The Melting Pot fondue restaurants in Seattle, Bellevue, and Tacoma are getting a ton of negative repsonse from customers about the “3% gov mandate surcharge” they're adding to customer bills & attributing to the minimum wage.
They attempt to explain it with an absurdly defensive letter from owner Lane Scelzi, which includes the line:
"We must emphasize that this is not a political statement."
If that leaves you with the feeling that they doth protest too much… you’d be right.
The same operation made a financial contribution to the campaign to repeal Seattle's $15 wage law.
Was their political contribution not at all intended to be a political statement either?
The evidence
Pacific NW Fondue of Issaquah, WA contributed $500 to “Forward Seattle,” the 2014 campaign to repeal Seattle’s $15 law at the ballot box:
The contribution was made in the name of their LLC, with no mention of the brand. But state records show that the Pacific NW Fondue is governed by Lane Scelzi of Issaquah, WA.
And Scelzi, who signed the letter, is the owner of The Melting Pot outlets in Seattle, Bellevue, and Tacoma.
FWIW, he also owns Sip, which has also added a 3% surcharge.
“A 3% surcharge is added to all guest checks to help cover increasing cost and in support of the recent increases to minimum wage and benefits of our dedicated team members.”