The other day, some of us were batting around some conversation here on ‘Howlings and the subject of a drive through tax came up. I said I had never heard of anything like that. I called a family member who works in the city and would have reason to know about drive through taxes. She said the city had a meals tax and that was all.
I came back with that response. Another reader came along and told me I must never go to McDonalds and told me politely that I was incorrect. There was a carry out tax. Ok. Me wrong? Not the first time and won’t be the last. I retracted, corrected and did what normal people do in situations like that. So today I swung into McDonalds to see what I was missing (other than heartburn). There it was, TAKE OUT TAX, right there on the receipt.
I was madder than hell at those supervisors for sneaking a tax through on us. Then I got mad at myself for being so unaware. Then I contacted a friend who works for the county in high places. I was told there was no PWC ‘TAKE OUT TAX’ and that I had been robbed.
Do places other than McDonald’s charge a TAKE OUT TAX? How dare a restaurant call something a tax that is clearly a surcharge on their services? Well, they don’t. I sent Mr. Howler out bright and early for one more McD’s trip. i told him not to come home without a receipt. Myth.
McDonalds is not charging a tax. They have stupid words in front of the word tax, like TAKE OUT. Some are marked EAT IN. It is simply the 5% VA sales tax. Panic over. Prince William County does not have a meals tax. Past referendums have not passed. The City of Manassas does have a meals tax. McDonalds does not have a special tax.
I hope this clears up this misconception. Feel free to dispute. If someone knows something I don’t, I am all ears.
Thats more investigative work than you see with many main stream news sources. Good job! 🙂
There is all sorts of erroneous information about this very subject out on the internet.
At any rate, We get to allow the bocs and McDonalds to live another day.
Thanks MH for getting the “straight scoop”. Next time I’m gonna take a closer look at my receipt!
George, It took a few artery hits but I finally figured it out. I think also the town of Haymarket has meals tax. That complicated things.
I noticed this earlier this week when I stopped at McD’s for a coffee–thought they were trying to pull something over on us–then realized it was the sales tax. Unless I’m going somewhere special like Carmello’s, I tend to avoid City restaurants because of that meals tax–my own personal boycott.
@Emma
I boycott the city resaurants because of the meals tax. I know many others that do too. I will enjoy my favorites from time to time, but nothing more. We all need to eat to survive we pay a sales tax. I see no need to be taxed on the most basic of needs such as food, just because you are “out on the town”. Give me a break.