Letters to the Editor: Charge an extra fee? Restaurants should have to tell customers before they enter

To the editor: Regarding the new state law requiring restaurants to disclose all fees such as service and security charges or incorporate them into their prices, how about informing customers of all charges before they enter a restaurant? (“Perch charges diners ‘security’ fee at downtown L.A. rooftop spot, sparking outrage,” April 9)

If a restaurant is going to inform the customer of any charges in addition to that of the meal prices, why wait until the customer is already seated?

I think I know why. How many of us would leave the restaurant after having waited to be seated and placed a drink order, because we saw the fee disclosures after the menu arrived? I suspect none.

Would it not be better for the establishment to post a menu outside with the price of the meals and a highly visible notice of any additional fees devoted to security or whatever? Informing the customer before entering would be best for the customer — so I guess that’s why it is not done.

Beverly Schmidt, Riverside

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To the editor: An eating establishment that sticks its patrons with a 4.5% “security” fee will not get my business. Why eat a meal at a place that needs so much security?

I have a simple solution for added fees: Just subtract them from the tip.

Kim Righetti, Upland