Rotorua bars, cafes, decide against extra Easter charges

Surcharge or no surcharge? Surcharges at Rotorua cafes and bars won't be a common thing this weekend as most are not charging extra.
Some cafe and restaurant owners say they don't need to charge people an extra 15 per cent.
Others say they don't think people can afford to pay anything extra and some do not open on the public holidays partly because of the cost of having to pay their staff more.
Of the 44 cafes and restaurants surveyed by The Daily Post, only two said they would be charging a surcharge this weekend.
Cafes and restaurants can ask for a surcharge on Good Friday and Easter Monday - which is also Anzac Day.
According to the Commerce Commission, an employer may be entitled to impose a surcharge on any day where they have to pay their employees more than a normal working day.
Capers Epicurean and Robert Harris will both charge a 15 per cent surcharge when they open on Monday.
Capers manager Tracey Haxton said they used to be closed on all public holidays but after requests from their customers they had decided to open the cafe on Monday.
They would charge a 15 per cent surcharge on food and drinks but not deli products.
"The surcharge is to cover the staffing and costs to open," Miss Haxton said.
Robert Harris owner Dana Symons said they could not afford not to ask for the surcharge.
"We cannot survive without it so it's policy that we always charge a surcharge, 15 per cent. We have always done that ... Staff are entitled to time and a half and a day in lieu."
Owner of Hennessys and Shed Bar Reg Hennessy said he wasn't adding a surcharge this year because people could not afford to pay it any more.
"We haven't charged it now for a couple of years. Kiwis don't want to pay for it so we respect their choice."
Fat Dog Cafe & Bar manager James Cooney said they didn't need to charge a surcharge as they incorporated the costs of opening on public holidays in their budget.
"At the end of the day it's only 11 days out of 365 days."
He said Easter was also the busiest weekend of the year for Fat Dog.
Mr Cooney said he was glad to hear few cafes and bars would be charging a surcharge and reckoned the use of surcharges was declining throughout New Zealand.
Indian Star owner Ray Singh said they set their prices so they didn't need to charge a surcharge.
Mr Singh said many of their customers asked if they would be charged a surcharge before deciding whether to eat there.
Seismic Gastrobar manager Mala Waqanimaravu said there was no point charging a surcharge as he expected it would be busy and they could cover costs from their takings.
Several cafe and restaurants felt it was unfair to charge a surcharge.
Michelle Chopra, manager of Solace, said there was no need to add a surcharge.
"Most people that come in are locals and they don't want to be charged," she said.
Triple 1 Five didn't think much of charging a surcharge.
"We are a service industry and we should provide a service at no extra charge," said duty manager Sarah Hall.
Cafes such as Indigo, Pluto and Le Cafe de Paris were closing for most of the weekend except today because it wasn't busy enough to open.
Lime Caffeteria was closed yesterday and would be closed on Monday. Owner Judi Hepburn said opening on those days was expensive.
But Mrs Hepburn said closing the cafe for two days also gave staff a break and was good for morale.
Rotorua Chamber of Commerce president Roger Gordon said he was pleased to see the trend was moving away from a surcharge. However, he did not think there needed to be a move by the Government to get rid of the option to charge one.
"Market forces will determine the position which is what has obviously happened."
Mr Gordon said his decision on whether to eat somewhere that charged a surcharge would depend on the quality of the cafe or restaurant.
Rotorua MP Todd McClay wasn't surprised few Rotorua eateries were adding a surcharge.
While it was a matter of choice, he said he saw no need to charge extra as businesses could work out their costs at the start of each year.
He said his decisions about where to eat were based on service and reputation, not whether there was a surcharge.
 
SURCHARGE
Capers Epicurean - closed Friday, open Saturday, Sunday, Monday, (15 per cent surcharge on Monday)
Robert Harris Cafe - closed Friday, open Saturday, Sunday, Monday, (15 per cent surcharge on Monday)
NO SURCHARGE
Indigo - open Saturday, closed Friday, Sunday, Monday
Lewishams - closed Friday and Monday, open Saturday and Sunday
Sushi Gallery - open Saturday and Monday
Lime Caffeteria - open Saturday/Sunday, closed Friday and Monday
Pluto - open Saturday, closed Friday, Sunday and Monday
Le Cafe de Paris - open Saturday, closed Friday, Sunday and Monday
Country Roses Coffee Lounge - closed all weekend
Robert Harris Espresso - open Saturday, closed Friday, Sunday and Monday
Abracadabra - open Saturday (day/night) and Sunday (during day), closed Friday and Monday
Katsubi - closed Sunday, open Friday, Saturday, Monday
Asian Restaurant (Pukuatua St) - open Friday, Saturday, Monday, closed Sunday
Ciccio Italian Cafe - open Saturday and Sunday, closed Friday and Monday
The Metro - closed all weekend
NO SURCHARGE AND OPEN ALL WEEKEND:
Triple 1 Five
Ambrosia
Hennessy's Irish Bar
Shed Bar
Subway
McDonald's
Fat Dog Cafe & Bar
Indian Star
Lady Janes
Seismic Gastrobar
Atlas Restaurant (Novotel)
Cafe Ephesus
Solace
Nuvolari Italiano Ristorante Bar
Macs Steaks
Lovely India
Nandos
Vitamin.
Pig and Whistle
Mecca Kebabs
Zippy Central
Lone Star
Great Kiwi Ale House
Lotus Cafe & Bakery
Chimney Indian Restaurant
Noodle Canteen
Welcome India Restaurant
Yaki Yaki
Yamato