Restaurant fees are here to stay in California. Diners are ‘extremely disappointed’

Bay Area diners who had hoped to see restaurant surcharges banned in California as of next week said they feel disappointed that they’ll remain legal after all — and some may change their dining habits because of it. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB1524 into law Saturday, allowing restaurants to continue to charge fees such as automatic service charges as long as they’re clearly disclosed to customers. The law’s approval came just two days before SB478, the state’s “junk fees” law, would have prohibited them, along with fees in other industries...