Food and Drink Would this piss you off if a bar.... - Page 5

**AustinChief** · 07-28-2013, 04:18 PM

Would it piss you off if a bar charged 8.25% sales tax (normal in Texas) on credit card tabs but ate the sales tax themselves on cash purchases?

To clarify a bit... CURRENTLY all bars here eat the tax on ALL purchases... it has to be built into the price. They aren't allowed to break it out but that all changes January 1st.
Of course it would be a complete pain to add sales tax to cash purchases but a no brainer for cc purchases.

But let's assume consumers are completely ignorant of any changes in tax code. They only see that now their credit card tabs have sales tax added. I understand a certain amount of people will be pissy but how bad would you rate the backlash?

**AustinChief** · 07-28-2013, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

Ok, I have a problem with this situation. You factor in the cost of your credit card fee into your prices up front. Then, if you want to discount that fee from cash purchases more power to you. But you do not add the transaction fee on after the fact.

That, and I know of no processing company that charges fifty bucks for a single transaction. I may be off a little bit, and will depend on the processing company you go with but, I want to say some where in the two to three dollar range is typical these days.

It's actually illegal in Texas to pass on CC fees to customers. The only way around it is to discount cash purchases. BUT that isn't what I'm talking about in this scenario. In this scenario you are choosing whether or not to passing on sales tax which is completely legal.

It appears that most of you could care less BUT the ones of you who do care are VERY vocal about it. That was my concern when I posted this. So bars are simply going to have to raise prices across the board or lose money on this deal.

**007** · 07-28-2013, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

Not even a Chopin martini that the barkeep shakes the shit out of for five minutes so you have a nice thin layer of ice on top of your drink?

Well, I'm pretty sure that would be at minimum a $6 drink so yeah, they would get at least a buck.

Setsuna · 07-28-2013, 05:46 PM

I tip $1 a drink.

**DaFace** · 07-28-2013, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AustinChief

It's actually illegal in Texas to pass on CC fees to customers. The only way around it is to discount cash purchases. BUT that isn't what I'm talking about in this scenario. In this scenario you are choosing whether or not to passing on sales tax which is completely legal.

It appears that most of you could care less BUT the ones of you who do care are VERY vocal about it. That was my concern when I posted this. So bars are simply going to have to raise prices across the board or lose money on this deal.

That's kind of the way taxes work.

jspchief · 07-28-2013, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AustinChief

It's actually illegal in Texas to pass on CC fees to customers. The only way around it is to discount cash purchases. BUT that isn't what I'm talking about in this scenario. In this scenario you are choosing whether or not to passing on sales tax which is completely legal.

It appears that most of you could care less BUT the ones of you who do care are VERY vocal about it. That was my concern when I posted this. So bars are simply going to have to raise prices across the board or lose money on this deal.

I think you need to make sure the opinions you listen to come from the right demographic. People that understand the difference between a bar, and the place you order a beer from while you wait for your table at Applebees.

**007** · 07-28-2013, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspchief

A lot of non cheap-asses

has nothing to do with being cheap man. Generally a $2 drink is a flippin beer. You don't get a $1 tip for taking off the cap for me. this is one of the reasons I stay away from the bar and sit at a table.

**AustinChief** · 07-28-2013, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

That's kind of the way taxes work.

Not really with sales taxes. The advertised price stays the same and you see the change on the tax line. That is why this is a unique situation. In Texas before Jan 1st (next year) you couldn't add taxes to the tab if you wanted to. Illegal.

jspchief · 07-28-2013, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guru

has nothing to do with being cheap man. Generally a $2 drink is a flippin beer. You don't get a $1 tip for taking off the cap for me.

So a waitress hands you a beer and you tip 40 cents?

Do that at a real bar and don't expect her to be back anytime soon.

jspchief · 07-28-2013, 05:54 PM

"here's two dollars, cutie. And the 4 dimes are for you"

OrtonsPiercedTaint · 07-28-2013, 05:56 PM

Rubing two dimes together just doesn't have the same zip it use to, I guess.

Raiderhater · 07-28-2013, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AustinChief

It's actually illegal in Texas to pass on CC fees to customers. The only way around it is to discount cash purchases. BUT that isn't what I'm talking about in this scenario. In this scenario you are choosing whether or not to passing on sales tax which is completely legal.

It appears that most of you could care less BUT the ones of you who do care are VERY vocal about it. That was my concern when I posted this. So bars are simply going to have to raise prices across the board or lose money on this deal.

Well yeah, your prices go up the customers' prices go up, wether it be from price increases from suppliers or taxes. There is no way around that.

I will even supply the line to use with customers when they bitch about it. You simply tell them it is a tax, they HAVE to pay it. Now, they can either pay the full percentage on all of their purchases, or the price of drinks can go up slightly so the burden is shared by everyone and you end up paying a little less than the full percentage.

**AustinChief** · 07-28-2013, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspchief

I think you need to make sure the opinions you listen to come from the right demographic. People that understand the difference between a bar, and the place you order a beer from while you wait for your table at Applebees.

True, It will also depend a lot on what all the other bars do. I know for a fact that restaurants will switch to the new system where they build the 6.7% tax into the price but pass the 8.25% on to customers. They were the group that lobbied for the change to begin with. Airport and hotel bars where you always get a printed bill with your total will switch as well. But I just can't see busy downtown bars ringing up and handing out a bill for every purchase. So it makes zero sense for them to do anything other than A)pass it on when they do credit card tabs or B)raise prices across the board

Raiderhater · 07-28-2013, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guru

Well, I'm pretty sure that would be at minimum a $6 drink so yeah, they would get at least a buck.

Just curious.

**007** · 07-28-2013, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspchief

So a waitress hands you a beer and you tip 40 cents?

Do that at a real bar and don't expect her to be back anytime soon.

I run a tab and pay at the end of the night.

KC native · 07-28-2013, 05:59 PM

I'm a cash user at the bar anyways. I don't like screwing local businesses over on credit card fees to them.

So it doesn't really affect me.

View Poll Results: How bad would sales tax on your bar tab piss you off?
I would rant and piss and moan and never go to that bar again.	2	5.41%
I would be peevish and probably go to that bar less.	3	8.11%
I would just switch to cash at that bar.	15	40.54%
I wouldn't care at all.	15	40.54%
I only drink Tequila Rose in the tub with Gaz.	2	5.41%
Voters: 37. You may not vote on this poll

07-28-2013, 04:18 PM
AustinChief Administrator Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Austin Casino cash: $2689112	Would this piss you off if a bar.... Would it piss you off if a bar charged 8.25% sales tax (normal in Texas) on credit card tabs but ate the sales tax themselves on cash purchases? To clarify a bit... CURRENTLY all bars here eat the tax on ALL purchases... it has to be built into the price. They aren't allowed to break it out but that all changes January 1st. Of course it would be a complete pain to add sales tax to cash purchases but a no brainer for cc purchases. But let's assume consumers are completely ignorant of any changes in tax code. They only see that now their credit card tabs have sales tax added. I understand a certain amount of people will be pissy but how bad would you rate the backlash?
Posts: 19,495

07-28-2013, 05:46 PM	#63
Setsuna Paladin Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Gator Country Casino cash: $10008487	I tip $1 a drink.
Posts: 13,215

07-28-2013, 05:54 PM	#69
jspchief BAMF Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Your Face Casino cash: $9998710	"here's two dollars, cutie. And the 4 dimes are for you" __________________ Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all.
Posts: 27,207

07-28-2013, 05:56 PM	#70
OrtonsPiercedTaint MVP Join Date: Dec 2012 Casino cash: $10004980	Rubing two dimes together just doesn't have the same zip it use to, I guess.
Posts: 5,994

07-28-2013, 05:59 PM	#75
KC native Banned Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Casino cash: $10049239	I'm a cash user at the bar anyways. I don't like screwing local businesses over on credit card fees to them. So it doesn't really affect me.
Posts: 24,946