Washington, D.C

These Helpful Tools Are Tracking Every Restaurant Fee Across DC – Washingtonian

Published

2 years ago

January 11, 2024

These Helpful Tools Are Tracking Every Restaurant Fee Across DC – Washingtonian

Screenshot courtesy TransparentFee DMV.

The confusion and lack of transparency around restaurant fees is leading diners to take matters into their own hands. A spreadsheet crowdsourced via Reddit over the past year is perhaps the most comprehensive list yet of dining establishments charging a fee. Meanwhile, a Chrome web browser extension that one Redditor built off the data will pop up an alert anytime you visit the website of a restaurant with an extra charge.

The spreadsheet (with accompanying Google submission form) was created early last year by Sarah Stella, a federal government employee. She’d already been seeing a bunch of posts on the Washington, DC subreddit about people being caught off guard by menu surcharges. Then, she and a co-worker visited (now-closed) ramen restaurant Hatoba. Ordering form a QR code menu, she missed the 20-percent service charge and ended up leaving an additional 20-percent. She felt she needed to do something to create more transparency for diners like herself.

“I like having the full information before I go out to eat,” Stella says. “I know some people say, ‘Oh, I won’t go out if a place has a service fee.’ And I don’t feel that way at all. I just want to know in advance,” Stella says.

The spreadsheet tracks fee amounts at each restaurant, where they’re advertised, whether the charge is in lieu of tipping, if there’s an option for additional tip, and whether the fee can be removed upon request, among other information. Reddit took off with it and the submissions rolled in: As of now, there are 227 restaurants on the list.

Zachary Grimshaw, a digital and technology consultant for non-profits, wanted to take the fee tracker one step further and make the information more accessible and useful. Like Stella, he’d been finding himself overtipping, not realizing when there was a fee. So he built a Chrome extension called TransparentFee DMV with the help of ChatGPT and his software-engineer brother. Once you install it, a small alert will pop up in the corner of the browser anytime you visit the website of a restaurant charging a fee: “Heads up! People have reported this establishment has a service fee in addition to menu prices.” You can then click further to see the fee amount and fee language. The same “Heads up!” also shows up under the restaurant profile in a Google search. Grimshaw says he’d like to eventually expand the functionality of his tool so that people will get fee alerts on popular reservation sites and in Google Maps.

“The primary goal is to simply make the users aware of any additional fees, not necessarily discourage customers from giving an establishment business,” Grimshaw says. “Additionally, I hope it encourages restaurants to become more transparent with fees, specifically around if and how it benefits the staff.”

Stella says she checks in on the spreadsheet from time to time to keep the information tidy and do some light fact-checking, but ultimately she relies on others to submit accurate details. Grimshaw says he also does his best to verify the information on each restaurant’s website—but the fees are not listed on about half of the websites he’s searched. (The Chrome extension has an option to submit inaccurate or missing data.)

Both Redditors have found the fee transparency across the DC dining scene to be a real mixed bag. Asked to rate restaurants on a whole about their fee transparency, Stella says she’d give them a six out of ten. “I think most people are trying to figure it out in good faith,” she says. “And I think that it’s just going to be confusing for a while.”

Food Editor

Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.

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Washington, D.C

Noah Kahan bringing ‘The Great Divide’ tour to DC in summer 2026

Published

7 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Press Room

Noah Kahan bringing ‘The Great Divide’ tour to DC in summer 2026

D.C., you’ll soon be able to see Noah Kahan in the season of the sweats.

Kahan will perform at Nationals Park on July 22, 2026.

D.C. is one of more than 20 stops on his summer tour promoting his upcoming album, “The Great Divide,” which is due out April 24.

Tickets are set to go on sale next week, but fans will want to sign up for the Artist Presale by 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 5, to improve their chance of getting a ticket.

Noah Kahan’s 2026 tour dates

06/11/26 – Orlando, FL @ Kia Center

06/26/26 – Philadelphia, PA @ Citizens Bank Park

06/28/26 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium

07/01/26 – Cincinnati, OH @ Great American Ballpark

07/03/26 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PNC Park

07/10/26 – Boston, MA @ Fenway Park

07/11/26 – Boston, MA @ Fenway Park

07/14/26 – Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field

07/18/26 – New York, NY @ Citi Field

07/22/26 – Washington, DC @ Nationals Park

07/25/26 – Raleigh, NC @ Carter Finley Stadium

07/27/26 – Atlanta, GA @ Truist Park

07/30/26 – Dallas, TX @ Globe Life Field

08/02/26 – St. Louis, MO @ Busch Stadium

08/05/26 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Field

08/08/26 – Denver, CO @ Coors Field

08/15/26 – Pasadena, CA @ Rose Bowl

08/17/26 – San Diego, CA @ Petco Park

08/19/26 – Phoenix, AZ @ Chase Field

08/21/26 – San Francisco, CA @ Oracle Park

08/25/26 – Salt Lake City, UT @ America First Field

08/28/26 – Vancouver, BC @ BC Place

08/30/26 – Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

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Washington, D.C

Foot traffic down at DC bar during snow slump, says icy street entrance doesn’t help

Published

19 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Press Room

Foot traffic down at DC bar during snow slump, says icy street entrance doesn’t help

WASHINGTON (7News) — By now, you’ve likely noticed the giant piles of ice and snow still sitting around across the District.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said her team, along with outside contractors, is working around the clock to clean it up, though some still say the road and sidewalk conditions should have improved days ago.

7News is speaking with local businesses that are now feeling the negative impacts of the snowstorm.

“I mean, no one wants to walk through a bunch of ice and run the risk of slipping and falling,” Robert Thorburg, one of the managers at Barrel House Cafe & Bar, said. “You can see I’m standing on literally about half a foot of ice, solid ice.”

Barrel House is in the popular Logan Circle neighborhood on 14th Street Northwest. It’s a cafe by day and a bar by night.

“The nights were not doing shows, we’re just a neighborhood bar. People can come in and grab a quick drink. We have a late-night happy hour here on the weekends,” Thornburg said.

But ever since last week’s storm, happy hour hasn’t been so happy.

“No one came out during Monday or Tuesday when everything was happening. It was a challenge for people to get to work. People started to venture out again on Wednesday, but we still had to close early because we just didn’t have any foot traffic,” he explained.

READ ALSO | Metro closures between Pentagon City and DCA start soon

While it’s disappointing to lose business, he gets why people are staying in.

Mayor Bowser and city officials have said they’re doing their best to clean up the streets and get them back to normal.

7News spotted several trucks hauling snow out of the city Sunday evening.

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“Everyone’s impacted by it. Everyone’s trying to survive and get to work, or get their trash picked up, basic essentials that they need to survive,” Thornburg said.

Still, he said it never should’ve gotten this bad.

Get some people out here and get the streets cleaned up. I know they’re beefing up contracting work right now and trying to get that done, but businesses here we support the local economy. So you know, let’s get it done.

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Washington, D.C

Snow, strong winds and dangerous cold continue Sunday across parts of VA, MD and DC

Published

1 day ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Snow, strong winds and dangerous cold continue Sunday across parts of VA, MD and DC

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Snow, strong winds and dangerous cold are impacting parts of Virginia, Maryland and the District Sunday morning as a coastal storm continues to move offshore, leaving behind hazardous conditions across the region.

What we know:

According to the National Weather Service, the coastal storm that developed over the weekend is now pulling away, but not before bringing periods of snow and strong winds to parts of the region. Snowfall has been most significant across southern and southeastern Virginia, with lighter and more variable amounts farther north.

Forecasters say a sharp cutoff in snowfall has set up, meaning communities only a short distance apart are seeing very different impacts.

Where snow is ongoing or lingering

Snow is still falling or tapering off in parts of southern and eastern Virginia, which will gradually come to an end Sunday morning. Southern Maryland may also see lingering snow or blowing snow, depending on location.

Farther north — including Washington, D.C. and northern Maryland — snowfall has been more limited, though some slick spots remain from earlier precipitation and blowing snow.

Wind and cold remain a concern

Even as snow diminishes, strong winds continue across the region, especially near the coast, where gusts may still cause blowing and drifting snow. These winds are also contributing to dangerously low wind chills.

Forecasters warn that wind chills Sunday morning may drop below zero in some inland areas, with single-digit wind chills common elsewhere. Cold conditions will make it harder for snow and ice to melt and could prolong hazardous travel conditions.

Coastal and tidal impacts

Along the Chesapeake Bay and coastal areas, tidal flooding remains possible Sunday, particularly around high tide cycles. Officials warn that any flooding could freeze onto roads and surfaces due to the bitter cold, creating additional hazards.

What to expect through the rest of Sunday

Snow should continue to taper from south to north through the morning, but cold temperatures and gusty winds will persist. Travel conditions may remain hazardous even where snowfall has ended, especially on untreated roads and bridges.

Why you should care:

Even as the storm moves out, lingering wind and extreme cold pose ongoing risks, particularly for those traveling, working outdoors or living in coastal and low-lying areas.

Residents are urged to use caution, dress for the cold and monitor local conditions throughout the day.

What’s next:

Forecasters say the region will remain cold into the start of the workweek, though winds should gradually ease. Any remaining snow and ice could linger due to below-freezing temperatures.

The Source: This article was written using information from the National Weather Service.

WeatherWashington, D.C.VirginiaMaryland

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