Waffle House Adds 20 Percent Surcharge To Cover Security Guard

From Huff Po: A side of safety will now cost you a little extra at an Atlanta-area Waffle House.

One of the 24-hour breakfast chain's establishments is charging customers an additional 20 percent to pay for the cost of a security guard, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The Waffle House is located in the downtown shopping district known as Underground Atlanta that typically experiences high crime rates.

Waffle House spokesman Pat Warner confirmed that the surcharge has been in place since the middle of last December.

"We're the only 24-hour establishment in that neighborhood," he told The Huffington Post by phone. "As such, the heightened security is in place to address crowd control issues and ensure the safety of our customers and associates."

Employees of the Waffle House in question declined to comment when contacted by The Huffington Post.

Still, customers and employees both appear ambivalent about the surcharge that pays for the $160,000 annual cost of putting an off-duty Atlanta police officer on guard at certain times, according to CBS Atlanta.

When asked if she appreciated the added security, one waitress told MyFoxAtlanta: "Moneywise no, but safety-wise, yes."

"I've been cussed at, I've had people walk out on me," another waitress told CBS Atlanta. She added that the impact of the surcharge has reduced her tips to just $10 to $15 a night.

Waffle Houses across the country have had to deal with violent crime in the past. Rapper Kid Rock was even arrested for brawling at a different Atlanta location back in 2007, according to Access Atlanta.

Yet security surcharges aren't unique to the Waffle House. In Tel Aviv, the Brew House asked customers to pay extra for security back more than a decade ago, according to The Miami Herald.

via www.huffingtonpost.com

Comments

[Book Baby]

$160,000 for a PART TIME security guard? Police officers will be lining up for this job!

[Skittles]

I think it's $160,000 for multiple part time positions, probably not just one position. It's nice that they do this as the other option is probably closing down. It's also nice when any corporation or even specific location shows some care about safety issues. Of course it is pretty ridiculous that people are in turn shorting the servers on tips. Having security is part of the normal expense of opperating in a dangerous area. If you can't afford to eat there and tip reasonably then you shouldn't be there.

[CharlieWhiskyMike]

to pay for every dollar 20 US-Cents more for security seems pretty much to me. I think 5 % are enough and the company shouldnt be so cheap and pay the rest if thats not enough.

[Jami]

I don't know, Charlie, if people don't like the surcharge, seems to me the best thing they can do is start behaving themselves so there wouldn't be a need for a security guard. Not to mention teaching their kids to behave themselves better.

[Bitch Boy]

@Jami: *GASP!* You mean you want parents to actually DISCIPLINE their children?! What kind of monster are you?!

[Xin]

couple of questions: the waitress said it reduced her tips FROM $10 to $15. Wow! That's some backwards math or one hell of a typo

secondly: $160,000 for a guard? holy frik is it an ex member of seal team 6? Chuck Norris?

[PoetryOtter]

It actually says ' to just $10 to $15 a night.' which makes no sense.. ;)

[Nomnom]

Even with multiple part timers, not all of that $160,000 would be going to pay. It costs a business more than just your wages to employ you.

The reduced tip comment in the article would be more meaningful if they included what the tips were previous to the security guard.

[Sword Slave]

Its poorly written, but I think what they meant is that she used to make (for example) $30-$40 every night in tips and now its been reduced to only $10-$15 per night.

[chris]

Pay the guard $8/hour for just six hours a day (say, 8pm to 2am), all 365 days a year; that's $122,640 right there [8 x 6 x 365]. Now add Social Security/Medicare and unemployment taxes, worker's comp premiums, and any other benefits (free food?).

[The Last Archimedean]

Actually, 8 x 6 x 365 = $13,320. Nowhere near $160,000.

[Duke of URL]

It's $17,520 but what security guard is gonna work for $8/hour? I make infinitesimally more than that at Wall Place.

On the other hand, even twice that would only be $35k/year, and the other stuff on top of it surely doesn't come up to more than $100k a year.

[Perky]

If the security guard is working 6 hours a day: 6x365= 2190 hours a year. 160,000 divided by 2190 is $73.05 an hour.

If the security guard is working 8 hours a day 8x365= 2920. Divide 160,000 by 2820 and you get $54.79 an hour

24 hour security for 160,000 is $18.26 an hour.

[danny b]

From what I've heard off duty officers make $25-30 per hour working security in my area Norfolk/Va Beach so either someone is lining their own pockets or they have multiple officers on site at a time. I'm guessing the former though.

[danny b]

Instead of adding the surcharge why don't they increase the prices? A lot of times on restaurant commercials they say and or have "prices and participation may vary" which could eliminate any conflict with advertising.

[Nomnom]

Again guys, the cost to the business to employ one or more security guards ($160,000) is NOT all in the wages. It costs the business OVERHEAD to employ someone. You know, paperwork, insurance, taxes, lost man hours dealing with it instead of doing other things. It is very likely $160,000 is not a real chunk of money they have to pay out, but calculated estimated losses.

[Security Officers Atlanta]

very nice sharing