Why Some Restaurants Are Now Charging 'Vomit Fees' for Brunch-Goers
Mimosas at brunch
Brunch gives us the perfect excuse to get tipsy in the middle of the day with friends. But some mimosa lovers overdo it on the drinking, which is why Oakland, California-based Asian restaurant Kitchen Story added a cleaning fee for those who throw up before being able to make it to the bathroom.
In a sign shared by SFGate, Kitchen Story warned customers: "Dear all mimosa lovers, Please drink responsibly and know your limits. A $50 cleaning fees [sic] will automatically include in your tap [sic] when you throw up in the public areas. Thank you so much for understanding."
The publication also notes that Kitchen Story now only allows customers to enjoy bottomless mimosas for an hour.
The restaurant's owner Steven Choi told the publication that the sign initially went up two years ago after the Kitchen Story general manager spotted similar signs warning of an additional fee at bars. "This was still during the pandemic and it became a very sensitive issue for customers and staff having to clean up,” Choi said. "But this is not unique. It’s there to make the customers stop and think about other people."
Co-owner Chaiporn Kitsadaviseksak said that, so far, the sign has prevented accidents from occurring. But before displaying it, vomiting was a recurring issue.
"It was really tough cleaning. People were scared with COVID. And this was happening a lot. My workers don’t want to do that. It got better. Now [customers] know they have to pay. They understand," he said.
SFGate also reported that besides Kitchen Story, other restaurants have implemented the same fee, including San Francisco's Home Plate.
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