A rooftop restaurant in Beverly Hills responded after a viral social media post claimed it charged a $110 cake cutting fee during a group dinner. The restaurant, Poza, is located on top of L’Ermitage Beverly Hills and came under criticism after a food influencer shared a photo of the bill on Instagram.
The influencer, known as @justinelovesushi, posted that the restaurant added a cake cutting fee of $10 per person for a party of 11 people. The total dinner bill was more than $1,100, but the extra charge quickly became the center of attention online.
The video received more than 355,000 views and thousands of comments. Many people debated whether the cake cutting fee was reasonable. Some users said high-end restaurants often charge service fees when customers bring in outside desserts. Others felt the restaurant should have clearly explained the cake cutting fee before serving the cake.
Several users criticized the charge. One person wrote that paying $110 just to cut a cake seemed excessive. Another user said the restaurant should have informed the guests in advance before adding the cake cutting fee to the bill.
A restaurant owner also commented on the post, saying customers should always be told about extra charges ahead of time. The owner added that while their restaurant also charges a fee for outside cakes, it is usually lower and often capped for larger parties.
After the backlash, Poza released a public response on Instagram. The restaurant apologized and admitted the guests should have been informed about the cake cutting fee when they brought the cake into the restaurant.
Poza also offered to refund the fee and invited the influencer back for another dining experience. In addition, the restaurant announced it has reduced its cake cutting fee from $10 per person to $5 per person moving forward.