Fees for paper bags at fast food restaurants in Pittsburgh surprise patrons
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh's plastic bag ban took effect on Saturday, but it's paper bags, not plastic, that are getting more attention today.
As KDKA-TV money editor Jon Delano reports, consumers who use stores in the city are discovering an extra charge on their bill for paper bags.
When Jacqueline and her son went through a McDonald's drive-thru in the city of Pittsburgh on Monday, she was surprised to find a 10-cent charge for the standard bag in which they got their food.
"McDonald's never used single plastic bags for orders for the drive-thrus. They use paper bags. So I think they're taking advantage of the customers under the city's new plastic bag ban just for profit," says Jacqueline.
KDKA-TV reached out to a McDonald's corporate spokesperson who said it had no choice. The new Pittsburgh ordinance requires it to charge customers 10 cents for each paper bag.
Tobias Raether, the city's environmental compliance officer, says that's exactly what city council mandated.
"In addition to banning plastic bags, it also mandates that businesses charge a minimum of 10 cents per paper bag they provide," says Raether.
Raether says the goal is to encourage shoppers in the city of Pittsburgh to carry their own reusable bags.
"Consider making the even more sustainable choice of bringing their own reusable bag or where they can not get a bag at all."
Of course, when it comes to food at a drive-thru, asking the cashier for food without a bag could get dicey.
"Maybe a cheeseburger would work, but not the french fries. They'd be all over the car," says Jacqueline.
Raether says McDonald's was wrong to charge Jacqueline 10 cents for her food bag because there's an exception for open food. As long as she ordered French fries, the bag should be free.
"There's an exception for any order that contains unwrapped prepared food, so that would include those things in this case like fries, hash browns, or muffins that you get from McDonald's – anything that's not completely wrapped," he said.
Raether says it's not surprising that there are a lot of implementation issues with this new ordinance, and he says the city wants to hear any concerns that customers or retailers have. Just call 3-1-1 or send an email to bagban@pittsburghpa.gov.
This bag ordinance only applies to stores in the city. The McDonald's spokesperson was clear that there is no charge for bags at its stores outside the city.