.

 

Bottom line. Someone is told what to pay employees, they in turn need to come up with a way to do this and still maintain profits and viability. Good on them. Don't want to eat there, don't. To make it a media circus is crazy.

It's false advertising.

 

If the so called "fee" wasn't clearly stated it was going to be added, then they can't just start adding onto the stated price for items, except with Government Tax. If I was there I'd simply refuse to pay it on principle. You can't just add fees to someones bill without making them aware of it ahead of time.

[spenser.d]

I think it's quite humorous that a lot of people here bemoan the state of the minimum wage and are always pushing to get it increased but when someone points out the effect of this then these same people think it's outrageous.  

Guess people don't like to see the consequences of their actions...

 

That's not the point and if you read the article you'd know. We're well aware that increasing the minimum wage may increase prices and we're fine with that. This caf? is just being stupid about it and politicizing it further by turning it into a line item, which is completely unnecessary. Just up the price 35 cents like any normal business would and be done with it.

People seem to forget that any price increase often drives customers away.

 

I definitely buy less, and sometimes stop buying at all.

 

That's not really true though. If people really want something they'll find a way to pay for it. I've worked at a fast food restaurant and a gas station in the past and I can tell you all 35 cents will do is elicit a snide comment at best, followed by the money to pay for it.

[Rippleman]

35 cents enrages people?

 

 

Never thought I would do it, but....

 

 

'MURICA!

 

 

Eat at home if 35 cents is a hardship.

 

As for the receipt comment, sounds like the owners are a-holes.

 

35 cents is not the hard ship they are complaining about...you missed what they meant... 

[macrosslover]

That's not the point and if you read the article you'd know. We're well aware that increasing the minimum wage may increase prices and we're fine with that. This caf? is just being stupid about it and politicizing it further by turning it into a line item, which is completely unnecessary. Just up the price 35 cents like any normal business would and be done with it.

They aren't the only business to have done something similar.  All the major pizza chains charge you a $2.50ish delivery fee on top of the normal cost of the pizza, not including the driver's tip.  I would much prefer they just raise the price of the item, to include their rising costs, rather than itemize it separately.  However in the end, it doesn't change the fact that the price of the goods have increased.  What most retailers want to be able to do is advertise my item costs $.999 (whatever).  In a pratical sense, by itemizing the "minimum wage" increase separately like this, customers can know how much extra they are truly spending at a business for increased wages, instead of it just being absorbed into the price and it being hidden.

[Depicus]

It will end when Government gets out of the way of businesses, they pay a wage commensurate of the skill required AND what the local economy can sustain, the problem is that rich liberals love to complain about the "little guy" and get BS laws passed that actually hurt the people they claim to be for, and then have the balls to claim it's greed and not real factors like job type and local economy, and I can guarantee you some liberal will come by and to refute what I just posted without actually trying to use facts, like they always do 

 

Mmmm I don't see ANY facts in your little rant just neo conservative rhetoric, so hard to understand what facts you are disputing. Try thinking for a second what would happen if the logical conclusion of capitalism were uninhibited by government. The UK has had a minimum wage for several years and as far as I can tell the sky is still were it should be.

[spaceelf]

That does sound like a brilliant way to drive away customers.  Maybe that's the intent.

[tmorris1]

It's false advertising.

 

If the so called "fee" wasn't clearly stated it was going to be added, then they can't just start adding onto the stated price for items, except with Government Tax. If I was there I'd simply refuse to pay it on principle. You can't just add fees to someones bill without making them aware of it ahead of time.

Fees happen all the time without advertisement.  Sales Tax(both city and State) are not usually posted yet we don't have a choice, but to pay it.  I see nothing wrong with what this shop did.  At least he isn't hiding the reason for the price increase.  If people actually had an itemized listing of why things cost what they do, I would bet more people would be outraged against the government policies and wasting of out money.

[Ryoken]

Fees happen all the time without advertisement.  Sales Tax(both city and State) are not usually posted yet we don't have a choice, but to pay it.  I see nothing wrong with what this shop did.  At least he isn't hiding the reason for the price increase.  If people actually had an itemized listing of why things cost what they do, I would bet more people would be outraged against the government policies and wasting of out money.

A sales tax is legally required to be there, and separate from the product/service price. Also, you'll notice almost anywhere you go, the fine print on a menu or whatever will say PLUS TAX. There was no indication in the any of the stories about this place that they stated it Anywhere except on the final bill. No sign, no fine print on the menu.

 

This is just them sticking stuff on there that can't be quantified, and that they didn't make people aware of before. It's not allowed in most of the world, I'm betting if someone said no to paying it there the cop's would side with them, unless that state has some really backwards buisness practices laws.

[greenwizard88]

^ Inflation is allegedly under 2%, currently.

Allegedly. But assuming a 2% increase yearly, that item you wanted that cost $100 in 2009 cost:

 

$102 in 2010

$104.4 in 2011

$106.488 in 2012

$108.6177 in 2013

$110.79 in 2014

 

Are you really making 10% more than you were in 2009? If not, even at 2%, inflation is going up faster than your pay. And that's not keeping in mind that there was a scary large price hike on everything in 2008, so while the cost of Milk may not have increased much, you can see items like books have gone from $25 (pre-2008) for a hardcover to $35 for a hardcover.

[techbeck]

And it will be worse if hte min wage gets raised to 15 and hour like lots of min wage workers do.  Yea, they may get an increase in pay but food, clothes, and other items they by themselves will increase thus not changing a damn thing money wise for them.  If people want to make more money, work for it.  If not, you get what you get.

[tmorris1]

A sales tax is legally required to be there, and separate from the product/service price. Also, you'll notice almost anywhere you go, the fine print on a menu or whatever will say PLUS TAX. There was no indication in the any of the stories about this place that they stated it Anywhere except on the final bill. No sign, no fine print on the menu.

 

This is just them sticking stuff on there that can't be quantified, and that they didn't make people aware of before. It's not allowed in most of the world, I'm betting if someone said no to paying it there the cop's would side with them, unless that state has some really backwards buisness practices laws.

It can be quantified though.  The government mandated that they pay more money to employees who were already making more than minimum wage with their tips.  You can argue the methods that he used to recover the extra wages, but do you really think his increase in cost isn't going to get pushed onto the consumer in one way or the other?  What does it matter, the consumer will pay for it in the form of a fee or increased cost of product.

[tmorris1]

This minimum wage increase is nothing but a political statement to get votes anyway.  They say these people need to earn a living wage so they raise the minimum wage to over a couple years $7.75 for small employers and $9.50 for large employers?  Who can live on that, it is not a living wage.  Why not make it $15 or $20.  It is all BS.  These jobs were not intended to be career living wage jobs.

[Rippleman]

Fees happen all the time without advertisement.  Sales Tax(both city and State) are not usually posted yet we don't have a choice, but to pay it.  I see nothing wrong with what this shop did.  At least he isn't hiding the reason for the price increase.  If people actually had an itemized listing of why things cost what they do, I would bet more people would be outraged against the government policies and wasting of out money.

i think you would object if the shop added on a $2000 fee.... the point was "where do you draw the line on on unadvertised "fees"?"

[FloatingFatMan]

These jobs were not intended to be career living wage jobs.

 

Sometimes, they're the only jobs people can get.

[tmorris1]

Sometimes, they're the only jobs people can get.

if that is the case they better get a couple of them because you are not going to make it.  How is that anyone else's fault?  Raising the wage is going to cause many of these types of jobs to go away because employers will not be able to employ as many people.

i think you would object if the shop added on a $2000 fee.... the point was "where do you draw the line on on advertised "fees"?"

He drew the line where the government told him he had to...

[FloatingFatMan]

if that is the case they better get a couple of them because you are not going to make it.  How is that anyone else's fault?  Raising the wage is going to cause many of these types of jobs to go away because employers will not be able to employ as many people.

 

 

You say that, but we've had a minimum wage in the UK for several years now, and the sky has not fallen in, prices have not sky rocketed to compensate. and people are making it.

 

So really, you don't know of what you speak.

[adrynalyne]

35 cents is not the hard ship they are complaining about...you missed what they meant... 

Admittedly I skimmed it. I finished my 18 hour work day yesterday and just glanced over it before heading to bed.

[adrynalyne]

This minimum wage increase is nothing but a political statement to get votes anyway.  They say these people need to earn a living wage so they raise the minimum wage to over a couple years $7.75 for small employers and $9.50 for large employers?  Who can live on that, it is not a living wage.  Why not make it $15 or $20.  It is all BS.  These jobs were not intended to be career living wage jobs.

Someone has to do these jobs and full time doesn't give you a lot of time for two jobs.

 

You simply adjust your way of life accordingly.

 

The idea of classifying jobs as living wage or not is ludicrous. As said, not everyone has a choice.

[tmorris1]

You say that, but we've had a minimum wage in the UK for several years now, and the sky has not fallen in, prices have not sky rocketed to compensate. and people are making it.

 

So really, you don't know of what you speak.

I do know what I speak or type.  We have had a minimum wage here as well, but what is high enough?  Why not $20 if you are going to make it $9.50?  You can't live on $9.50 very well.  You minimum wage is slightly higher than ours.  It is more of the principle of why does the government need to tell private business what to do?  The government should not be running businesses.

[tmorris1]

Someone has to do these jobs and full time doesn't give you a lot of time for two jobs.

 

You simply adjust your way of life accordingly.

 

The idea of classifying jobs as living wage or not is ludicrous. As said, not everyone has a choice.

I agree that someone has to do these jobs, but they were not meant as career jobs to provide a living wage.  I am not classifying jobs as living wage, it was the politicians that did this when they passed the bill.  They said everyone deserves a living wage.  Well $9.50 is not a living wage and not everyone deserves it.

 

I know lots of people that worked 2 or 3 different jobs to make ends meet.  You do what you have to do.  I worked 2 jobs while going to school and even after I had a better paying job for extra money.  It is the mentality of people that needs to change.

[FloatingFatMan]

Our minimum wage is ?6.31 for 21 and over, that works out to $10.59, however the cost of living is much higher in the UK.. All your costs, including food, taxes, fuel etc, are all considerably lower so it more than makes up the difference.

[tmorris1]

Our minimum wage is ?6.31 for 21 and over, that works out to $10.59, however the cost of living is much higher in the UK.. All your costs, including food, taxes, fuel etc, are all considerably lower so it more than makes up the difference.

Why do you think your costs are higher?

[vanx]

I do know what I speak or type.  We have had a minimum wage here as well, but what is high enough?  Why not $20 if you are going to make it $9.50?  You can't live on $9.50 very well.  You minimum wage is slightly higher than ours.  It is more of the principle of why does the government need to tell private business what to do?  The government should not be running businesses.

 

Because, if left to their own devices, private businesses would be really tempted to set the wages they pay people as low as possible in order to increase their margins. It's at these times the government is right to step in and legislate that a certain minimum must be set.

 

Why do you think your costs are higher?

 

For one thing, our tax on most goods and services is 20%, which is way higher than what it is in the US.

[Rippleman]

Why do you think your costs are higher?

 

i would suggest his use of math helped him come to that conclusion :)

[FloatingFatMan]

Why do you think your costs are higher?

 

They're higher mainly due to fuel costs, actually.  Fuel costs have nothing to do with minimum wage because everyone involved in producing fuel gets paid a lot more than that already.