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Now on your restaurant bill: Obamacare fee

Is this being sincere?

  • Yes

    Votes: 4 26.7%
  • No

    Votes: 10 66.7%
  • Other (explain)

    Votes: 1 6.7%

  • Total voters
    15

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There's a Florida based, restaurant chain that says 'they're only trying to get people to help foot the bill for full time employees, healthcare mandate'.


Diners at eight Gator's Dockside casual eateries are finding a 1% Affordable Care Act surcharge on their tabs, which comes to 15 cents on a typical $15 lunch tab. Signs on the door and at tables alert diners to the fee, which is also listed separately on the bill.

The Gator Group's full-time hourly employees won't actually receive health insurance until December. But the company said it implemented the surcharge now because of the compliance costs it's facing ahead of the Affordable Care Act's employer mandate kicking in in 2015.

"The costs associated with ACA compliance could ultimately close our doors," the sign reads. "Instead of raising prices on our products to generate the additional revenue needed to cover the costs of ACA compliance, certain Gator's Dockside locations have implemented a 1% surcharge on all food and beverage purchases only."

The company employs a total of 500 people, with about half working full-time. Currently only management receives health benefits, but the restaurant will have to offer coverage to all full-timers once the mandate takes effect. The fee will allow the company to continue offering full-time hours to many workers, according to Sandra Clark, the group's director of operations.

"I'm just trying to keep the employees I have that I've worked hard to train," Clark said.

Restaurants charging Obamacare fee - Feb. 27, 2014
 
Or they could hire 100 more people and bump them all to 29 hours. I'm supporting that instead.
 
Or they could hire 100 more people and bump them all to 29 hours. I'm supporting that instead.

That's actually a pretty smart idea. Offer more people some employment and let them worry about getting healthcare.
 
That's actually a pretty smart idea. Offer more people some employment and let them worry about getting healthcare.

I wish I could take credit. It's pretty much going to be the norm for Fortune 500s that employ mostly unskilled workers.
 
I wish I could take credit. It's pretty much going to be the norm for Fortune 500s that employ mostly unskilled workers.

Yeah, they'll never outsmart the top corporations at their own game. Look at the top ten companies that pay like a 9% tax rate. They give Uncle Sam BOHICA on a daily basis...lol
 
I was being sarcastic


That's my point about being sincere. Why not just raise the prices, rather than make an issue about charging more for ACA? It's a political statement, though the restaurant owner claims it's not.
 
In my view, some restaurants have already done enough to make servers and other staff appear to be charity cases by having mandatory tipping added to your bill and other "service" charges. I never eat at any such establishment and never will. Next, they'll have a service charge to cover employee transportation, or perhaps groceries for deserving employees, or maybe to cover the cost of uniforms and aprons.

Such establishments hope there are enough bleeding heart idiots who will pay the charge - show them you're not that stupid, please.
 
That's my point about being sincere. Why not just raise the prices, rather than make an issue about charging more for ACA? It's a political statement, though the restaurant owner claims it's not.

If they wouldn't have otherwise done it, why not say why they did it?
 
Its a political statement.

I'm surprised other businesses don't do that.

Gas stations: Gas is $3.13 plus tax.

Car dealers: Advertising prices "plus manufacturers, excise, employee related, transportation, and other taxes." for which the sticker says "$14,328" but the final actual cost is $23,718.
 
Or they could hire 100 more people and bump them all to 29 hours. I'm supporting that instead.
And causing more poverty and more on food stamps......the conservatives will be crying....and crying "repeal" every day in Con gress....
 
If they wouldn't have otherwise done it, why not say why they did it?

I don't think they list on their bills, all the causes for price increases. I'd like to see one that says, "Owner wants a trip to Hawaii".
 
I don't think they list on their bills, all the causes for price increases. I'd like to see one that says, "Owner wants a trip to Hawaii".
Probably already there.
 
There are fewer things in life more laughably absurd and tone-deaf than the super-rich being worried about taxes.

It's the nature of the beast.
 
That's my point about being sincere. Why not just raise the prices, rather than make an issue about charging more for ACA? It's a political statement, though the restaurant owner claims it's not.

A restaurant in CA did this, it was in the news a couple weeks ago. I'm guessing they were trying to get some folks' ire up about ACA, instead most everyone interviewed seemed just fine with it. They added a 3% ACA charge, very clear. I think you're right they can just raise their prices, but I think they are trying to cause people to be annoyed with ACA instead of the restaurant ownership/management. That might play in FL but it didn't turn out as expected in SoCal.

Restaurant's healthcare surcharge draws strong responses - latimes.com
 
There's a Florida based, restaurant chain that says 'they're only trying to get people to help foot the bill for full time employees, healthcare mandate'.

Restaurants charging Obamacare fee - Feb. 27, 2014

I think it's a GREAT idea. If it only costs 15-cents more on a $15.00 check for 250 people to have their health insurance paid by their employer? Count me in.

Edit:

This should show people who much a'do about nothing the staggering cost increases are going to be.
 
And causing more poverty and more on food stamps......the conservatives will be crying....and crying "repeal" every day in Con gress....

It will be their own fault. Too many short-sighted Democrats. They should become slightly more informed.
 
There's a Florida based, restaurant chain that says 'they're only trying to get people to help foot the bill for full time employees, healthcare mandate'.

Restaurants charging Obamacare fee - Feb. 27, 2014

This really got me to thinking...

McDonald's serves 7.4 billion people a day. If McDonald's would raise the price of service by one penny per customer, that would generate $704,000 per day x 365 = $256,000,000 per year to pay for their employee's health insurance. Think they could manage? I do. Think you could pay a lousy penny more??
 
And causing more poverty and more on food stamps......the conservatives will be crying....and crying "repeal" every day in Con gress....

No, Democrats from Pelosi to Biden say this would be a good thing, allowing them time to become poets and artists while being in the kitchen. Only slave-driving greedy employers require 40 hours work a week.
 
This really got me to thinking...

McDonald's serves 7.4 billion people a day. If McDonald's would raise the price of service by one penny per customer, that would generate $704,000 per day x 365 = $256,000,000 per year to pay for their employee's health insurance. Think they could manage? I do. Think you could pay a lousy penny more??

Yes, I would gladly pay a penny more, think Micky D's is gonna do it?
Think Walmart would raise prices to increase workers benefits or salaries?
 
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