Chapps Burgers Chapps has officially jumped the shark and priced itself out. Arlington Texas

This place has jumped the shark

Yesterday I got a plain cheeseburger and hotdog, even took off the tomatoes, and it ended up costing over $17 - just a burger and hotdog, nothing else. The hotdog was nothing special at all, just a plain hotdog that looked like it could have been had for 2 dollars max at the local QT or RaceTrac. [I can understand the burger being expensive as its high quality meat, but the hotdog was nothing but run of the mill mystery meat] This didn't include drinks or fries or anything else. And Usually when I just get a hamburger (like the popular mushroom cheeseburger) and no hotdog, but add an egg and some avocado slices (not a whole avocado, just some spread) onto the cheeseburger and include the standard drink and fries, this meal alone also ends up costing well over $18 dollars. Yes, at Chapps a hamburger, fries and drinks (add one egg and some avocado spread) ends up over $18 dollars!

I understand economic inflation, the dollar losing its purchasing power, and the general rise in food costs etc, but this is just not reasonable anymore. Plus yesterday when I got the plain cheeseburger and hotdog that costs me over $17, the clerk expected, presented and collected a "tip" through their purchasing "app" on the register touch screen interface even though I had called in the order and went there only to pick up. Basically my order was put in a plastic bag, I was not given any condiments, tissues, ketchup, nothing, there was no "service" it was "togo" and yet they expected and indeed did collect a tip.... Chapps is a fast food restaurant, it is not a sit-down restaurant, there are no waiters, there are no servers, and it is esp. egregious for them to collect a tip or even so much as expect a tip when it was straight takeout. This is just wrong.

This coupled with the fact that in recent weeks they raised prices on their most common/staple items and did not update nor bother to reflect that on their online menu, coupled with the unethical business practice of expecting/charging tips at a fast food restaurant type of service (McDonald's also brings food out to eat in customers but they neither expect nor allow tipping) esp. immoral to expect and charge tips for takeout and phone orders at a fast food place etc. Its just too much for too little. The irony is there is a CiCi's pizza right next door to this place in juxtaposition that only charges ~$8 bucks for all you can eat and drink, offers great salad, soup, custom pizza orders, and esp polite with the manager and employees greeting everyone upon arrival and thanking everyone when they leave, compare this with the gross unprofessional behavior of some of the Chapps clerks that stand there playing games on their phones, openly flirting with each other right in front of and in disrespect for their customers, and causing other distracting commotion such as incessant and uproarious laughter amongst themselves revolving around apparent and inappropriate juvenile jokes, - creating an overall atmosphere not at all conducive for enjoying meals etc...  well suffice it to say there is absolutely no comparison and it’s like night and day. Plus CiCi's Pizza never asked/expects any tips, and certainly don't badger about it upfront right at the checkout/payment interface!

A hamburger, fries and drink should not end up costing more than $18 in 2018, nor a plain hamburger and plain hotdog, with nothing else end up costing more than $17 in 2018. Period. Chapps has officially jumped the shark and priced itself out. And this coming from someone who has spent more than a Benjamin just tips alone at some very high end restaurants, does not bode well for the future of Chapps business strategy and pricing strategy.

https://i.imgur.com/f9ZMx5L.png