Zagat gets behind consumers

Restaurant guide Zagat is not exactly known for its consumer journalism. So I was surprised to read an astonishingly well-written feature on surprise restaurant surcharges on its Web site this morning. If your eat at restaurants, you should check it out.

The story, written by staff editor Liz Borod Wright, describes several insidious fees that are being imposed by restaurants.

Among them: a 10 percent “takeout” fee, a $7 charge for “free” nuts, a surcharge for a drink that’s served straight-up, and a 5 percent fee for the kitchen staff.

The anecdotes are collected the same way yours truly finds his war stories — by asking readers to share them.

I’m heartened to see this kind of story on the Zagat site, and I think Wright was very even-handed in covering the fees. She allowed the disgruntled guests to speak, gave the restaurants the mic, and then offered her own assessment.

As someone who is asked to mediate conflicts between companies and consumers every day, I know how difficult it can be to say something useful without seeming as if you’re always siding with one party. Still, I would have liked to have seen Wright be more critical of the restaurants, who after all are socking their guests — her readers — with these unexpected fees.

But hey, at least Zagat’s had the cojones to bring this subject up in the first place. The same thing can’t be said of many of its competitors.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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