For many years, Melissa Desch and her family frequented the same diner in Wayne, New Jersey. It’s a place where “gratuities are appreciated,” but not required. At least, that’s what it says on all of its receipts.
One day, Melissa’s 11-year-old daughter Bella went to the diner with a group of her girlfriends. She ordered a milkshake and sent Melissa a photo of her signed receipt.
That’s when Melissa noticed an add charge on the bill that Bella didn’t — and Bella’s friends had similar charges on their milkshake orders, too.
Melissa had actually been to the same diner earlier in the day, yet there were no strange charges on her order.
Bella had been hit with a so-called “teen tax.”
NJ101.5 reported: “Former server Erika Carty explained in a comment on the diner’s Facebook page that teens can be frustrating to have as customers. ‘I can personally attest to how frustrating it is to have a group of 6 to 8 teens, walk in, take up 2 or 3 tables, order something for a dollar, sit at those tables for a couple of hours, then leave a mess and no tip. Good for the restaurant.'”
Melissa was so upset by the unexpected charge that she refused to step foot in the diner again…
