More NJ restaurants charging credit card fees (Opinion)

I've mentioned it in previous posts that soon family-owned, mom-and-pop restaurants may be squeezed into extinction within a generation.

The pressures and expenses are enormous.

With inflation raising product and labor costs, some restaurants have resorted to passing on those credit card processing fees to their customers.

It is legal, but the establishment must clearly post a sign that they are doing this. 

It's one of the few things that they have control over with a state like New Jersey jacking up labor costs with very high minimum wages and crushing taxes.

The state wants its money no matter how bad your month has been.

Just like in the movie "Goodfellas" when the mob wanted their cut and you had unexpected expenses, too bad. “F#@% you; pay me.”

Large chains are big business and big business is in bed with the government.

Corporations have money for lobbyists to grease the skids.

Small businesses are on their own, and they are the lifeblood of our economy.

Some people complain that restaurants want you to pay cash so they can hide the income and avoid taxes. These are the same people that have never had to write a quarterly check to the government after making payroll, supply costs, utilities, etc.

Stop automatic deduction of your income taxes and just imagine how quickly you would see a revolt.

If the state doesn't get its boot off the neck of small businesses like individually owned small eateries, they'll be all but a memory in less than a generation.

Many of these restaurants are just trying to survive and not pass along ALL of the tremendous increases in costs to their customers.

Some have ATM machines in their establishments or nearby for their patron's convenience.

With larger groups buying up smaller restaurants and chains that can afford higher costs taking over, the small local flavor that you enjoy now may be vanishing before you know it.

So, give them a break or just get used to "eatin' good in the neighborhood" at a chain restaurant up on the highway.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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