The True Menu Chicago Playbook
Welcome to the action hub of True Menu Chicago. Changing the dining culture of our city isn’t just about calling out bad habits online—it’s about empowering everyday diners, spreading awareness safely, and showing ethical restaurateurs that honesty is the best business model.
Explore our core community guides below to get started.
The Diner’s Guide: 3 Questions to Ask Before Ordering
You shouldn’t have to wait until the check drops to find out what you’re paying. Take control of your dining experience by turning friendly curiosity into accountability. Before you place your order, ask your server these three straightforward questions:
“Are there any automatic surcharges, service fees, or employee wellness additions applied to the bill here?”
Why it matters: This stops surprises before they happen and signals to management that guests are paying attention to the fine print.
“Does this fee go directly to increasing the hourly wages and financial security of the front-of-house and back-of-house staff?”
Why it matters: It cuts through vague corporate fee pooling and ensures transparency on whether your money is supporting workers or general operating costs.
“Is this a full-service establishment, or a self-serve/hybrid model?”
Why it matters: Protects you from paying full-service tipping rates or hidden service costs at counters where you clear your own table.
For Restaurateurs: An Open Letter on Transparent Hospitality
Dear Chicago Restaurateur,
We love you. Seriously. Without your kitchens, your late nights, and your passion, Chicago wouldn’t be one of the greatest food cities on the planet.
We know why surcharges crept into the industry in the first place—navigating margins, labor shifts, and economic pressures is brutal. But here is the hard truth: hidden fees are destroying consumer trust, and blanket frustration is hurting everyone.
When diners get burned by unexpected “wellness fees” or mystery percentages at multiple spots, they grow cynical toward the entire Chicago dining scene. Worse yet, it actively penalizes the honest restaurateur who chooses to bake their actual costs directly into the menu items. On paper, your honest $20 dish might look “more expensive” than a competitor’s $18 dish that tacks on a surprise 20% at the end. That is a race to the bottom, and it punishes ethical operators.
True Menu Chicago is here to change that narrative. We want to build a directory that proudly rewards transparency, driving a wedge between deceptive practices and upfront, ethical hospitality. When what guests see on the menu is exactly what they pay, you build long-term community loyalty that no hidden fee can ever buy.
Let’s keep Chicago dining honest, sustainable, and trusted.
— The True Menu Chicago Community