State or Federal Tax

[Commuta_Busa]

So maybe you guys can help me out with this...

I went to Mcdonalds for a chicken sandwich. I haven't had fast food in a very long time. I noticed on the receipt that there is now a "Take out Tax". ???

Since when has there been a tax like this? Is it a fed or state tax? I would luv to look this up and try and understand where it came from and why.

 

[lil charlie]

Must be a local thing. Im looking at my taco bell receipt from lunch and its not on there.

 

[Flicka]

Never heard of it. Sounds like a bunch of bull...

 

[Commuta_Busa]

I did go through the drive-thru. Is using the drive-thru considered a luxury???

 

[cheferman65]

A quick web search yielded this;


It's not an extra tax -- although a lot of other consumers have brought this to my attention.

That tax is just the straight sales tax. If you notice the next time you eat in at a McDonald's, the line will say "Dine In" or "Eat In." It's the same tax rate, whatever your state and local sales tax rate is.

Steve Lykins of McDonald's Memphis restaurants says the company has a uniform receipt software package. He says every McDonald's in America will have the "take out" or "dine in" line-items on their receipts.

The reason, he says, is some states like California actually have a separate take out tax. So the software has to be able to accommodate those states so their revenue departments can accurately collect those taxes.

It would be cost-prohibitive to have separate receipt software applications for different states, not to mention a nightmare to manage and track those applications.

 

[newman]

Mcdonalds in England tax if you eat in no tax if you take out.

 

[Flicka]

Mcdonalds in England tax if you eat in no tax if you take out.

So is that a charge by McDonald's corporate or a kind of government tax?

 

[k03gsxr750]

http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/pdf/ssutfood.pdf

More info can be found here, basically it depends on how your state defines prepared food. This should be specific to your area.

 

[Commuta_Busa]

wow I never knew this. Thanks for the info and the link.

The only reason I looked at the receipt was so I could figure out what I owed since the girl at the window didn't speak much english.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

wow I never knew this. Thanks for the info and the link.

The only reason I looked at the receipt was so I could figure out what I owed since the girl at the window didn't speak much english.

I hate it when they only speak Russian

 

[Commuta_Busa]

I wouldn't mind Russian, at least it's popular. They speak Quechua which is a dead language I don't want to learn. I mean cmon... spanish or spanglish I'm pretty used to.

I hate it when they only speak Russian

 

[newman]

It's a government tax, VAT (value added tax).
At the moment it's 20%.

 

[erikm12]

I know where I live in Va there is a 10-12% meals tax. Regular sales tax on everything else is 4.5% I believe.
We eat out all the time so my thinking is.........*(not for public viewing).

 

[karnage]

Lots of places have that.Its considered a luxury tax or entertainment tax..You pay that when you rent a hotel, a car etc..Some places here do that.

 

[Commuta_Busa]

I'm prety used to all of the multiple taxes at hotels. I thought it was funny when I rented a trailer I had to pay a homeland security fee for it.

 

[frisbee]

I remember them doing that

Mcdonalds in England tax if you eat in no tax if you take out.

 

[jphilipson]

If I recall, back in NY, food was taxed if you ate in, as dining out is considered a luxury (even McDonalds). Take out food is considered a food purchase just like going to the grocery store. Things may have changed since then, that was back when I was a kid.

 

[Spkrdctr]

You ALL need to move to Florida. Tax? What tax?

 

[DaCol.]

Probably a local City or County Tax. Really it's just another way to TAKE MORE of your hard earned money for the State or whatever to GIVE AWAY to someone else