Sunday/Public Holiday Surcharges + Customer Service

jellykingdom on 19/04/2022 - 09:58

Bit of a whinge, but also a genuine question;

I had some Indian takeaway last night, ordered directly from the restaurant for pickup (i.e didn't do Ubereats). It had a public holiday surcharge on top of the normal price. They had told me 25min wait, and in the end it was a 50min wait for the food. They weren't busy, there was only 8 people dining in (restaurant was probably good for about 40-50 people), and barely anyone coming in for takeaway. They just had no staff - only a single person serving/front desk/apologising for the delays, and it sounded like 1-2 people cooking in the kitchen. Food was fine in the end, not great, but not bad.

My question: do you think it is reasonable when restaurants whack the customer with the extra staffing cost for a Sunday meal for e.g, and similarly do you think poor customer service is acceptable on these days simply because they don't like to pay to bring the right number of staff in? It seems like double dipping to me to do both!

Food & Grocery

Comments

Mechz on 19/04/2022 - 10:05

+34

Lots of covid staffing shortages right now.
- JimmyF on 19/04/2022 - 14:21
  
  +31
  
  Businesses have been saying this for months now…. Its starting to get a little thing. The answer for all poor service is 'covid' these days.
  - Mechz on 20/04/2022 - 02:02
    
    +3
    
    It's a pandemic, maybe adjust your expectations a little? I'd hazard most don't want covid infected people serving or making their food.
    - JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 09:02
      
      +15
      
      I'd hazard most don't want covid infected people serving or making their food.
      
      And thats fine, but if you get covid then you ISO for 1 to 2 weeks at most. Lots of these businesses have been blaming covid for months!
      
      My insurance company has 1+ hour wait each and every time you call them, but the onhold music keeps saying 'covid'…. Sure 12 months ago that might have flown, but its been like that for nearly a year now. So stop blaming covid.
      - Antikythera on 21/04/2022 - 11:44
        
        +4
        
        @JimmyF: we've had an add for head chef up for two months. the two applicants we did get didn't show for an interview. we have decent pay and conditions.
        
        our former head chef moved two weeks ago to another venue. our Sous Chef is now running the kitchen. but without the head chef we are ~50 hours light in the roster. we are giving all our casuals as many shifts as they can fit in their schedule and our full timers are still doing an extra day (paid over their salary) occasionally. we have trained two apprentices to get their cert 3 in the last six months and they are now doing regular shifts.
        
        we still have trouble meeting customer demand on busy nights. our normal wait time from order to service can double or more.
    - idonotknowwhy on 20/04/2022 - 12:48
      
      +7
      
      It's a pandemic
      
      It is, but that doesn't mean the staff all have covid all year round.
    - cookie2 on 20/04/2022 - 13:54
      
      +5
      
      This explains the low staffing possibly but don't charge a public holiday surcharge for their increased staffing costs on the day, when they're not staffed properly anyway.
  - taradavey on 20/04/2022 - 07:53
    
    +13
    
    As long as people are legally required to isolate within close contact conditions or having covid, there will be shortages - easy as that.
    
    And after 2 years of Covid messing with businesses, hiring more staff to cover potential covid isolations may simply not be an option financially. |
    
    Personally at my work we are still seeing major shortages due to supply chains from covid. We also still have major losses (ie. cancellations) in customer flow due to covid. It is still affecting us HEAVILY.
    
    If it's not affecting you - count yourself lucky.
    - JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 09:08
      
      +2
      
      As long as people are legally required to isolate within close contact conditions or having covid, there will be shortages - easy as that.
      
      ISO is 1-2 weeks Doesn't explain many businesses having 'poor' service for near 2 years now. Keep blaming 'covid'. How many call center long hold wait times are blamed on covid? Sure 2 years ago I understood. But 2 years later, these businesses should have sorted this mess out by now.
      
      And after 2 years of Covid messing with businesses, hiring more staff to cover potential covid isolations may simply not be an option financially.
      
      So don't blame 'covid' for the lack of staff then as that isn't why you're delivering bad service today if you're simply not hiring enough staff to deliver the service.
      
      Personally at my work we are still seeing major shortages due to supply chains from covid. We also still have major losses (ie. cancellations) in customer flow due to covid. It is still affecting us HEAVILY.
      
      We are talking customer service here like the OP who paid a extra 15% but got poor service, but yes some supply chains are impacted.
      
      If it's not affecting you - count yourself lucky.
      
      Wild claim, we have been in ISO a few times, dealt with covid within the house. So I'm aware of how long people are taken out. Hint its not 6 months!
      - Mechz on 20/04/2022 - 11:40
        
        @JimmyF: There are staff shortages in hiring everywhere. But clearly you don't get it. So feel free to be angry at clouds for another 18 months, no harm to me.
        
        Munki on 20/04/2022 - 12:27
        
        @Mechz: I think JimmyF thinks that COVID is just like a festival and has an end date when they pack their shit up and leave.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 15:10
        
        +1
        
        @Munki: Last time I looked covid ISO was 7 days…. GASP people use to go on holidays 4 weeks a year and a business wouldn't fall apart.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 15:11
        
        +4
        
        @Mechz: Is there really a staff shortage or a wage shortage? Seems all these hospitality places don't like paying 'real' wages now there isn't a endless stream of backpackers around to work for 'cheap' cough cough below min wage.
        
        admira on 20/04/2022 - 18:07
        
        +2
        
        @JimmyF: Thats part of it, but there just isn't a huge replacement pool for the people who did those jobs. So those people all left, there aren't people coming back in to replace them … who steps in to fill that void? The answer is - not as many people who need to work to maintain student visas etc. So there are shortages. Even at places paying the proper rate. Its not just "iso is 7 days whats the big deal".
        
        Antikythera on 21/04/2022 - 11:57
        
        +1
        
        @admira: exactly - the places paying properly cant get enough staff - if there are anyone not getting paid properly at this point its their own fault. they are either defective in some way or not ambitious enough to apply at somewhere that does pay properly.
        
        some ways they may be defective
        - limited student working visas - limits their hours worked so they take cash in hand position that also pays poorly.
        - don't have english as a first language - limits where they can work to place run by someone who speaks their mother tongue. they might get taken advantage of in this situation.
        
        we pay properly. we still have guys with bad english skills in the more menial positions. we also have student visa workers. they work their maximum weekly hours for us. It doesn't surprise me they also work dodgy side jobs.
  - gromit on 20/04/2022 - 12:47
    
    +3
    
    Of course they have been saying it for months, if you hadn't noticed there is a pandemic and it causes people to get sick, need to isolate due to close contacts (often times this happens REPEATEDLY) and has put enormous strain on staffing. some businesses have regularly had 20%+ staff absent on a weekly basis.
    
    e.g. a small business I am a regular customer of. He has 8 staff in total. Since the beginning of the year he has had staff shortages for a total of 11 weeks, all from covid, several forced isolations, staff with Covid, him with Covid, family members with covid causing isolation etc etc. talking to him it is a complete nightmare for him, he is losing a fortune, can't hire more staff as none available and then he would be stuck having to let them go after things eventually go back to normal anyway.
    - JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 15:06
      
      -3
      
      He has 8 staff in total. Since the beginning of the year he has had staff shortages for a total of 11 weeks, all from covid, several forced isolations, staff with Covid
      
      Funny thing gromit, people use to go on holidays for weeks at a time and the world never ended. Now staff go on ISO for a week and the entire world shuts down!
      
      I get covid related issues, but there are a LOT of businesses passing off bad service as 'covid'. Its the answer for everything not done.
      
      Why did I have to wait 2 hours onhold? 'covid'… Hmmmm ok.
      - zzz17 on 20/04/2022 - 15:20
        
        +3
        
        @JimmyF: Some businesses probably are passing off some of their bad service as covid. But for a lot of small businesses, holidays are planned in advance, businesses know they're occurring and can adjust schedules to cover for them. Short notice shift changes / sick leave due to covid, which can't be foreseen, will 100% impact services.
        
        And although isolation is generally 1/2 weeks, if you infect someone within your household, you would be a designated close contact and be required to extend your lockdown period to match theirs (assuming you are following your state guidelines), therefore pushing lockdown to 3/4+ weeks.
        
        Couple this with infections stemming from within the workplace (and taking multiple employees out at once), the ability for re-infection after ~3 months and etc, you can definitely see how small businesses would have been impacted across the entire duration of the pandemic.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 16:11
        
        +1
        
        @zzz17:
        
        Some businesses probably are passing off some of their bad service as covid
        
        LOTS of businesses are….. Even the one I work for are passing off 'lazy' WFH staff not doing their job as 'covid' related. Time for some people to start holding these people accountable.
      - gromit on 20/04/2022 - 16:12
        
        @JimmyF: people plan holidays, they tell their boss weeks in advance, Covid you sometimes know if you are lucky the day before they are scheduled to turn up for work.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 18:03
        
        +1
        
        @gromit: If your business falls apart as someone calls in 'sick' for a week, then you're doing business wrong.
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 18:53
        
        @JimmyF: If your small business doesn't suffer when for 11 weeks 25%+ of your staff have unexpected leave then you are doing something wrong. Small businesses don't run with large staffing buffers
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 19:14
        
        -2
        
        @gromit:
        
        when for 11 weeks 25%+ of your staff have unexpected leave
        
        Love the stats on the fly you make up.
        
        If 25% of your staff are on leave for covid or ISO each week, then surely after 6-8 weeks everyone has had covid and no one is on leave any more ;)
        
        You got to be pretty unlucky to live in a house with lots people to keep forcing you into ISO and not get covid after 4 or 5 times as the only times you need to ISO are if you have covid or live with somewith covid and the later just got dropped in NSW/VIC.
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 19:52
        
        -1
        
        @JimmyF: U really are incapable of logic. You previously got sent into isolation for close contact, many have been unable to work simply because a family member or someone they were in contact with had covid. The owner himself had 4weeks of isolation then 10days with covid, so almost 6 weeks he could not work. It is the problem when u are in a service industry.
        
        Woolies were reporting 20-40% absent every week across their suppliers earlier this year.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 20:13
        
        @gromit:
        
        You previously got sent into isolation for close contact
        
        That was a LONG time ago…. hasn't been that way for months. Close contact is just monitor and test if you have symptoms.
        
        The owner himself had 4weeks of isolation then 10days with covid
        
        So that meant people in their house had covid ongoing for 4 weeks forcing them into ISO? Hmmm ok pretty unlucky for them hey? for 4 different people in the same household to get covid one after the other.
        
        Woolies were reporting 20-40% absent every week across their suppliers earlier this year.
        
        Today you only have to ISO if you have covid or someone in your house has covid. As of this Saturday in NSW/VIC you only have to ISO if you have covid.
        
        Also funny, there has only been 5.5m reported covid cases in total for Australia over the last 2 years. Yet Australia only has ~26m people….. But yet somehow 40% of workers are out each week based on that claim but yet only 20% of the country has had covid over 2 years. Doesn't really add up does it?
        
        U really are incapable of logic
        
        Cool cool, continue to accept 'covid' as the answer for all poor service based on rules that haven't been around for months. In 5 years time, we'll still be blaming covid?
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 20:20
        
        @JimmyF: Close contact isolation is STILL in place in many places. Including the ACT where this business is. Rules are changing, but no they have not been gone for months. Even NSW still has requirement for isolation for close contacts you have spent extended periods of time with.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 20:25
        
        -2
        
        @gromit: LOL!! In the big boy states, they have been gone for months!
        
        But tell me again how when only 20% of the country over 2 years has had covid, that 40% of the work force is out each and every week…..
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 21:47
        
        @JimmyF: So NSW and Vic are not a big boy state lol
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 22:15
        
        @gromit: LOL NSW and VIC are the boy boy states…. ACT well…. its the hole of NSW! isn't it :)
        
        But tell me again how when only 20% of the country over 2 years has had covid, that 40% of the work force is out each and every week….. I love hearing that!
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 22:21
        
        @JimmyF: NSW still has same close contact rules. Household or household like close contacts require isolation. This changes in 2 days time. You are a moron. I never said 20% had covid, learn to read. 20-40% were absent, this includes isolation.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 22:29
        
        @gromit:
        
        You are a moron. I never said 20% had covid, learn to read. 20-40% were absent, this includes isolation.
        
        I'm the moron who can't read. hahaha….. How about you go read it again slowly this time.
        
        There has only been 5.5m reported covid cases in total for Australia over the last 2 years. Now slower for those in the back….Only 5.5m covid cases in total over 2 years.
        
        Yet Australia has ~26m people……… 26m people……of which 5.5m have had covid over the last 2 years. Which is about 20% of the population OVER 2 years.
        
        But yet somehow you keep claiming 40% of workers are out EACH WEEK for covid related issues but yet only 20% of the country has had covid over 2 years.
        
        Doesn't really add up does it?
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 22:31
        
        @JimmyF: I give up, you are just trolling, no one is that stupid. You could have 1 person suck causing 100% isolation of all staff for a week, then another person causes the same.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 22:36
        
        +1
        
        @gromit:
        
        You could have 1 person suck causing 100% isolation of all staff for a week, then another person causes the same.
        
        I'll take things that haven't happened for months and months eddie for $10k……
        
        See you're stuck in your ACT 'mindset' but that isn't what the rest of the country has been doing, nor is the ACT the bulk of the people or cases. Your 1,000 cases out of the 51,000 new cases isn't really what is happening out there.
        
        Its cute when the tail thinks it can wag the dog.
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 22:37
        
        @JimmyF: Lol same rules as NSW idiot.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 22:38
        
        @gromit: Oh yeah I forgot NSW is the rest of the country… hahaha whos the idiot indeed if you think NSW is the rest of Australia.
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 22:40
        
        @JimmyF: You were one using Vic and nsw as examples. Not my fault you are an idiot that doesn't know the rules.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 22:41
        
        @gromit: Yes I used VIC and NSW, but you just treated the rest of NSW as 'Australia'. Can't really blame a state that is the hole of NSW to think that.
        
        So what are the rules in VIC then? Oh now you'll see why your comments look so stupid.
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 22:44
        
        @JimmyF: Rules in Vic are the same. Requires isolation for household like close contact, which uses national definition. Give up troll, or at least do your research.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 22:48
        
        @gromit: Might want to look again…. You claimed this
        
        You could have 1 person suck causing 100% isolation of all staff for a week, then another person causes the same
        
        Yeah doesn't apply in VIC… So who isn't doing their research? I'll make it easy for you, click here
        
        https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-contacts#what-t…
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 22:53
        
        @JimmyF: If you are working in a house like area or shop for more than 4 hours with a confirmed case it is classed as household like close contact and requires 7 days isolation as per your link
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 23:00
        
        @gromit: Lies, the word shop isn't even listed on that page or a phase house like area either… It says
        
        You have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation or care facility.
        
        This does NOT include workplaces. If you bothered to keep reading, you'll see workplaces listed under All other contacts
        
        So yeah no 7 day ISO if your work mate you work with all day long gets covid. You just have to monitor for symptoms and test etc. Unless you live in the same house as them, or slept with them at their place or work in a care facility.
        
        I suggest you read the Checklist for all other contacts section too, it clearly spells it out that workplace contacts are other contacts and don't need to ISO.
        
        gromit on 20/04/2022 - 23:03
        
        @JimmyF: I give up troll. It is whatever you want it to be, the state governments are all liars and the health department instructions to isolate are just a conspiracy. Fyi care facility was used as an example not an explicit set of where it applies
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 23:10
        
        @gromit: I'm a troll because you can't read past the first line. HAHAHAHAHA its all clearly listed on the link above for VIC.
        
        the state governments are all liars and the health department instructions to isolate are just a conspiracy.
        
        The only conspiracy here is you can't read the VIC health department instructions for what applies for those in VIC.
        
        A covid case in a workplace doesn't take out the entire business like ACT is doing. Workplace covid exposure is classed as other contact, so monitor and carry on with life.
        
        So back to my comments about 20 posts ago.
        
        Funny thing gromit, people use to go on holidays for weeks at a time and the world never ended. Now staff go on ISO for a week and the entire world shuts down!
        
        So in VIC a covid case it just like someone going on leave for a week or getting sick and taking a week off. It doesn't take out an entire small business.
        
        Fyi care facility was used as an example not an explicit set of where it applies
        
        Again no such thing was said. It doesn't even have the word example listed on that page.
        
        Have a read of the Visiting care facilities section. Still sure it was a 'example'?
        
        https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/how-we-live
        
        gimme on 20/04/2022 - 22:47
        
        @JimmyF: Lol mate, you need to accept when you lose an argument and move on. It's embarrassing. Being wrong is not a crime.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 22:51
        
        @gimme: VIC rules are different to those in ACT and your bubble WA that has decided to finally rejoin the mainland. We don't have a single covid case taking out a business like its been claimed, but we still have the shit service levels because of 'covid', err I don't want to pay australian min wages now all the backpackers have pissed off who I use to pay $10/hr cash in hand, so I'll blame 'covid' instead.
        
        https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-contacts#what-t…
        
        gimme on 20/04/2022 - 23:17
        
        @JimmyF: I'm in VIC just couldn't be bothered updating my profile from.ages ago and well aware of rules. You lost the argument at the point where you couldn't comprehend that people can be out in many states without having covid, yet continue insisting. Seen your type before and typically don't engage so not sure why i broke my own rule.
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 23:21
        
        @gimme: Welcome to VIC then!
        
        I can comprehend that people can be in ISO without having covid, just in VIC as you know, the only time you'll be in ISO is if you have covid in the house. No workplace exposure will send the entire staff into ISO. But it appears ACT is pretty backwards still having that rule. So yeah no wonder its a shitshow for them.
  - mecusherb on 20/04/2022 - 13:59
    
    +1
    
    If you think that staff shortages are from people being sick you’re very misguided.
    
    The whole hospitality sector took a hit which then lead workers to source other means of income generally through office related work.
    
    Once they had that why would they want to return to an industry which has fairly poor wages, conditions and was left in the dark during the pandemic?
    - JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 15:09
      
      Its not just the hospitality sector, I get why they might be short staffed for sure. But its all areas offering poor service blamed on 'covid'. I see it at my work. People WFH not doing their job, missing deadlines. When questioned why they missed a deadline the answer is always 'covid', and we are just meant to accept that as being ok….. I would accept that if they or their family had covid , but they didnt!
      - mecusherb on 20/04/2022 - 15:33
        
        +1
        
        @JimmyF: Whoooooooooooosh
        
        JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 16:07
        
        @mecusherb: Yes whooosh indeed….. keep blaming covid and sucking up poor service!!!
        
        mecusherb on 20/04/2022 - 16:09
        
        @JimmyF: The complaint is about hospo, I work in hospo. I think I have a fair idea.
  - MrThing on 22/04/2022 - 15:30
    
    +1
    
    If you're qantas or australia post covid was a god send… finally an excuse for all the poor service and premium price tags
Chandler on 19/04/2022 - 10:23

+17

Understand the sentiment, but the surcharge is to cover increased costs due to the holiday rates. The number of staff they had could be similar to what they usually have on that day of the week/time of year; it could be less due to shortages like Mechz said.

I doubt they put staff off to "cash in" on the surcharge, since they would be decreasing their production capacity by doing so and likely negate any potential benefit.
- MrBear on 20/04/2022 - 15:28
  
  -3
  
  Except they don't pay holiday rates anymore to staff, so it is just a rip off for the customer.
  - SydStrand on 20/04/2022 - 22:21
    
    -1
    
    So you work at the OP's indian restaurant?
Baysew on 19/04/2022 - 10:26

+2

they don't like to pay to bring the right number of staff in?

Sounds like they did have the right number of staff

They weren't busy
barely anyone coming in for takeaway
- jellykingdom on 19/04/2022 - 10:29
  
  +10
  
  If i'm having to wait 50min for a takeaway curry, and noone in the restaurant has any food yet, then they don't have the right number of staff…
Ughhh on 19/04/2022 - 10:31

Was Saturday a public holiday/does it make sense to charge public holiday surcharge on the Saturday?
- MS Paint on 19/04/2022 - 10:37
  
  +3
  
  All 4 days were public holidays in VIC
Kyou mo Kawaii on 19/04/2022 - 10:33

+10

Its probably not that they dont want to bring the right number of staff in, its most likely they can't. The public holiday surchange is meant to help leviate the public holiday penalty rates instead of bringing more staff in. Also as you've noted theres barely any customers dining in and takeaway which leads me to think the business is tanking a loss for the day just to keep local/regular customers in.

If the person serving you is apologising to you for the delay, I wouldn't take that as poor customer service as the speed at which food is being cooked is something the waiter cannot control, unless the food is just sitting there waiting to be served.

Of course, this is all me assuming things; could be ingredient shortages, covid staff shortages, new staff etc etc. I tend to be more lenient on public holidays as people go out more and everything gets more busy.
apple2016 on 19/04/2022 - 10:38

+3

do you think poor customer service is acceptable

if you dont like it just avoid them next time.
ifyareckon on 19/04/2022 - 10:40

+21

365 days a year, 13 of those public holidays (in vic, 15 if you count the extra days for NYE and Xmas). Surely if the extra public holiday wages are a burden for these business, they could factor this into their pricing for the other 352 days of the year? The surcharge is a grab for cash over and above extra penalty rates. The more businesses that bring it in, the more the surcharge increases. What was the odd business charging 10% a few years ago seems to be slipping out to 20% now at a lot of places.
- Roman Sandstorm on 19/04/2022 - 14:24
  
  +14
  
  Surely if the extra public holiday wages are a burden for these business, they could factor this into their pricing for the other 352 days of the year?
  
  Exactly.
  
  How does a 'public holiday surcharge' differ to the week the electricity bill comes in? Oh, is there a 10% surcharge that week?
  
  Or, rent is due on the 4th of each month, so there's a 20% surcharge that day.
  
  Wages, along with other costs, are known expenditures.
  
  A related 'scam' are credit card surcharges. I would have thought the amount of money saved by utilising online money transactions more than compensates for a piddly few cents. No need to hold a large 'float', lesser staff handling of cash, less 'book work of reconciling from cash register compared to online statements, easier to work out GST/BASS, enhanced security. .
  - Geoff01 on 20/04/2022 - 09:10
    
    -8
    
    The banks charge the credit card charge and use of the card machines comes at a cost..should they wear this cost alone
- Chandler on 19/04/2022 - 15:08
  
  -3
  
  Surely if the extra public holiday wages are a burden for these business, they could factor this into their pricing for the other 352 days of the year?
  
  Surely if the extra public holiday hours is a burden for these employees, they could factor this into their pricing for the the other 352 days of the year?
  - jhaley3180 on 20/04/2022 - 07:44
    
    Ermmmm… You realise the employees are not running a business right? That these employees in these sorts of businesses are likely casual? That it's not the role of the employee to do this. That we have laws protecting employees from this sort of thinking?
    
    The intent of the concern is that, as a business operator/s, they have to factor a range of costs into the running of the business. That a business can plan and factor penalty rates into there price and incentive structure. A casual employee is in a completely different position and is a completely different issue.
    - Chandler on 20/04/2022 - 10:12
      
      Well they are, technically. Employees are taking money from their employer for providing a service to them, much like any business.
      
      My comment was more tongue-in-cheek (hence the identical phrasing) in regards to the expectation that employers should factor in things like public holidays into their usual pricing and not have a surcharge, yet employees expect to be able to charge a surcharge (penalty rate) for work performed on public holidays. If you work casually for a restaurant, pretty reasonable to expect to have at least some shifts fall on public holidays, unless you have explicitly excluded them in your agreement with your employer. If you have accepted that some shifts fall on public holidays, then the hourly rate you accept should take that into consideration, rather than expecting extra pay for hours you were expecting to be doing anyway.
      
      Don't get me wrong - I'm for penalty rates. But I also accept that businesses having a surcharge on public holidays is part of that.
      
      I also believe that part of the point of surcharges is actually to discourage customers - you come here on these days, you pay more.
      
      Much like the fuss you read about with Thanksgiving in the US, I believe public holidays are public holidays and should be protected, and not just for the 9-5 Monday-Friday white collar workers but for everyone.
      
      Would I be happy with more businesses having surcharges (i.e. retail). Yes, yes I would.
- Nebargains on 20/04/2022 - 13:38
  
  +1
  
  I dunno, was trying to find a cafe to eat at on Easter Sunday and basically everything is closed, can't blame them, the roads were dead, no one was out, why would they open, pay their staff whatever the penalty rates are and then get 20% of their normal daily revenue, would just be cheaper to stay closed?
  - sweepy on 22/04/2022 - 11:00
    
    100% most of them lose money just for being open on a public holiday. Hence why most of them decide to close on many public holidays. Lots of other business owners I know decide to open and cross their fingers they will break even for the day as it looks bad when they close.
- cookie2 on 20/04/2022 - 13:57
  
  But so many people are happy to accept it and even Defend it. So odd.
- diddy50 on 20/04/2022 - 20:12
  
  +2
  
  I disagree that's it a cash grab. 10% Surcharge wouldn't cover the penalty rates for the day.
  
  Good luck to factor in these costs in businesses that operate week to week, or day to day.
  
  You honestly sound like a public servant or government with its guaranteed income because we must pay taxes, whereas a small business, relies on customers to walk through the door to be able to pay the bills.
  No customers = no income
Seraphin7 on 19/04/2022 - 10:58

+20

As a general rule, I avoid places that have Sunday/public holiday surcharges.

If a place wants to have a surcharge, that's up to them as a business operator.

If I want to avoid a place that has a surcharge, that's up to me as a consumer.
- kaleidoscope on 21/04/2022 - 15:01
  
  +1
  
  yeap this ^… No one is forced to have food from a place that has these surcharges and it's a matter of choice.
  I've also completely stopped using ubereats / menulog / dd on fridays and pick up the food myself most times because the price inflation through those apps are ridiculous (talking about the food price alone, not the delivery / service charge amount)
Almost Banned on 19/04/2022 - 11:04

+9

I understand the frustration over the wait - they could have told you and saved you hanging around.
But as for the surcharge - I assume they told you the price when you ordered, and you accepted it.
No point complaining about it now.
tsunamisurfer on 19/04/2022 - 11:06 Comment score below threshold.
- ThithLord on 19/04/2022 - 11:08
  
  +7
  
  I don't have a problem with underpaying staff, so long as you charge the customer accordingly.
  
  C'mon. Seriously?
- Marty131 on 21/04/2022 - 23:06
  
  +1
  
  I’d like to see some sort of a standardised certificate or declaration that is available to be displayed in restaurants that guarantees/proves their staff are being paid award rates. Shows to their customers that they are doing the right thing. If such a system existed and was widely adopted, I’d go out of my way to avoid restaurants that didn’t have it.
  - Kranbone on 22/04/2022 - 11:39
    
    That's a brilliant idea. I was thinking something similar in the sense how can we ensure the rate and fee is being passed on.
    
    Fantastic.
ThithLord on 19/04/2022 - 11:07

Yep, reasonable.

The wait time is unreasonable, but whatcanyado?
Jason Genova on 19/04/2022 - 11:22

+5

i think its just convenient for them to whack the surcharge, trying to rinse every dollar out of everyone

most probably pay staff cash in hand under the table, no payroll taxes, super etc
Xyzzy on 19/04/2022 - 11:51

+1

do you think it is reasonable when restaurants whack the customer with the extra staffing cost for a Sunday meal

Yes, as long as they're upfront about it - and not a surprise when you get the bill. And assuming they are paying their staff award rates.

do you think poor customer service is acceptable on these days simply because they don't like to pay to bring the right number of staff in

A lot of places are finding it hard to find staff. If you're suggesting they pay higher wages to get more staff in, then you'd have to accept them charging you more - but you don't seem too keen on that.

I personally have a lot of sympathy for small business - especially cafes and restaurants - that did it tough with all the COVID restrictions. So I'm tolerant of a bit of a longer wait for my food.
fullmetal on 19/04/2022 - 13:24

Business is profit driven. As long as it is profitable it will continue to operate the same way, it is not in business for the best interest of the customers.
- Daabido on 20/04/2022 - 18:34
  
  +1
  
  KFC proves that. Spin the wheel and play KFC lottery. Mystery extra product, missing product, missing product, missing product, missing product. Your odds are good.
  - chriskq on 21/04/2022 - 19:58
    
    Every second order after checking the takeaway bag they forget something be it Chips, a burger or sauce. Don't feel bad about checking in front of them :)
apu on 19/04/2022 - 15:21

+11

Had lunch with the fam on the weekend. Paid an extra $25 bucks in PH surcharges. Restaurant was busy with heaps of uni age serving staff. I specifically asked the employee cashier if the restaurant was passing on the extra penalties and awards, which she confirmed they did. I have no issues paying the surcharge on that basis, provided it ends up in the employee's pocket and not the boss' hands.

There are so many other days you can eat out, so if you don't have to do it on PHs.
- Ghost47 on 19/04/2022 - 19:44
  
  +1
  
  There are so many other days you can eat out, so if you don't have to do it on PHs.
  
  I would say eating out on a PH is one of the simple things in life that is extremely enjoyable and stress relieving.
  
  Day off work, go on a day trip, eat at a nice restaurant. That's a good way to enjoy a day off.
  - apu on 20/04/2022 - 16:02
    
    +1
    
    Totally agree with you. The only ones who cannot say the same thing as you are those who work in hospitality. They look forward to the busy days and additional rates of pay. Particularly with the shortage of labour across Australia at the moment - employees shouldn't settle for getting shafted by their bosses.
SF3 on 19/04/2022 - 16:18

+1

Hence, best to avoid eating out/takeaway from places that has a Public holiday and Sunday surcharge. As a customer you don't get any of the 10% benefits.
- diddy50 on 20/04/2022 - 20:04
  
  +3
  
  You get to eat food, that's been made for you and have it delivered to you on a public holiday.
  
  That's a benefit.
  - chriskq on 21/04/2022 - 20:00
    
    -1
    
    How does that benefit differ from a non public holiday sorry?
Johnrap on 19/04/2022 - 20:49

+4

Do any of you people run a business and employ people?, it is so so hard. Bet most of you don't work Sunday's or public holidays. If you don't like it, make your own food for f's sake.
jhaley3180 on 20/04/2022 - 07:47

+5

I agree, I don't like PH surcharges, and it puts me off when I attend a service industry business and they try to slug me penalties for purchasing from them on a public holiday.
If they can't factor this cost into their business model they won't get my business. I wouldn't accept it from a supermarket, I wouldn't accept a public holiday surcharge for my fuel and I won't accept it for a curry.
- Kangal on 20/04/2022 - 19:00
  
  You make a very valid point there.
  Companies such as Dominos which gets a lot of weekend and PH business, they can easily afford to pay their staff with the penalty rates, and weigh out the costs from their regular hours. Other small businesses, they may not be able to, but they sure as sheet have the option to just keep their doors closed for the weekend.
  - diddy50 on 20/04/2022 - 20:01
    
    -1
    
    Except that Domino's does charge a public holiday surcharge
    - Kangal on 20/04/2022 - 20:45
      
      I know this, which is why I mentioned it
  - diddy50 on 20/04/2022 - 20:03
    
    From Domino's website
    
    *15% surcharge applies on Public Holidays.
    *10% Surcharge Applies on Sundays.
Rayzorback on 20/04/2022 - 08:11

+4

Would you work a public holiday for same rate as weekday ?? No you wouldn’t, so to cover increased cost of staff there’s a PH surcharge to get workers to work. Unfortunately there’s massive staff shortages atm . Have a bit of empathy and respect for struggling businesses and you might feel better
- terrys on 20/04/2022 - 10:26
  
  +1
  
  So we should be paying more on Saturdays and Sundays?
  - cookie2 on 20/04/2022 - 14:02
    
    Our outside standard business hours? Should maccas charge a surcharge for ordering after midnight? I'm sure they'd have to pay staff additional penalties for overnight work.

Sunday/Public Holiday Surcharges + Customer Service

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