Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco criticized a restaurant for charging a $3 "COVID fee" for wiping down menus, questioning the necessity of the charge. He also expressed disapproval of a 3.5% credit card surcharge during the same meal, urging businesses to absorb such costs as part of doing business. While some restaurants implemented COVID-related fees during the pandemic to cover additional expenses, Maniscalco's comments reflect growing scrutiny over the continuation of such fees as the pandemic winds down.
New York's new law requires businesses to disclose any additional credit card surcharges before customers check out, aiming to provide pricing transparency and protect consumers from surprise fees. The law also prohibits businesses from charging more in credit card surcharges than what they are charged by processing companies and requires clear disclosure of the additional percentage. Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized the importance of transparency in building trust between businesses and communities, while noting that the law does not apply to debit cards.
A new law in New York requires businesses to disclose credit card surcharges to customers at the point of sale, ensuring transparency and preventing surprise fees. Starting this weekend, businesses must display the total cost of goods or services with a credit card, including surcharges, before customers check out. The law aims to build trust between businesses and communities by empowering patrons to budget accordingly and will require surcharges to reflect the exact amount charged by credit card companies.
