California says restaurants must bake all of their add-on fees into menu prices

California is set to enforce a new law in July that mandates restaurants and other businesses to include all mandatory charges in the listed prices of their menu items. The law stipulates that only optional fees, like tips, can be excluded from the displayed price. This change aims to enhance price transparency and prevent customer surprise at checkout. However, many restaurant owners are concerned that this will lead to higher menu prices and potentially decrease customer spending, impacting the industry negatively. Consumer advocates, on the other hand, welcome the law, arguing it will allow for better comparison shopping and overall market competition.