Mandatory fees added to customer checks have become one of the more aggressively litigated areas in California consumer and employment law. Restaurants are the most visible target, but the issue reaches any California business that adds a line-item charge to customer invoices — event venues, hotels, salons, fitness studios, delivery services, and beyond. The framework

The California Attorney General’s office yesterday announced that the new state law banning “junk fees” will extend to surcharges at restaurants, marking a significant shift in billing practices in the food industry. Under Senate Bill 478, effective starting July 1, 2024, California restaurants will be prohibited from adding service fees to bills—a practice that