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  1. #1
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    Default Bank Holiday Surcharge

    Don't forget the 18% surcharge added to sevices on a bank holiday. I was charged 18% extra eating out today and when I questioned the bill was informed of this charge added on bank holidays. Beware.

  2. #2
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    18% is a bit steep, but all the restraunts and cafes are allowed to charge extra. There will be a full page debate in the Herald tomorrow with people complainging about the charge, the visibility of the charge and why it's wrong, and the retailers saying it's right for them to be able to charge it as staff costs are double their normal rate.

    (and it's public holiday, not bank holiday. People will look at you like you're an alien if they haven't been in the UK on thir oe and you say bank holiday )

  3. #3
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    The surcharge on holidays is pretty much dying out around here.
    There are plenty of places that don't charge extra.

    Nick.

  4. #4
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    I was treated as a bit of an alien when I was trying to figure out the high cost of the food and took the bill back up to the till. I was shown a small notice by the till, that I hadn't noticed, which stated that a surcharge was added on a public holiday - no mention of the % however. I then complained a little more before leaving feeling like I'd been mugged. The people in the restaurant looked like they'd never seen the like. Is complaining not the done thing?

  5. #5
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    The owner has two options to convey the costs. Either charging all customers the whole year a bit more or charging just those more who actually incur these higher costs.
    So I do think the system here has it's merits.

  6. #6
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    My point is that if I had known that the cost of eating out today was going to be 18% more than the advertised price then I would not have eaten in the establishment and instead had a sandwich at home.. I'm sure the NZers know all this from birth but I had no knowledge of it. I don't read small notices by the till, I look at the price of stuff on the wall and expect to pay that. I sometimes feel like I'm prey here.

  7. #7
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    I don't know what exactly the Act says re location and size of notice etc. But I think they need to tell you exactly how much they will charge. In particular as the percentage of surcharge is different. Here around it is most often 15%, some where between 10 and 20. This is when they do it at all.

    However you may deem yourself lucky as they charged these additional 18% only once and not twice: Today we do have two public holidays at once!

  8. #8
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    Thought it was fairly common knowledge that there can be a surcharge levied on PH's. Obviously not so Guess you'll not be going back there again

  9. #9
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    It's a tough one. I totally see what you're saying, and indeed the lack of clear notice is often mentioned in the debates which are mostly from kiwis complaining of the same thing you are. However, it's a law, and just in the same way as you'd not use the 'I didn't know' defence if you were stopped for drink driving, or for any other laws that exist in NZ but not in some countries overseas (I could have used any law here, that was just one example), then I'm afraid that people may have looked at you that way because you were complaining about something that everyone else knew about.

    A lot of cafe's here had signs up for the last month saying 'no surcharge on easter weekend' or words to that effect. So some elected not to add anything to the bill.

    Another question. Did you leave a tip? When here on the recce then I used to leave a 10-20% tip because that's what I'm used to doing. Of course over here then you don't have that, and if you leave $20 notes as you leave then you get some very stange looks from waitresses...... My point is, that either you knew about this, and so it's fair to expect that you knew the ngative side (surcharge on public holidays), or you've been overpaying for every meal, and there you were really prey!

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Duncan74 View Post
    It's a tough one. I totally see what you're saying, and indeed the lack of clear notice is often mentioned in the debates which are mostly from kiwis complaining of the same thing you are. However, it's a law, and just in the same way as you'd not use the 'I didn't know' defence if you were stopped for drink driving, or for any other laws that exist in NZ but not in some countries overseas (I could have used any law here, that was just one example), then I'm afraid that people may have looked at you that way because you were complaining about something that everyone else knew about.

    A lot of cafe's here had signs up for the last month saying 'no surcharge on easter weekend' or words to that effect. So some elected not to add anything to the bill.

    Another question. Did you leave a tip? When here on the recce then I used to leave a 10-20% tip because that's what I'm used to doing. Of course over here then you don't have that, and if you leave $20 notes as you leave then you get some very stange looks from waitresses...... My point is, that either you knew about this, and so it's fair to expect that you knew the ngative side (surcharge on public holidays), or you've been overpaying for every meal, and there you were really prey!
    No I don't leave tips either in the UK or here and I had no knowledge of the public holiday surcharge. However I do now and will not fall prey again.


    benandclare
    Thought it was fairly common knowledge that there can be a surcharge levied on PH's. Obviously not so Guess you'll not be going back there again
    Today 10:27 PM
    This is one of the things I didn't know about. Correct I won't be going back there or anywhere like it again surcharge or not.

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