It puzzles me that other local businesses either close or have reduced hours on Sundays or public holidays.
On last year's Father's Day, reporter John Cousins found 60 per cent of Tauranga downtown retailers closed.
As for our recent public holidays, in some eateries that did open, Ruth Keber reported last week that customers were sucking up surcharges.
More than 10 years have passed since the Holidays Act 2003 enforced additional payments to employees working on public holidays. Why have our restaurants that do impose surcharges not got their act together to work these costs into their annual budget?
I am with Bravo owner Ryan Gregorash who says with correct labour modelling a surcharge is not necessary.
Retailers do not charge a surcharge to get customers in the door for the January sales yet they also have to pay staff costs.
Not only is surcharging ripping off regular locals but it is also a bad image for tourists.
For this reason, most restaurants in Auckland and Rotorua have given up on the idea.
It may be a financial risk to open on a public holiday, but if a cafe is confident in its quality of food and service, its popularity all year round and on public holidays should offset any additional costs.
Being in the service industry means serving the needs of customers and especially our visitors.