San Francisco Eateries Are Enforcing a No-Puking Rule

While imbibing heavily during long lunch (or brunch) breaks may seem like a relic best left to the characters on Mad Men, there remains a contingent of people who drink to excess. Case in point: eateries in the San Francisco Bay area have taken to charging people for puking on the premises.

According to sfgate.com, a number of restaurants have started warning of a clean-up fee for those who overindulge on mimosas or other alcoholic beverages during lunchtime. At Kitchen Story in Oakland, management has posted a sign in the bathroom cautioning that anyone hurling will incur a $50 upchuck upcharge. It’s addressed to “mimosa lovers.”

The problem apparently grew worse during the coronavirus pandemic, when the need to clean up bodily fluids was especially concerning given the potential for disease transmission. But restaurateurs aren’t blameless: brunches that advertise bottomless mimosas are also contributing to the problem. Some eateries leave a pitcher of the drink at tables, which can encourage overindulgence. Others, like Kitchen Story, partition out the drink and keep them coming only for a period of time—often 60 minutes.

Mimosas, which are a combination of champagne and orange juice, are named for the mimosa plant, Acacia dealbata, which shares the same bright orange-and-yellow color as the drink. For some, it may go down a little too easily.

The signs seem to be working. Management at both Kitchen Story and Home Plate tell sfgate.com that since the $50 fee was introduced, there have been fewer pukers. At the latter site, some patrons were put off by the public warning, which was posted on walls. Management moved it to where it would be most likely to be useful: at the bottom of the drink menu.