Allow me to share, please, my complete and utter vexation. My comments are addressed not to the hard-working staff, but to the Owners / General Managers of the new Restaurant.
The new bistro is located at 4700 Main St, Lisle, IL 60532, right on the corner of Lisle Main Street and Ogden Avenue - where the "Fox Restaurant" used to be. I never heard the "final, authoritative story" of what caused the Fox's demise. I've heard numerous theories from "gun running" to "health hazards", but when they were open, I ate there (on average) 3 x a week, and never saw ANY foolishness.
When I heard that a new venue was coming to town, I was quite excited, and tempered that excitement as their opening date dragged and dragged and dragged on, from Winter into late Summer 2026. I was present on the second day they were open for business, if only to show my Support for a new Lisle Brick and Mortar.
I didn't really expect a "good meal" that morning, nor did I receive one: they were still breaking-in a new Kitchen and Procedures and whatnot. I was in an extremely charitable and forgiving mood. My Omelet arrived, hot, nothing wrong" with it, but abundantly overcooked. No juice to the vegetables. No moisture whatsoever - not even a trace of butter - it was like a broiled hockey puck. My toast which I had requested, politely, as "well done" looked as if it had never touched a toaster, and was cool to the touch: butter from the cups would not melt on it.
That was okay, though - I understood. It caused me no torment - the man and woman behind the bar were sociable and friendly. I sat at the bar out of nostalgia, missing the counter at Fox, and Lupe behind his massive metal grill, cracking jokes as he cooked breakfast. He grew the Jalapenos he used in my Mexican Omelets out back, in pots in the parking lot, and went out to pick 'em fresh when I ordered. I enjoyed the Fox for 14+ years.
Despite the sub-par breakfast at Sunnyside, I remained in a good mood, and resolved to return to Sunnyside in a couple weeks after they had "settled in" a bit. Checking out, I thought their prices were a little higher than my other local stops. Not terribly so, but noticeable. I didn't give it much thought at the time - tariffs, Executive Buffoonery, a War nobody needs... you know all the common tropes.
On Sunday, my Bride and I were headed out to shop, and wanted breakfast before dealing with Target and Costco. I suggested Sunnyside Social. She has not been, and asked me to pull up the online menu for her. I did, and my blood ran cold. There, at the bottom in wee little tiny print, it said:
"A 3% Hospitality Fee is applied to all sales."
That short little sentence killed what could have been a nice, pleasant, steady repeat Customer. Dead. Let me expound:
* A "Hospitality Fee?!" What, you're going to charge me for the PRIVELEDGE of opening for Business?
* There was no "Hospitality" I can recall in my first (and only) visit, aside from the friendliness of the man and woman behind the bar. Nobody tossing money at me, or fresh pulped guava juice... so why are you taxing me? What Value do I receive from this fee?
* Since when did Lisle IL become Europe? Buckos, that crap don't fly here! This is the United States.
This was the first time I've EVER encountered this in America. I sat with my Bride at home, discussed this, and have formulated my personal Policies just in case this sick idea grows... mark me.
1. If a venue tries to charge me a "Hospitality Fee" just for being there, I have NO REASON TO BE THERE. I will leave immediately, not paying for the setup or water. This will spare me the hurt of not tipping the innocent Servers.
2. If I have already ordered by the time I discover their deceit, NO TIP. NOTHING. I WILL ASSUME THAT The 3% (OR WHATEVER) is what the Servers have agreed to. Else they can find other jobs, the Restaurant can try to find competent New Hires, or GO OUT OF BUSINESS. I no longer care.
I'm tired of "Tip Culture", Tipping at Kiosks for self-ordering, et cetera ad nauseum. I'm tired of all of this. I've been a Server many years in my past life, and when my salary + tips didn't earn me enough to survive, I found another, better-paying job. I know it's rugged, and I have no desire to denigrate ANY Server out there. But I will NOT support ANY Company that tries to screw me (or their employees) the way Sunshine did. It's just bad Optics.
No, I won't be back... unless / until I have validated that Sunnyside has eliminated this "Hospitality Fee" silliness.
And Yeah, it's "only 3%", but do not poke the bull. It will end badly for us all. read more