Popular NoDa Restaurant CHARGES For Reservations?

Haberdish is a popular NoDa restaurant that is known for its delicious Southern Cuisine.

Now, Haberdish is ALSO known as a restaurant that CHARGES its customers for reservations.

The cost is $2 per person on weekdays and $3 on the weekends.  That being said, there will still be tables available for walk-in and wait list, which guests can add their names to online for free.

According to owner Jeff Tonidandel as reported in Charlotte Magazine, adding the option to pay for a table, is a way for the restaurant to minimize no-shows and to increase workers’ salaries to a living wage level, something the restaurant recently announced it did for its employees.

Look, it's not that I don't get the reason for doing this, and I understand the notion that it should "cost to hold a table,"  it's just that I think the optics are bad-especially when I can make a reservation RIGHT NOW at any number of five star restaurants in town and not be charged a dime.

I've never eaten at Haberdish.  I would, just haven't.

I'm not sure if this will affect that decision moving forward, but I'm never for giving people a reason to say no without trying the product/service first.

Thoughts?

READ THE FULL CHARLOTTE MAGAZINE STORY HERE