Bay Area Restaurants Implementing ‘Vomit Fees’ For Brunch Patrons

During the first week of October, several brunch establishments in San Francisco and Oakland have taken an unusual step by introducing “vomit fees” for patrons who might have overindulged during their brunch, as reported by KRON.

Kitchen Story, a well-known restaurant in Oakland, has decided to implement a $50 cleaning fee for diners who, perhaps unwittingly, overindulge in their bottomless mimosas. The fee applies to anyone who enjoys the five varieties of bottomless mimosas. To ensure everyone is aware of this policy, a sign prominently displayed conveys a clear message:

“Dear all mimosa lovers, please drink responsibly and know your limits. A $50 cleaning fee will automatically be included in your bill if you happen to regrettably lose your mimosas in our public areas. Thank you so much for understanding.”

According to SFGate, Home Plate in San Francisco has also established a similar fee structure. They issue a $50 penalty for any incident that may arise due to intoxication.

“It was really tough cleaning,” said Chaiporn Kitsadaviseksak, co-owner of Kitchen Story. “People were scared of COVID. And this was happening a lot. My workers don’t want to do that. It got better. Now [customers] know they have to pay. They understand.”

Not all dining establishments have taken the same approach. Some have opted to limit the time customers can enjoy limitless sparkling wine and orange juice servings, thereby addressing excessive consumption from a different angle.

The introduction of “vomit fees” is not an entirely new concept. In 2021, a Canadian restaurant, Tamasha Indian Resto-Bar, revealed to blogTO.com that they had instituted a $50 vomit fee on New Year’s Eve, a practice it has continued. Interestingly, the restaurant reported that it has not encountered a single incident since implementing this fine.

In addition to these restaurants, ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft have also established provisions for drivers to levy cleaning fees on passengers—from $20 to $150—in the event of similar incidents.