Split fee at restaurants
 

Has anyone dealt with the "split fee" issue at restaurants here in The Villages?

The other day we had lunch for the first time at Athens in Spanish Springs. The host explained it's a family Greek restaurant, and seated us outside. We weren't super hungry, so decided to order one gyro with fries. I noticed the menu said there was a $1.00 fee for split orders. When we ordered, I specifically told the waitress we did not want to pay for them to cut it in half, and just requested 2 plates.

Many restaurants will bring the second plate at no charge, and let the customers do the "work" of cutting the sandwich in half. When we got the bill, sure enough they charged the $1.00 split fee. But for what, because they didn't even cut the sandwich! I asked the waitress about it, and she got argumentative with me, and said she'd have to ask the manager. The host walked by, and I asked him about it. He was blase', said it was taken care of, and hoped we would come back. I said I doubted we would.

Sure, restaurants and businesses are hurting for extra money, and it was only a dollar. But it was the principle of the thing, and I felt it was not disclosed properly. Any thoughts?

The waitress had to care of 2 people not one and the extra dish needs washed and all that costs time and money....I think you are over reacting to the one dollar split charge !

Are you kidding me.........This has to be a fake post :pray:
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We never split a plate because we think it is unfair to the restaurant. We both order meals and bring home the rest if we are not that hungry.

Everybody wins and we have leftovers.

I don't think the phrase "split fee" refers to a fee for someone physically cutting the menu item to be shared, PandG. I believe it just means you are splitting a menu item(s) and there will be an up-charge of $1 for sharing. The logic is what sueandskip explained.

How was the gyro? How would you rank the service prior to the dispute over the $1 fee?

I can not believe you are questioning $1.00 for the extra plate. I guess you didn't tip the waitress either. Now I have heard everything. Shame on you.:sing:

Sometimes if the portion is really large and we aren't going straight home, we will split and leave extra for the server.

Another option if not especially hungry is an appetizer instead of an entree.

Sorry for the post
 

OK, OK... It just seemed silly to charge a fee without doing anything. We did tip the waitress generously, as we do no matter what. She was grumbling to another waitress about the couple next to us having only 2 cups of coffee and nothing else. The gyro was good, but the service was not.

I never even heard the term SPLIT ORDER before. I would not do that even when the grandchildren are here and eating with us. I also would fight for the principal of the thing, but $1 plus or minus would not effect my Principals.

I know that some restaurants charge $3, others won't let you do it, and still others seem not to care one way or the other. My wife and I like to 'share' a single meal because most restaurants give you more than enough food for two people and we don't like having to go home right after dinner to get the leftovers in the frig. If you're following a 'calorie restricted' diet there's MORE than enough food in one serving fro two people. When we do this I tend to over tip the server because they have to do pretty much the same amount of work for serving two people.

just remember they are allowed to pay servers below minimum wage because they get tips. 2 cups of coffee or 1 gyro means low tip and those tables are tied up. most will smile sweetly however, and internalize their 'comments'
:Screen_of_Death:

You read the menu and it said what the fee was you should have paid it. Why should change because of you

My suggestion; go to Subway - order a five-dollar footlong with exactly the add ons you want and they will actually cut it in half for you. AND you don't have to tip anyone! By the way - the "principle of the thing" was on the side of the restaurant IMO.

I have to agree with the rest of the posters. First of all, you say you knew about the fee at the time you ordered. I'm sorry, but you are not more special than the other patrons and should have accepted the fee graciously. Why should the restaurant take on the ecomonic affects because of your decision? It is only a dollar, for goodness sakes! You say the food was good, but not the service. I think you set the tone for the service you would receive the moment you sat down and told the server you didn't want to pay the split fee. I feel you we're disrespectful to the restaurant, server and manager and got back the same attitude.

The $1.00 fee was published by your own admission. The waitress waited on 2 people, provided silverware, plates, napkins and water for 2 people and the restaurant had to spend its time and water and equipment to wash 2 place settings. You owed the $1.00 fee fair and square.

I love this forum, people complain about the most petty things.

And we thought we moved away from the Cheapskates. After he left they probably hoped he wouldn't come back.:rant-rave:

Our server at the Lighthouse told me that's why they discontinued the $5.99 fish & chips. Couples would split the dinner & order water to drink while sitting at a waterfront table. :$:

I agree with BB. Also, the split fee is more than $1.00 in most restaurants.

Wow. Why don't these people just go to McDonald's and order a filet of fish sandwich and fries?

Typically this is a "sharing" fee and the extra cost is indeed to cover the extra plates, glasses and extra service. I found it amazing it was just $1.00! Here in the Chicago area it normally would be between 4 and 7 bucks! Truthfully I do not understand your complaint as I feel it was a fair assessment-especially since it was stated on the menu! I have personally never ordered like that as I feel I can just take a portion home or most likely eat until I have had sufficient.

Split fee is a common practice everywhere. The only thing unusual is the $1.00 fee. It is usually much more.

Okay, is this a joke? Am I on candid camera?

:1rotfl:

I am sitting here shaking my head and wondering how old are you? Shame on you!

My wife and I had dinner at Athens this afternoon! We couldn't have had a more pleasant experience.

We chose to sit at a table outside just about as far from the front door as we could get and our waitress couldn't have been anymore friendly and attentive than she was. She checked on us several time to see if we needed anything. Even the young lady who identified herself as the General Manager came by to make sure everything was OK!

My wife had the swordfish special and I had the Greek combo platter. They even substituted the rice pilaf with extra salad on the plate at my request. The food was excellent and both my wife and I enjoyed what we were served.

As usual we had no complaints and were again satisfied customers having been to both breakfasts and dinners a number of times in the past and expect to go there several more times in the future.

My only disappointment is that I've been trying to meet Christopher the owner to say hello, but have missed him every time we've gone. Either we're there before he arrives or it's his day off. Today we just missed him, but I can understand why that happened. Chris is a new daddy and was anxious to get home to spend some time with his baby!

BTW, I agree with other posters that the $1.00 fee is no big deal! Kind of reminds me of the Shakespeare Comedy title... "Much Ado About Nothing!"

I don't agree with a fee at all! I would leave a little more tip though. IV waited tables before, and know, that you need to earn your tip. If I had a cranky waitress, the too would certainly reflect that. That fee is called, being nickeled and dimed.

If you want you can get different toppings on each 'side' of the foot long. Of course you need the same base. My wife and I do it all of the time. Cheaper than ordering two half subs. Same at Publix (but at a different price).

Z

When you see that it says a sharing fee and you don't want to pay it, just get up & go some where else. Problem solved, nothing to complain about !

Bonefish grill...order fish and chips and a salad for my wife and I to share. They bring out the salad already split on two plates, then the fish and chips on two plates, already split. Leftover fried fish is not a tasty treat the next day. You might call ahead before going to a restaurant to see if they charge a split fee.

Well....
 

Well, I'm guessing they save that for special times - they order a Filet-O-Fish
and a Big Mac, then tell everyone they went out for Surf-and-Turf.

:mmmm:

And people wonder why no nice restaurants in the Villages.

And that is why the Bonefish Grill is one of the best restaurants in The Villages. I agree with another poster that said the Athens restaurant was nickel and diming the customer charging the fee to split the sandwich. A single person could have taken up the table by themself, is a restaurant going to charge more for less people in the party because they are taking up too much space in the restaurant and they aren't making as much money for their business?

If I were running a restaurant (which I'm not) and I were reading the negative nickle & dime comments about my having a $1 charge for splitting/sharing, I would simply drop the $1 charge, calculate the extra service cost required for the splitting/sharing then add that result to the cost of doing business when next adjusting prices. It wouldn't surprise me if any restaurants that don't charge extra for splitting/sharing were already covering the extra expenses that way.

By making this change I would be happy because I will probably increase future profits slightly. The nickle & dimer complainers would also be happy because they won't know that they're actually paying something extra for the splitting/sharing. They'll also be happy (although they won't actually know it) because all diners who don't split/share will help pay the the extra expense incurred by those that do!

Now everybody's happy... or at least they'll think that they are!

A dollar well spent
 

Based on the number of posts this thread has received look at all the free advertising Athens got by charging the $1. I'd say that's money well spent in their favor.:eclipsee_gold_cup:
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Lest we forget that the Bonefish is also one of the most expensive restaurants in TV. They can certainly afford to split the servings!

Excellent post. I'm happy and don't actually know it.

I'm really stunned at some of the comments. You shouldn't pay a fee because you "split" the gyros yourself? Really? OK, deduct from the tip -- you saved your waitress some work. You didn't save the restaurant one penny. In fact, you cost the restaurant money with the use of extra utensils and plates.

A single at a table is a lot less work than two people and certainly generates less washing and cleaning. I frequently eat breakfast and lunch alone. I like to relax with a book and just have some quiet time. I don't expect to get extra utensils, extra plates, a 4-top, etc. I usually ask the host to simply seat me in a quiet, out-of-the-way corner. I double the amount of my food order and tip the server on that amount, not the amount of my tab.

As to a server saying they don't mind people splitting a meal, that's a new one on me as well. I've known many servers personally and talked to many when they've been slow. My daughter is presently a server and I talk to her and her friends. Yes, they'll graciously split a meal between two people but that doesn't mean they like it. It is more work and usually less tip.

The next time, both of you order an gyros and ask that the sauce be on the side (usually arrives in a to go container). That way, it is easy to cut it in half and reheat it without it getting soggy. So, you can split one gyros and take the other one home for a nice snack later (I usually cut them into quarters at home).

Sorry, I just don't get the pettiness of the OP or those who defended them.

LOL, agree. This sounds like it could have been a Seinfeld episode when his parents moved to Florida to somewhere called Del Boca Vista (phase III).
Morty was always going for the 4:30 pm early bird special & only using his $200 "Wizard" organizer as a tip calculator.