Diner stumped over bizarre charge on receipt: 'Never heard of it'

Many condemned the restaurant for the 'outrageous' act and said they should be paying the fee instead.

A restaurant diner was left searching for answers after her bill included an additional charge she had never seen before.

Ashley Nichole went out for dinner with her friend in Los Angeles on January 9 and was stunned to see a 5 per cent fee was added to the end of her bill for "employee health". She turned to social media to ask if anyone else had experienced something similar.

receipt
Ashley Nichole found she'd been charged A$6.70 for the employees' personal health insurance. Source: Instagram/Ashely Nichole, TikTok

In the video, the 33-year-old pointed out that both herself and her friend were charged US$4.75 (A$6.70) on top of their food and drink items.

Despite not knowing exactly what they were being charged, the pair paid the fee and started to discuss what it could possibly be for. Upon leaving the restaurant, Ms Nichole flagged down a member of the waiting staff and asked the burning question.

It was revealed the fee was in fact a contribution to the staff's personal healthcare cover.

Online community outraged

Ms Nichole shared the video online and asked her 25.3k followers if they had ever paid for this before. Many were quick to share their opinion and offer their criticism of the restaurant.

"I have never heard of this. I will keep an eye out from now on. That’s outrageous!" one follower said.

"I’m sorry but I’m not paying for this. Just tax and tip. Healthcare should be covered by [the] employer".

"These fees are getting out of hand," another complained.

Healthcare in the US has long been a contentious topic and is often at the forefront of political debate as the country does not provide nationwide coverage. It is often left to the employer's discretion whether staff are provided with healthcare, with this restaurant's method being the latest development.

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