Chicken and The Farm — Restaurant in Walnut Creek

We ordered from their booth at the Monterey County Fairgrounds during the Rebels and Renegades festival. First, let me say that we paid $71 (!) for a shrimp po-boy sandwich, two "side dishes" and a can of soda.

The prices of the items were not posted. I saw no priced menus visible, and none were provided to us. We were charged a $10 "Festival charge" without being notified in any way that it was being added. Because kitchen staff was visible, it was painfully clear that there was no leadership and that the staff was not at all familiar with the menu. Orders were delivered wildly out of sequence, with one couple's order being completely forgotten.

The company requested a review on Square, which I submitted. I requested a partial refund of only the $10 charge. They responded immediately, denying my request, and this is their stand on the issues I reported to them. They make clear their policies and attitude below.

"Sorry you are unhappy about the Festival charge and you were upset to the point where you say it affected your entire evening. Let me give you a little insight as to why we have service change. we do not have a gratuity we are non-gratuity establishment however we do have a service fee. We are not local either. You probably chose to eat with us due to the way that that looked and that takes a lot of hard work. Service fee is given from front to back of house so everybody gets a cut. He mentioned there were no prices however I have menus placed in three different areas for price reference where it also states service fee and sales tax will be applied this is also displayed on a POS screen at time of transaction. And for the staff yes there are four staff members that came from a staffing agency that I've never been here before I'm sure they were disorganized and numbers were called out of order due to the fact they were instructed to only take lighter load tickets sorry that that frustrated you but it makes most sense for our company. Wait times were fairly accurate. If you had said something at the time we would've been happy to adjust or refund hopefully you find a vendor that serves you better would hate for you to have another unpleasant experience"

I feel so sorry for those workers from the staffing agency!

I then sent an email to festival management, asking that they speak to the vendor, and requesting that a sign about the additional charges be posted for the remainder of the weekend to avoid surprises for any other patrons. The vendor sent me a very lengthy emailed response, full of invective similar to his previous communications, threatening additional legal action, and finally warning me to "stay away from our booth and our potential customers".

Note: while the vendor says the extra charge is listed on the POS screen, I myself did not see that extra $10 charge during the transaction. I saw only the final price on the very small screen on the mobile point-of-sale device. When I reacted with surprise at the price, the cashier made no mention of the extra fee.

I did some research, and while these fees are in fact legal, the law states the following: "Restaurants must prominently disclose all added fees or charges (such as a mandatory service charge, inflation surcharge, required gratuity, or credit card processing fee) in such a way that the patron is fully aware, prior to placing their order, of the entire price that will be charged."

I did go back to the booth to double-check my memory, and while I didn't speak to anyone at or near the booth, I did see that menus had been posted since my complaint. I'll add a photo of the "notification" that the business provides to clients that they'll be charged an extra fee. I'll let you decide for yourself whether this notice is...

I’m surprised to see that many users have raised similar concerns—and rightly so. While the pricing at this joint is outrageous ($27 for a chicken burger and $22 for truffle fries), I acknowledge that businesses have the right to charge whatever they wish, as long as people are willing to pay. That said, I do take issue with the 14% service charge added on top of already inflated prices.

This practice reflects the “tipping culture gone wild” trend in the U.S., and although frustrating, there’s little anyone can do. There’s no legal governance or standardization for such surcharges—recent bills like SB478 and 1524 aim only to ensure disclosure, not limit or regulate these fees.

My bigger concern, however, is the business model employed by such joints. I did some digging and found that they often target overcrowded festivals and events—places where choices are limited and time is tight. By the time you realize you’re paying over $30 for a modest chicken burger, it’s too late. You’re either dealing with a hungry, crying kid or simply don’t have viable alternatives.

Some additional observations:

These businesses boldly advertise “Fresh chicken used” on large banners, while hiding “14% service charge applies” in barely visible print.

At the event I attended, I was 6th in line and there were about 12 people behind me. Four staff members were working inside the truck. It took 40 minutes just to place my order, and then another 25 minutes to receive my food. Sure, long waits are expected at festivals, but this seemed excessive.

To make matters worse, people often irrationally join the longest line, assuming it must be the best. And since most of us don’t have hawk eyes, we only notice the fine print after we’re too committed to back out.

In conclusion: As business owners, we should reflect on what kind of ventures we want to build. Are we chasing quick profits at any cost? Or do we want to foster trust, serve our community, and grow sustainably? When customer satisfaction and transparency are prioritized, revenue will follow.

And as consumers, awareness is key. It’s okay to splurge occasionally—just make sure it’s by choice, not by trap. Walk up to the ordering station, read the pricing and the fine print, before...

I'm writing to follow up on my recent experience at the Laguna Seca mobile kitchen. While I enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich, I was disappointed by the service and the unexpected 18% auto-gratuity added to the already high price of $23. The total cost of almost $30 for a sandwich without sides felt excessive, particularly given the lack of attentiveness from the cashier.

I understand that mistakes happen, and that perhaps the auto-gratuity was a system-wide policy, but the lack of even a simple "thank you" from the cashier when I was the only customer present was disappointing. In a service-oriented business, acknowledging a customer's purchase with gratitude is a fundamental aspect of providing a positive customer experience. The feeling of being overlooked contributed significantly to my negative overall impression.

I'm hoping that you might consider reviewing your pricing structure and staff training, particularly regarding customer interaction and the implementation of automatic gratuity policies. While I understand the need for consistent revenue, the current system seems disproportionate for a mobile operation serving relatively simple fare, especially when the level of customer service falls short of expectations. Perhaps exploring alternative compensation models for your staff could create a more positive experience for both employees...