Chicago Dining / Tax Question

I eat out often. Probably too often, but that's for another discussion. When we got our bill last night, the amount of the tax really jumped out at me. For those of you following along at home, our food portion was $76.25, beverage was $71.50, with a total tax of $19.95. The amount of the tax seemed high. When asked, our server said the rate was 13.5%. Are there any LTHers that can help me understand this? I don't recall seeing an amount this elevated on other dining bills in the recent past. A quick Google search on this topic served only to underscore that Chicago has one of the most complex tax systems. That much I knew!

Thanks!

The GP, this issue is very confusing, and it seems a lot of restaurants are getting sales tax wrong (shocker alert: they usually tack on too much): http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/ch ... id=2318372

David-

Thanks for the article link. I'd like to know if there is someplace to call for clarification.

13.5% does not sound right. That would annoy me too. I spend a ton eating out also. I do remember a post a while back about an alcohol tax in Evanston...IIRC the thread was about Bistro Bordeaux. What restaurant did you eat at last night? Or if you'd prefer not to share, what town or area of Chicago was it? Thanks

Isn't there an extra tax - McPier? If you are in the loop area?

"Restaurants that operate at O'Hare or Midway, or within a central area bounded by the Stevenson Expressway, Ashland, Diversey, and the lake, pay an additional 1 percent McPier tax."

Schaumburg is also up around 11.5% these days

There's a handy chart on this page - http://www.illinoisrestaurants.org/

And some suburbs add their own f/b taxes. Elmhurst, for example, adds a 1% food and beverage tax to restaurant meals.

Dave148 wrote:There's a handy chart on this page - http://www.illinoisrestaurants.org/

Dave-

Thanks for posting that chart. I'll get on the horn tomorrow and try to figure out who I can complain to. This was a place in the city (North Center area), not in McPier district. To confirm my suspicion that this tax was off, tonight's dinner in Rogers Park was 10%, just as it should be.

-Mary