LA Restaurant Surcharge Triggers Antitrust Class Action

An effort by a group of upscale restaurants to mitigate the cost of employee health plans has resulted in a price-fixing class action in Los Angeles. The plaintiffs allege that the owner of one of the restaurants, Rustic Canyon, colluded with owners of several other LA eateries to add a 3-percent fee to patrons’ bills and thereby violated antitrust laws.