California's food and beverage vendors received an emergency exemption from new state law targeting hidden or junk fees. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times) To the editor: I’m curious how much the ...

The last-minute law, said co-author Sen. Bill Dodd, will ensure "restaurant customers are not shocked when they get their checks." (Silvia Razgova / For The Times) Those 3, 5 and 20% fees at the ...

Hidden fees for things like "kitchen appreciation" or "temporary inflation" have become increasingly common for diners in recent years, particularly post-pandemic. In fact, a recent National ...

A new type of sticker shock has become familiar to American consumers in the last few years: getting a bill at a restaurant only to see an unexpected surcharge tacked on. Sometimes, restaurants will ...

Sometimes the cover-up is worse than the crime. When a Tampa diner decided to question a surprise charge on his takeout bill, ...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A California lawmaker is pushing to allow restaurants to charge service fees to diners. A bill introduced Thursday by state Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) could potentially reverse part ...

To the editor: I’m curious how much the impoverished restaurant owners paid to lobby their state officials to take protection away from the public in pursuit of the almighty dollar. If a restaurant ...