A reporter on TikTok, @brycegruber, recently highlighted a 3% surcharge found on a bookstore receipt from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City. The video‘s public caption stated, “This is BONKERS.” In her video, the reporter emphasized the importance of checking receipts for “Everything Everywhere.”
The reporter presented an example of a man who purchased a book at the Bryant Park Market in Terminal 5 at JFK Airport. The store, the reporter noted, is owned by Hudson News, a retailer commonly found in U.S. airports. The man bought a book titled “GALES OF NOVEMBER” for $21.99.
The receipt, visible in the video, showed a New York City sales tax of $2.01, which the reporter calculated as “almost 9%.” She then pointed out an additional 3% charge of $0.66 on the receipt. A red circle on the receipt explained, “HUDSON A 3% surcharge has been applied to your purchase.” The receipt further stated, “This charge is for employee and retention programs and is not a gratuity.”
Airport Retailer’s Surcharge Raises Questions
The reporter, identified as “brycegruber” from her handle, questioned the purpose of the surcharge. She stated in the video that Hudson News did not “clearly have it printed anywhere” that there was a 3% surcharge for “whatever that is on anything.” The reporter recounted being at the airport “just a few days ago.”
She explained that she asked employees at the airport if they were receiving any special programs or felt any benefits from this 3% charge. According to the reporter, the employees she asked “all said no.” The reporter expressed strong disapproval, stating, “You know I love supporting businesses doing good things, but this is f–k off.” She also mentioned, “this is farkakta.”
Anticipating a common defense, the reporter addressed the possibility of the surcharge being a credit card processing fee. She asserted that such a fee “actually violates the contracts that Visa, American Express, MasterCard, and all the others have in place with these merchants.” The reporter concluded her video by asking viewers if they had encountered similar charges from this or other retailers.
The video reportedly garnered numerous comments from viewers who shared similar experiences or reacted to the surcharge. Many viewers appeared to express concern or frustration regarding unexpected charges. Unexpected charges on a bill have drawn complaints well beyond airport bookstores, as a woman in Hawaii was hit with a kitchen appreciation fee on her restaurant bill.
One commenter stated, “This a lawsuit waiting.”
Another viewer shared an experience, writing, “We went to Six Flags and got an $8 stuffie for our daughter. The person gave himself a $40 tip.”
A user recounted a recent incident, saying, “This just happened to me at a brewery in Dumbo. Bill had an added gratuity I didn’t see bc the server just brought me the machine with the tip page open already when I went to close out. I have to email the place now to get them to remove the extra tip. Shadyyy”
According to the video’s creator, another comment suggested a broader issue, stating, “So they’re just scamming us for even more money 😂”
A viewer also remarked, “They also need to stop this and the chargers card fees and bag fees”
One user highlighted customer inaction, stating, “Customers notice it, but don’t say anything, and that’s the problem, and why businesses continue doing it. I went to a restaurant and was charged an automatic 20%, I demanded it removed, they said NO. I told them I was walking out w/o paying, they then agreed to remove it. The same day I left them a 1 star Google review.” Speaking up about a surprise charge can be its own battle, as one customer confronted a Tampa manager over a hidden to-go box fee and was asked to leave.
