Why Does This Restaurant Charge Some Patrons Extra?
Not proficient in Mandarin? You may want to think twice before going to this restaurant. Yin Li Sichuan, a Chinese restaurant in Sydney, Australia, is rumored to be charging English-speaking patrons 10 to 12 percent more than their Chinese counterparts, reports The Daily Telegraph.
The restaurant has two menus, one in English, and one in Chinese. Fried rice on the English menu costs approximately $2 more than the Chinese listing, about a 12 percent difference. However, the restaurant denies that they treat their customers differently based on linguistic ability or cultural background.
"Sometimes people who come here a lot get a discount," said owner Diana, who only went by her first name in the Daily Telegraph article. "The Chinese menu is usually just for Chinese people who like the Sichuan flavor."
She also added that the English menu is new, so that's why the prices are different. If allegations about the restaurant's practice are proven, it would be illegal under Australia's 1975 anti-discrimination act.
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Joanna Fantozzi is an Associate Editor with The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter@JoannaFantozzi