Philadelphia Councilman Says Some Restaurants Charging Waiters For Credit Card Fees
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A Philadelphia city councilman says some restaurants in the city have been taking their full credit card processing fees out of the tips intended for the wait staff. And he's introducing a bill today to stop the practice.
Councilman Jim Kenney (right) says he won't divulge the names of the restaurants, but he says he's heard of several that deduct the three-percent processing fee charged by credit card companies directly out of the money specified by customers for a tip.
"If I'm leaving an 18, 20-percent tip," says Kenney, "I expect that to go into the pocket of the person who waited on me, not three percent skimmed off the top to go to the owner of the restaurant."
Kenney is introducing a measure in City Council that would prohibit any employer from taking a credit card fee out of a gratuity. The bill will be debated in committee.
Reported by KYW City Hall Bureau chief Mike Dunn
