New York City minimum wage taking toll on restaurants

New York City restaurants are proposing a surcharge for all diners to cover the rising cost of wages.

A group of more than 100 owners are pushing for lawmakers to let them add an extra 5% to weather next year’s hike in the minimum wage to $15 as well as the rising cost of food and rent.

“We’re seeing restaurants go out of business,” Apple-Metro CEO Zane Tankel said Tuesday during an interview on FOX Business’ “Evening Edit.”

Tankel argues that the minimum-wage hike will destroy jobs and force restaurants to raise menu prices.

“They would rather see a surcharge,” he said.

The group of restaurant owners say they have endured nine mandated wage increases over past several years and pleaded with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, in an open letter.

“Allow us the option of using a clearly disclosed surcharge to generate the revenue to simply survive,” they wrote.

Tankel, who owns 38 Applebee’s restaurants, said New York City’s progressive policies have pushed restaurant owners to the breaking point.

“Our mayor has never run a business in his life,” he said. “Our governor has never run a business in his life,” he added, referring to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Public hearings started last month.