# Whats your sales tax rate at restaurants? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 3, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-sales-tax-rate-at-restaurants/665283 "2013-08-03T23:11:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-sales-tax-rate-at-restaurants/665283/21 "2013-08-04T21:28:24Z")
0% sales tax in Cayman, but most imported items are subject to a 22% import duty. Duty is applied to the wholesale cost. That usually works out to about 10% of the retail price. Most food is imported and only the most basic staples are duty free. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-sales-tax-rate-at-restaurants/665283/22 "2013-08-04T21:28:51Z")
In my locale, 9.5% state/county/city sales tax on all but unprepared food. That’s taxed at 5%. In Tennessee, we’re just the opposite of Oregon: we have no income tax on wages and salaries, but do have a sales tax. The hospitality tax doesn’t apply to restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-sales-tax-rate-at-restaurants/665283/23 "2013-08-04T22:31:18Z")
My state’s no sales tax weekend is just finishing. School supplies, kids clothes, backpacks were tax free this weekend. The malls were packed. I’ve noticed several states offer something similar. It helps a lot getting the kids ready for the next school term. Thats only a couple weeks away. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-sales-tax-rate-at-restaurants/665283/24 "2013-08-05T01:35:20Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > But at fancier restaurants – defined pretty much as any that accept credit cards – they will tack on the 7% plus another 10% service charge. We were pleased to find yesterday that Bangkok’s branch of Outback does not levy a service charge, just the 7% tax. Tipping is still not all that common in Thailand, although it’s becoming more so. But when it is done, it’s never a percentage. I left 100 baht behind, just over three bucks American, and that would be considered high for this type of place even though the bill came to about US$117. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-sales-tax-rate-at-restaurants/665283/25 "2013-08-05T13:41:16Z")
6.25% state sales tax + 0.75% local sales tax. The surrounding towns don’t levy the additional tax. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-sales-tax-rate-at-restaurants/665283/26 "2013-08-05T13:52:44Z")
Indianapolis (well, Marion County) is 7% sales tax, with an added 2% for restaurants to help pay for Lucas Oil Stadium. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-sales-tax-rate-at-restaurants/665283/27 "2013-08-05T14:00:05Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > Our sales tax is the same at restaurants as if you were buying any other taxable item: 8½% Ours is much the same way, but varies by county (6% Texas sales tax, plus up to 2.25% local sales tax), so if you buy a hamburger or a flat-screen TV, the tax will be the same as long as you buy them in the same locality. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-sales-tax-rate-at-restaurants/665283/28 "2013-08-06T01:09:38Z")
Pennsylvania 6% tax on non-necessities. (Food isn’t taxed, soda & prepared foods are. Clothing isn’t taxed but luxury items like tuxedos & sports apparel is. I bought a new winter jacket; there was a little metal clip on the arm to hook your lift tickets to. This made it a ski jacket instead of a winter coat, so taxed even though I don’t ski. :smack:) Philly adds 2% additional & Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) adds 1%. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-sales-tax-rate-at-restaurants/665283.md?page=1)