Going out to eat soon? You may be faced with new fees

SOMERVILLE, Mass. — As the dining experience continues to evolve in Massachusetts, some restaurant owners are now adding extra fees and new rules that fall on the customer’s shoulders.

Joe Cassinelli is the CEO and Chef of Alpine Restaurant Group in the Boston area, which manages seven restaurants including Burro Bar and Posto.

All of his restaurants will now impose dining time limits, a PPE tax, and a reservation cancellation fee to customers who cancel or don’t show up.

“For us to be able to survive and get to play this game together, there are these rules that we need to just follow so that everybody has the opportunity to enjoy what very little seating is available in the restaurant community,” explained Cassinelli, who said that one of his restaurants, Posto in Somerville, only has seven tables available outside.

According to Cassinelli, parties of two will have one hour to sit at a table, while bigger groups may have up to two hours to finish their meal.

“What the general public has to understand is that restaurants are operating with little to no seating capacity, so it’s uber important for us to have the right amount of staff, the right amount of food, the right amount of table space and utensils available for guests coming in.”

Customers can also expect to see a 3% PPE charge on the final bill to help offset costs for hand sanitizer, masks, and even see-through dividers that will be installed at his restaurants. He added that preparing to move a dining experience outdoors can be costly and in some cases a major financial burden for restaurant owners who are already struggling.

“It’s unfortunate but it will change as costs go down. We’re asking for the public to help absorb this.”

Canceling or not showing up for a reservation could also result in a $25 fee, per person.

While Cassinelli told Boston 25 News on Friday that he understands no one wants added costs, he said that most people have been very understanding about the situation.

“I don’t want to have to charge them because frankly, I don’t want to have to deal with all of these rules. I would love life to just go back as normal as it was before, that would be beautiful, but that’s not going to happen so its just going to take a little time.”

Lawn On D preparing for a busy weekend Eating out looks a lot different now.

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RESOURCES:

- Massachusetts Coronavirus Information

- Boston Coronavirus Information

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