Pub 'Hopes People Understand' Additional 90p Covid-19 Surcharge

A pub in Ireland says it 'hopes people understand' after it introduced a €1 (90p) per person Covid-19 surcharge.

Mulligans of Sandymount, in Dublin, split opinion over the weekend after a customer shared a photograph of their bill online, which was tipped over the €50 (£45) mark by the charge.

Facebook/Phyllis Murphy

A spokesman for the pub simply said: "I hope people would understand why that charge is on the receipt and what it's going towards."

A spokesperson for Mulligan's told LADbible the fee is 'only a temporary cover charge'.

However, judging by the response on social media, it seems a lot of people don't understand it.

One person said: "The Covid charge is a disgrace, no problems with the price of the food or drinks as they are the prices around those areas. I doubt Brown's of Sandymount or BuJo burger in the same area are doing this. Mulligans of Sandymount should look at themselves."

Another said: "I don't know, I wouldn't really be for it. The rate reduction and wage subsidy scheme are a big help. I don't think it warrants a 'Covid charge' too, the optics of this are brutal."

But while many seemed fiercely opposed to the charge, some sympathised with the pub.

One person said: "Private company is entitled to charge what they want and consumers are entitled to shop somewhere else if they don't like it."

Another added: "Do you know how Covid has affected the staff? How hard they are working to make it safer for customers? Rapid new normal? Begrudge €2, don't eat out. End of."

PA

Whatever you think of it, Mulligans of Sandymount is by no means alone in introducing a coronavirus charge.

In May, a restaurant in the US introduced a $1 (82p) 'Covid surcharge' to help tackle rising costs.

Goog's Pub & Grub in Michigan began charging customers the extra fee on Thursday 7 May and claims it is a way for the business to be transparent about rising costs and decreasing profits.

Due to lockdown measures, the eatery was only open for takeaway, meaning it wasn't bringing in money from alcohol sales, with rising food costs worsening the situation.

Owner Brad White said it was just a temporary measure to keep the business afloat.

Speaking to Fox 17, he said: "We're just trying to pay the bills so we can stay open until this is over. Other places are just raising their price and not telling you.

"Takeout averages about 82 cents more per meal just to put that meal out cause you're not just putting it on a plate or tray and washing that again. It's the silverware, the boxes.

"When this started, we were running about $50 for a case of burgers and then it was up to $55, $62, $66, $72 last week and they just told me next week it'll probably be up to $88 a case, so almost double what we were paying.

"It's going to be a while before the food industry, the suppliers catch up. If the industry's prices are going to stay, it's going to affect people down the road just as much as it is now."

Topics: Ireland, Pubs, Coronavirus, Alcohol

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey