Western Bay diners were served a mostly surcharge-free Christmas with local bars and restaurants reporting busy days as a result.
Astrolabe Restaurant managing director Bryan Potter said for the first time in 15 years of operation they had not imposed a surcharge this holiday period.
Mr Potter said the main reason for
going surcharge-free was because did not want to "disenfranchise" customers.
"This year it was incredibly confusing what were public holidays and those which were statutory holidays and working out who gets paid what for these days has been extremely difficult," Mr Potter said.
"However, the flipside is how many people we would have turned away if we did impose a surcharge."
Nancy Hogg, the owner of Bravo Cafe and Restaurant, Encore Cafe and Greers Gastro Bar, and vice-president of the Bay of Plenty branch of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, said they offered surcharge-free meals over the Christmas-New Year period as a "gift" to their customers.
"It makes it far easier for our customers, who have really appreciated the gesture."
But Harbourside Brasserie manager Peter Ward said it made the decision to add a 15 per cent surcharge on Boxing Day and January 1 and 2 to try to recover the added costs.
"Most people understand the reasons and accept it as part of the cost of their dining experience," he said.
