Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/26/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  There is a 3% fee added to bills under the guise of kitchen fee when I asked them about it they proceeded to tell me its to help pay for the kitchen staff. I said I didnt want to pay that as its the owners responsibility and Im paying for it in the food price and they said no. Regardless of the value of the 3% they are taking on a fee I cannot decline.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/11/2024

  At Pizzeria LUCA, our *************** Fee is a core pillar of our Living Wage Initiative that directly benefits our hourly back of house staff.  The *************** Fee is applied only to food sales on any given guest check and accounts for 3% of food sales per check.  For example, if a guest check totaled  $10, the *** would be calculated to $.30.  
  
  
  These fees are calculated and distributed each payroll period only to our hourly back of house kitchen employees (in addition to their hourly wages). 
  
  The business does not receive or retain any financial gain from the fees.  It is collected and directly disbursed to our employees.
  
  
  There are several reasons we have instituted this initiative at both of our restaurants which we have outlined below:
  
  
  -directly benefits hourly back of house employees in economies of scalewhen the restaurant is busier, they receive more income per hour across their work week.
  
  
  -create more balance between Front of House and Back of House incomes.
  
  
  -significant retention/recruiting tool for the restaurant to be able to locate and secure quality back of house employees and offer them an above average industry income opportunity.
  
  
  -creates transparency to guests and staff about where the service fee is going and that they can be a part of the social change in the industry.  
  
  
  Todays environment is extremely challenging to operate restaurants in.  We believe that it is important to create new initiatives in our industry and are committed to creating more balance and better welfare for restaurant employees.
  
  
  The following statement is listed on our menus at Pizzeria LUCA as well as LUCA:
  
  
  Pizzeria LUCA has adopted the Living Wage initiative to bring equality to kitchen staff wages. In lieu of increasing all menu prices, a service charge of 3% will be applied to all food purchases to be distributed directly to our Back of House employees. We thank you for your support in this initiative.
  
  
  With Much appreciation,
  
  Pizzeria LUCA Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/11/2024

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: 22608320
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  While I understand the challenges of managing operational expenses, this approach raises some concerns from both a legal and customer perspective.
  Operational expenses, including back-of-house management, are standard business costs that are typically covered by a businesss revenue. These costs are generally factored into product or service pricing rather than being charged as a separate line item. Passing such expenses directly to customers as a mandatory fee creates potential transparency and compliance issues.
  
  From a legal standpoint, while the disclosure of the fee on your menu helps address transparency, the practice may raise questions about wage supplementation and compliance with Pennsylvania labor laws. Shifting these costs to customers can lead to complications in tax reporting and labor law adherence, particularly if the fee impacts employee compensation, which it does.
  
  To avoid these risks and enhance customer trust, I recommend removing the 3% *************** Fee from your billing practices. Instead, these expenses should be integrated into your existing menu pricing. This approach not only ensures compliance with labor laws but also maintains a straightforward and transparent pricing model for your customers.
  I also suggest reviewing the fees legal standing and assessing its impact on employee wages to ensure full compliance with state regulations. By addressing these issues proactively, you can avoid potential complications and ****** goodwill among your patrons.