LONDON, ONT. -- The COVID-19 pandemic means customers are digger deeper for many everyday services, as many businesses resort to added gratuities and surcharges.
For Barney’s on Richmond Row, customers on the patio are now required to pay a mandatory 18 per cent gratuity on their bill. Manager Jessica Yip said it helps cover costs.
"We do have our staff working hard. There are more positions. There’s more stuff for us to do. It is for the safety of our customers and our staff that we have these in place. So after you explain it most people are very understanding of it."
While Barney’s has several new covid-19 related policies, that particular rule garnered several hundred comments on social media.
On Facebook, Jacklyn Rose Hurst said, "funny how it’s the responsibility of the consumer to pay your workers a fair wage."
Richelle Lowry praised the business for the move saying, "this is what needs to be in place right now so we can combat the disease."
Like it or not, it may be a sign of the times as businesses of all types begin to add surcharges.
Mike, a London consumer said he’s okay with it, "because small businesses like myself have lost quite a bit of money due to it, so if we can make it somewhere back..."
Consumers may also find unexpected charges at certain businesses. For instance, at Springtime Garden Centre on Adelaide St. North in London, customers are required to wear a mask. If they you don’t have one the business will sell you one for $2.00, said seasonal manager Nina Kovoc, who also pointed out that they’re not in the mask-selling business.
"A lot of people do complain about the two dollar cost but as they know it’s very difficult to get masks so we’re just trying to break even to do what we can to provide convenience for the customer."
Consumers at a Wellington Rd. South shopping plaza that CTV News spoke with said they’re resigned to new realities of having to bear added costs.
Said one woman, "you have to understand that things are different now and you gotta change with the times and sometimes things are going to cost more because we need more protective equipment and stuff. I think it’s totally reasonable to add at least some of that onto the customer."
