Source: Orange County Register
by Dan Walters
“It was something of a shock to restaurateurs because when the bill [SB 478] was making its way through the Legislature last year, they inferred from the discussions that restaurants would be exempt. That assumption meant that restaurants were not among the business groups opposing the measure. The Chronicle’s reporting generated a sharp reaction from restaurant operators, many of whom have added fees to their bills to cover rising costs, particularly for wages, without raising their basic menu prices. … Restaurants and other businesses could – and should – be upfront by posting prices that reflect what it costs them to operate. Some are arguing, instead, that to attract customers they must mislead them with lowball prices. That’s bait-and-switch and SB 478 rightly prohibits it.” (05/07/24)