Regarding the article “Pandemic emergency is over, but Chicago restaurants are still adding fees to your bill”: I was paying a bill for three this summer when I noticed a fee on the bill that was labeled “surcharge.”
It was a small amount, but I wanted to know what it was, so I asked the server. She said it was to cover costs such as labor and food, and mentioned the pandemic. I pointed out the pandemic was over, and I had just paid $17 for a hamburger and fries, and I would think that should cover it.
Much to my surprise, she said it was removable. Now, I am reading this article that says many restaurants are including surcharges for credit card fees. I’m thinking those aren’t removable. I don’t understand why restaurant owners don’t build that stuff into their costs in the first place. It is the cost of doing business, and they can even benefit when someone pays cash.
What is going to happen when the new minimum wage for tipped workers goes into effect? It's going to be interesting to see how the prices increase. I honestly believe that’s going to hurt the wait staff because the tips will stop.
John LaBrant, Norwood Park
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Why Illinois needs a Right to Repair Act for computers
Right now, if your laptop breaks down, you have to send it to a repair center licensed by the manufacturer while your device is under warranty. That means waiting for days or weeks even for the delivery and return of the product. And there is no guarantee it will come back fixed.
Things are about to change. Our latest consumer survey at Windows Report revealed that 74% of respondents don’t want to spend more than $1,000 on a new PC, 67% attempted to repair their devices at home, and 42% of consumers were not happy with the classic repair procedure.
Laptop owners (53%) are the most interested in repairing. Unlike PCs, laptops have become extremely compact, and even changing the battery has become close to impossible.
As device prices continue to rise, it’s clear consumers need an alternative to prolong the lives of their devices, and here’s where the Right to Repair movement steps in.
Four states already passed the Right to Repair Act, and another 40, including Illinois, are working on legislation. The law requires manufacturers to provide access to replacement parts, repair documentation, tools and software for up to seven years for devices worth more than $100.
The industry needs a shift in how manufacturers produce devices so consumers can repair their devices at home. The alternative is to employ a local repair shop. If repair shops don’t need licenses from manufacturers, we can expect to see more of them, helping the circle economy. Repair shops will be able to sell parts and act as recycling centers.
Repairing devices at home or at a local repair shop also translates into a lower family budget for electronics, which could save approximately $330 each year per household, amounting to over $40 billion nationwide.
Illinois has to defend our rights as consumers.
Vlad Turiceanu, editor in chief, windowsreport.com