A charge on your statement from “Breakfast Club” in Seaside is almost certainly from Breakfast Club – On the Monterey Bay, a breakfast and lunch spot at 1130 Fremont Blvd in Seaside, California, open daily from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM and also taking orders through the Toast Tab platform.1Breakfast Club. Breakfast Club – On the Monterey Bay If the amount looks higher than you expected, the most common reason is the restaurant’s automatic gratuity: 20% is added to the bill for parties of six or more.2Breakfast Club. Menu 2024
The 20% Automatic Gratuity for Large Parties
The menu states that a “20% Gratuity will be added to parties of 6 or more.”2Breakfast Club. Menu 2024 If you ate with a group that size, that line is almost certainly the gap between your food total and the final charge. The notice is printed on the menu, but it’s easy to miss in the moment, and many diners only notice it when the receipt or statement arrives.
One thing worth knowing before you add anything extra: under California law, a mandatory charge added to a bill is treated as a service charge rather than a tip. That means it is considered wages, and the restaurant isn’t necessarily required to pass the full amount to your server.3Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. California Service Charge Tips Law If you want to make sure your server is tipped directly, leave a separate voluntary tip in cash instead of relying on the automatic gratuity.
Menu Add-Ons and Substitutions That Push the Total Up
If the overage is smaller than a 20% gratuity would explain, the culprit is usually a substitution or add-on. The menu lists charges like $2.95 to swap potatoes for fresh fruit, $1.50 for onion rings, $1.00 for garlic fries, $2.50 for extra meat in an omelet, $2.25 to add cheese to a burger, and $2.95 to $3.50 for avocado depending on the dish.2Breakfast Club. Menu 2024 Entrée prices run from about $3.95 for beverages up to $19.50 for certain steak and burger dishes. Add sales tax on top, and a bill can land a few dollars above the menu price you remember.
Getting an Itemized Receipt
The quickest way to understand a charge is to ask the restaurant for an itemized copy. You can reach Breakfast Club at (831) 394-3238 or by email at BClubSystem@gmail.com.1Breakfast Club. Breakfast Club – On the Monterey Bay A full receipt will show the food subtotal, any automatic gratuity as its own line, and tax. If you dined with a large group, that gratuity line is where the extra 20% will appear.
If You Don’t Recognize the Charge or Think It’s Wrong
If the restaurant can’t resolve it, or you don’t recognize the transaction at all, dispute it through your credit card issuer or bank. They will open an investigation with the merchant directly.
If you ate at Breakfast Club but believe a mandatory fee wasn’t properly disclosed before you ordered, California gives you a couple of options. The California Attorney General’s office takes consumer complaints through an online form where you can upload a receipt or a photo of the menu.4California Office of the Attorney General. Consumer Complaint Against a Business or Company Because the restaurant sits in Monterey County, the Monterey County District Attorney’s consumer services line at (831) 755-5070 also handles complaints of this kind.5County of Monterey. District Attorney Consumer Services
California’s “Honest Pricing Law” (SB 478), effective July 1, 2024, generally bars businesses from advertising prices that leave out mandatory charges.6California Office of the Attorney General. Hidden Fees A follow-up law, SB 1524, lets restaurants keep charging automatic gratuities and service fees separately, as long as the fee is clearly and conspicuously displayed on the menu with an explanation of what it’s for.7California Restaurant Association. SB 1524 A properly posted automatic gratuity notice is legal in California; a hidden one may not be.