Popular Thai restaurant hits back at backlash over new charges

• Restaurant slammed over surcharges  
• Owner says it’s necessary to survive 
• READ MORE: Surprising restaurant named world’s most popular

The owner of a popular Thai restaurant has hit back after copping online backlash about shock new surcharges.

Dodee Paidang owner Boon Low, who has four restaurants across Melbourne insisted the additional charges are the only way to protect his eateries from a ‘Covid-level’ economic crisis.

They include a 15 per cent public holiday surcharge, 10 per cent Sunday and late night charges, as well as a five per cent Saturday surcharge.

Card transactions incur an additional 1.7 per cent cost on the bill.

It comes after a photo showing the surcharge rates at his Swanston Street CBD eatery sparked an online uproar on Reddit.

Many Aussies were outraged over the listed surcharges with the move branded as ‘absurd’ and ‘price gauging’.

The owner of a popular Thai restaurant in Melbourne introduce surcharges on weekends, late nights and public holidays to survive in the current economic climate

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‘I’ve never seen a Saturday surcharge… sad to see it creep its way into Melbourne especially during a cost of living crisis that deters people from going out,’ one person wrote.

Another added: ‘I was just here last Saturday noon and took the same pics for my friends. It’s wild how these additional costs add up fast to the total bill.’

The backlash has prompted Mr Low to doubled down and defend the surcharges.

He said that the increased land taxes, rent, and food costs have made the current economic climate ‘as bad as Covid’ for small businesses in the hospitality sector.

Mr Low explained that he’s an honest operator who pays full-time staff and cover expenses including millions of dollars in rent and land tax on the building.

‘Our business has survived through all the difficulties by keeping food cost and wage cost to a specific percentage,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.

‘We want to others to judge how our prices have moved over the years we have opened. Our bowl of noodles now are $17.90, when we first opened 7 years ago they were $14.90.’

Mr Low admitted he didn’t want to impose the charges on diners and that the conversation should be around ‘what’s happening with costs?’

Mr Low said Melbourne had a vibrant culinary scene when he moved to the city 15 years ago, but there has been a spate of restaurant closures over the past year

Boon Low, the owner Dodee Paidang says surcharges are the only way to protect his business from a ‘Covid-level’ crisis

He explained that he often thinks about how ‘weekend sales are dying’ because of the surcharges, even though neighbouring businesses have imposed similar fees.

‘The surcharges are the only way we haven’t increased prices astronomically for opening public holidays, weekends and late nights,’ Mr Low said.

‘If we want to maintain 30 per cent wage costs, be respectful of low food prices, and stay open later, that’s what we need to do.’

Mr Low has operated Dodee Paidang for seven years but fears that Melbourne’s iconic dining culture is under threat.

Mr Low also explained that those surcharges vary across his restaurants.

‘We have different surcharges for different businesses where we take into account the business situation,’ he said.

‘Our business at Box Hill does not have a surcharge on Saturdays or Sundays and our business at Glen Waverley has a flat five percent weekend surcharge.’

Mr Low told Daily Mail Australia that their bowl of noodles has only increased by $3 since 2017

Mr Low recalled Melbourne having a vibrant culinary scene when he moved to the city 15 years ago but has seen a spate of restaurant closures in the last year.

Mr Low believes the voices of small business owners have drowned out by the people who are angry and who are emotional.

‘Surcharges are due to the penalty rates imposed on the hours or days stated and public holidays,’ he said.

The issue appears be widespread, with most capital cities experiencing a spate of high profile restaurant closures.

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