Restaurant dramas and horror stories are becoming relatively more common these days, and while they usually happen in the kitchen, some rare occurrences can take place in the dining area. Such is the case for one restaurant in Tampa, Florida, whose customer was shocked after his to-go order had an additional “packaging fee.” When he inquired about it, the manager quickly evicted him from the premises.
The rather odd restaurant drama happened to TikTok user Roy, aka @getsolid, around mid-December. Roy drove 45 minutes to J Alexanders in Tampa and decided to order a $60 meal to-go. When the receipt arrived, Roy, puzzled, called the manager to ask about why there was suddenly an unmentioned $3-4 packaging fee. Instead of getting an answer or explanation, the manager kicked Roy out instead:
Roy has since taken to TikTok to complain about the situation, calling J Alexander’s practice of adding packaging fees a “scam.” Sadly, it appears that there was nothing Roy could do about being kicked out of the restaurant; it also appears that he didn’t receive the food he ordered. For the Florida customer, it wasn’t the amount that appalled him, but rather the fact that it was undisclosed.
“You’re not getting it. They never mentioned it. Imagine paying for your concert ticket and then arriving, and they say we need $10 more for an entrance fee,” according to Roy in one of his replies and explanations. For J Alexander’s, however, the backlash was swift, as it was not only Roy who left a bad review, but some people also had been review-bombing the restaurant on Yelp ever since the TikTok user’s video blew up.
People online are also questioning the fee and the management’s reaction
J Alexander’s has yet to comment on the issue, but some of the more immediate reactions to the clip are of people echoing Roy’s sentiments toward the undisclosed packaging fee. Some have even started accusing J Alexander’s of whatever they can imagine is going on behind closed doors, “Questioning a 5% fee gets you kicked out without your food?” asks a commenter.
Others have also found the packaging fee ridiculous and probably uncalled for, “I used to work takeout at a chain restaurant (in Tampa) and that is completely ridiculous. It’s literally our job to pack your order. Also, I bet the employees don’t even see that $3. We still got paid the same amount as every other FOH worker in the restaurant,” claims a TikTok user.
Still, certain people have a different take, because it appears J Alexander’s actually lists the service or packaging fee online. Getting kicked out of the restaurant for asking, however, was something Roy and many other viewers found suspicious, “Next they will add a dishwashing fee for dining inside the restaurant,” jokes a commenter.
