You know, i’ll revise my original position a bit. I don’t particularly see any problem with the businesses’ actions insofar as they decided to add a surcharge rather than raise prices. They have the right to free speech just like anyone else. However, this is a significant problem if the charges are effectively hidden. If there are no notices before ordering about the charge, and prices say one thing on the menu, it is completely inappropriate to add on an additional charge after the fact. That’s a bait and switch. Customers have the right to know the actual cost before ordering, and choose not to purchase if the price isn’t to their liking.

It’s somewhat of a moot point in that prices would have been raised even if the charge hadn’t been added, but the businesses need to make sure that they’re posting signage about the charge, or on the menu.