Business Support Fee

[phreezee]

Bravo Minas Brazillian Steakhouse! Consumers need to make the connection between our tax and spend government policies and their own costs. This transparency will help wake some people up.

Calgary Brazilian steakhouse grilled over 'business support fee' added to customer bills
Minas Brazillian Steakhouse says it wanted to be transparent about 4% fee

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/c...gary-1.4342784

A new charge at a downtown Calgary restaurant has left a bad taste in some diners' mouths.

The owners of Minas Brazillian Steakhouse have added a four per cent charge, which they call a "small business support fee," to customers' bills.

The fee was put in place on Oct. 1 — the day Alberta's minimum wage increased to $13.60 an hour. The province plans to raise the minimum wage again next year to $15 an hour.

[A790]

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This transparency will help wake some people up. [/url]

Unlikely- it's probably just going to piss people off.

[roopi]

How much were server's being paid per hour prior to the raise to $13.60? I realize this fee is to offset multiple increases in cost but I'm wondering how much more server's are making now per hour. Are people still tipping the same percentage as before?

[phreezee]

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Unlikely- it's probably just going to piss people off.

Some will be pissed off because they are ignorant. Just look at the comments on the article and look at the counter replies. I think having the conversation is a wake up call.
At the end of the day, if nothing else, I think it's genius marketing.

[tonytiger55]

I interpret it as a hissyfit fee.

I wonder if they have spoken to their city representative/mp or whoever it is & business collaborative association or whatever it is called on this side of the pond.

[phreezee]

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How much were server's being paid per hour prior to the raise to $13.60? I realize this fee is to offset multiple increases in cost but I'm wondering how much more server's are making now per hour. Are people still tipping the same percentage as before?

Alberta minimum wage was $12.20. The minimum wage rose to $13.60 on October 1, 2017. It will rise to $15 per hour on October 1, 2018.

[ercchry]

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Some will be pissed off because they are ignorant. Just look at the comments on the article and look at the counter replies. I think having the conversation is a wake up call.
At the end of the day, if nothing else, I think it's genius marketing.

Is it really ignorant to be pissed off? Or does the ignorance come from the owner who doesn’t seem to understand the cost of doing business... this minimum wage policy has been on the books probably longer than this restaurant has been in business

[phreezee]

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I interpret it as a hissyfit fee.

I wonder if they have spoken to their city representative/mp or whoever it is & business collaborative association or whatever it is called on this side of the pond.

Minimum wage is dictated by the province. The NDP have not listened to small businesses on the issue and have ignored the studies showing that $15 minimum wage actually hurt workers in Seattle.

[max_boost]

Interesting to see how this works for them. This is something car dealers would do (adding on an extra charge )

[rage2]

It’s not just about minimum wage. It was just presented that way because of the timing. I have several friends and family in the restaurant business and I can tell you that the increase in taxes is what’s swinging their business from profitable to break even/loss. Those taxes trickle down to food/delivery costs as well.

"We've had increases in property tax, business tax, increases in food price, in liquor price and then on top of that we also have the wages," Lopez said, adding the increased taxes and minimum wage hikes have been a lot to manage in a short period of time.

The comments in the article are typical uninformed public blaming rich restaurant owners. Anyone that’s been in the restaurant business knows how difficult it is to make huge bucks in the industry.

[phreezee]

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Is it really ignorant to be pissed off? Or does the ignorance come from the owner who doesn’t seem to understand the cost of doing business... this minimum wage policy has been on the books probably longer than this restaurant has been in business

I guess what I meant more by ignorance is if someone goes to their favorite restaurant and see that the prices increased they usually grin and bear it and are ignorant of why the prices went up.
But when faced with a transparent reason as to why the prices went up, they are all of a sudden pissed off.
Very few might make the next logical leap and start being pissed off at the government.

[tonytiger55]

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Minimum wage is dictated by the province. The NDP have not listened to small businesses on the issue and have ignored the studies showing that $15 minimum wage actually hurt workers in Seattle.

This is interesting.

We need to look at the positives of this. It might encourage some small restaurants to actually start cooking and serving good food to get the customers in.

[TomcoPDR]

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The comments in the article are typical uninformed public blaming rich restaurant owners. Anyone that’s been in the restaurant business knows how difficult it is to make huge bucks in the industry.

Funny thing is, there're a few restaurateurs on here rolling in (opinionated) above average rides.

[mr2mike]

[That.Guy.S30]

The food industry fuckin sucks. The margin is super small and once you get hit with taxes, wage increase, carbon tax, supply increase you are basically working for free.

And when you jack up the price to keep the lights on, you get people who bitch. Yes thanks, we are trying to survive too.

[tonytiger55]

Aww man this comment on the site made me laugh...

'Here's what I would do if I were in the Notley government there...since this is just a embarrassment/publicity stunt I would retaliate by making sure the food inspectors are sent into Minas Brazillian Steakhouse at the highest possible frequency to insure that they are compliant to the highest standard in the Province. Any violations met with max fines.'

[ercchry]

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The food industry fuckin sucks. The margin is super small and once you get hit with taxes, wage increase, carbon tax, supply increase you are basically working for free.

And when you jack up the price to keep the lights on, you get people who bitch. Yes thanks, we are trying to survive too.

If you have a big pesky line up every lunch hour, you might be too cheap...

[That.Guy.S30]

Next sub costs you 7.50 plus a 7.50 surcharge.

[max_boost]

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The food industry fuckin sucks. The margin is super small and once you get hit with taxes, wage increase, carbon tax, supply increase you are basically working for free.

And when you jack up the price to keep the lights on, you get people who bitch. Yes thanks, we are trying to survive too.

Ye man. In anticipation I have already sold all my cars, fired a ft and a pt and putting in extra hours myself.

[HiTempguy1]

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Ye man. In anticipation I have already sold all my cars, fired a ft and a pt and putting in extra hours myself.

Actually? Wow, that really does suck (for yourself and the employees), sorry to hear

You should do an interview with one of the papers or TV.