From July 2025 to July 2026, restaurant menu prices rose by more than 3 percent. Amid this shift, you might be taking a closer look at the bill when you go out to eat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Taxes typically tack on an additional 10 percent or more to the total. So where is that money going? That’s the first question we’ll tackle in Tip Jar today.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Submit your restaurant, dining and food questions, along with your first name and the neighborhood where you live, to tipjar@postandcourier.com.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Over 10 percent was added to the top of my restaurant bill.\u00a0Can you explain restaurant taxes in Charleston?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Steve\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hey Steve, I consulted my colleague David Slade, who writes a personal finance column, for help answering this question. I’m sure many diners share your uncertainty regarding the additional fees that are increasingly showing up on restaurant bills.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When it comes to taxes, South Carolina restaurants are subject to a 6 percent state sales tax and a 3 percent county fee. Those who dine at establishments in certain municipalities, including the city of Charleston and Isle of Palms, will also be hit with an additional 2 percent hospitality tax. And if you order a liquor drink, you’ll have to pay the state’s 5 percent “liquor by the drink excise tax.” That brings our total to 16 percent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On top of that, you may be encountering service fees and credit card processing fees, which, according to South Carolina law, must be disclosed to customers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Credit card processing fees typically cost a business 1.5 to 3.5 percent of each transaction’s total, and it’s become almost commonplace for restaurants to pass this percentage onto the diner. Service fees, however, can be more difficult to decipher, since restaurants are not required to disclose where the money is going.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you’re unsure about a line item, ask your server or a manager to clarify. And try not to let your fee fatigue get in the way of leaving a fair tip. In South Carolina,\u00a0employers can pay tipped employees as little as $2.13 per hour, meaning they oftentimes rely on tips to subsidize that rate, which is significantly lower than the federal minimum wage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What’s the deal with all the taxes and fees on restaurant bills? Food & Dining Editor Parker Milner breaks down what each one means on this week’s edition of Tip Jar. Don’t forget that you can send in your own dining-related questions to tipjar@postandcourier.com, and we’ll answer them in a future column.<\/p>\n
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Why are many restaurants so noisy that conversation is difficult?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Jane\u00a0<\/p>\n
You’re not the only one struggling to hear their dining companions, Jane.\u00a0For many, an overly loud restaurant is a deal-breaker.<\/p>\n
While some dining venues are built to be boisterous, most restaurateurs are in the business of mitigating noise levels. Charleston’s tight, historic buildings with low ceilings can make this challenging.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Carpet and tablecloths have largely gone out of style in restaurants, leaving designers without some of their best sound-absorbing tools. The rise of the open kitchen\u00a0has brought more noise into the dining room, too, causing servers and diners alike to raise their voices to be heard over the commotion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There are some calm, muted dining rooms left in Charleston. The Grocery and Circa 1886 offer relatively reserved settings, and I was recently impressed by the moderate noise level at The Crossing inside The Cooper hotel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Where are the whole belly fried clams in Charleston? We have just about everything else.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Paul\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hate to admit it, Paul, but this question has me stumped. I scoured the internet and made several phone calls, but could not find a single Charleston-area restaurant serving whole belly fried clams.\u00a0<\/p>\n
T W Graham & Co. in McClellanville offers clam strips, as does Shuckin’ Shack in Summerville, which also serves them raw and steamed.\u00a0Low Country Fish Camp in Summerville serves strips as a weekly special, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clam-centric food truck Co-Hog may be your best bet when owners Courtney and Nicole Tomer return to Charleston this fall. The truck, which specializes in stuffed quahogs, clam fritters, shrimp rolls and clam chowder, frequently serves rotating specials, including whole belly fried clams.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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