A Philidelphia steakhouse has sparked a heated debate on social media after posting a sign at their restaurant informing customers of a $100 minimum spend per head.
Steak 48, located on Broad and Spruce Streets, ignited discussion after displaying a sign outside their restaurant that read:
"There is a $100 per person food & beverage minimum for each person at your table in order to ensure that each guest enjoys the total experience of food, service and atmosphere. This does not include tax or tip."
The photo of the sign was originally posted to Twitter by The Realest Podcast Ever, who captioned their post: "They said no brokies [...] #Steak48 no more appetizer dates and step photos"...
CBS Philly later reported on the new sign, revealing that a diverse group of customers had said that they had been "reminded of the substantial minimum by staff once inside".
On social media, the response to the new sign was divided, with one person tweeting: "I’ve never heard of Steak 48 until today.
"And even though I could afford it, you will never see me at Steak 48 or ANY restaurant that requires I spend at least $100 on my meal BEFORE tax & tip is figured in. The pretentiousness is rather disgusting."
News anchor Ed Greenberger shared a screenshot of the menu along with a list of dishes that totalled $98 before tax. He then joked: "Am I getting arrested?"
One Twitter user was quick to defend Steak 48's prices, but admitted it was "tacky" for them to put the sign out to begin with.
Other social media users were quick with the memes:
Local reverend Marshall Mitchell of the Salem Baptist Church of Abington said of the policy: "My mother is 84 years old. She’s not going to buy a tomahawk steak and three cocktails. She might not get to $100 so what are we saying to that customer?"
However, Ernest Owens of Philadelphia magazine defended the $100 minimum spend, writing: "Steak 48’s mandatory $100 minimum is a reasonable and equitable expectation for customers."
Owens added: "If you go for a standard dining experience (one that includes an appetizer, entreé, a side dish or two, and a cocktail), you will easily reach this minimum."
Officials from Steak 48 have since issued a statement on the minimum spend, per CBS Philly, which reads in part:
"Like many restaurants in our industry, we’ve had to make some updates to our policies, like the $100 per person minimum in effort to support our staff and restaurant’s operations, and provide the ability to be successful as a steakhouse designed for the full sit-down experience..."
What do you think of the minimum spend? Let us know in the comments section.