BRUNCH PRICE INDEX / REPORTING HOOKS
October 25, 2026

Use the evidence label with each hook. A menu fact is not a verified final bill.

NATIONAL

 | A $20 Dish Can Mean A $29.74 Budget Before An Optional Tip
Conditional Estimate
At Residents Cafe & Bar, $20 Bourbon Caramel Pancakes plus $6 drip coffee make a $26 menu subtotal. Assuming the published 4% charge uses that pre-tax subtotal, the charge is $1.04. Applying 10% tax to $27.04 gives $2.70, for a $29.74 estimate.
Scope: One diner, no refill. Assumes a pre-tax charge base and taxable charge. Excludes optional tips, other purchases and unconfirmed charges. Not a receipt or verified final bill. Six or more introduces an unresolved simultaneous-charge scenario.
https://www.residentsdc.com/faq
https://www.residentsdc.com/brunch
https://cfo.dc.gov/page/tax-rates-and-revenues-sales-and-use-taxes-alcoholic-beverage-taxes-and-tobacco-taxes
https://mytaxdc.wordpress.com/2023/03/27/otr-tax-notice-2023-03-sales-tax-on-additional-mandatory-charges-as-a-result-of-initiative-82/

 | A $4 Coffee Has A $6 Menu Subtotal After Two $1 Refills
Menu Calculation
At either reviewed Two Hands branch, one $4 drip coffee and two $1 refills sum to $6 before tax and charges. Buttermilk Kitchen lists $5 bottomless drip coffee.
Scope: Addition of published menu amounts. It does not compare equal liquid volumes, drink quality or final bills.
https://www.twohandshospitality.com/location/two-hands-dallas/
https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/sales/city.php
https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/94-117.php
https://www.twohandshospitality.com/location/two-hands-nashville/
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/notices/sales/sales24-11.pdf
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/notices/sales/sales25-27.pdf
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f806071b53c24501c951e5/8f8980d1-8abc-4461-a803-ae54f3299d56/BK+Menu+SEP-NOV+2026-images-0.jpg
https://www.buttermilkkitchen.com/menu
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f806071b53c24501c951e5/16801f89-a34c-4c1b-9c74-0e028f8465a4/BK+Menu+SEP-NOV+2026-images-1.jpg
https://dor.georgia.gov/document/document/httpsdorgeorgiagovdocumentdocumentgeneral-rate-chart-effective-october-1-2026/download

 | What Comes With The Plate Can Change A Brunch Comparison
Verified Menu Findings
A $33 named breakfast at Lumière includes a coffee choice. Buttermilk Kitchen’s $17.50 Triple Play includes eggs, a pancake and meat before coffee is added. The original national panel supplies food-only category context.
Scope: Named meals with different recipes and portions. No standardized value score, cheapest-city claim, consumer survey result or inflation conclusion.
https://www.lumierebrasserie.com/location/lumiere-fairmont-century-plaza/
https://www.lumierebrasserie.com/menu/brunch/
https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f806071b53c24501c951e5/8f8980d1-8abc-4461-a803-ae54f3299d56/BK+Menu+SEP-NOV+2026-images-0.jpg
https://www.buttermilkkitchen.com/menu
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f806071b53c24501c951e5/16801f89-a34c-4c1b-9c74-0e028f8465a4/BK+Menu+SEP-NOV+2026-images-1.jpg
https://dor.georgia.gov/document/document/httpsdorgeorgiagovdocumentdocumentgeneral-rate-chart-effective-october-1-2026/download

REGIONAL

Northeast | A New York Wrap And Coffee Put A $25 Menu Subtotal In View
Verified menu inputs; separate conditional models
Use P.S. Kitchen’s $20 tofu wrap and $5 coffee as a named-order budgeting example. The original regional breakfast-sandwich panel median is $15 across seven branches.
Scope: Expanded meal evidence: three orders at one New York branch. No Northeast-wide full-meal comparison or spending conclusion.
https://www.ps-kitchen.com/brunch1
https://www.ps-kitchen.com/coffeeandtea
https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/business/business-nys-sales-tax.page

Midwest | A Chicago Surcharge Comes With A Removal Option
Verified menu inputs; separate conditional models
Beatrix Fulton Market publishes a removable 3.5% surcharge. Keep that policy fact separate from its conditional tax-inclusive estimates. The original regional breakfast-sandwich panel median is $15 across 11 branches.
Scope: Expanded meal evidence: two orders at one Chicago branch. A single branch cannot establish regional fee prevalence.
https://www.beatrixrestaurants.com/beatrix/fulton-market/
https://www.beatrixrestaurants.com/beatrix/fulton-market/menus/
https://tax.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/tax/research/taxrates/documents/salestaxrates/ordmache-current.txt
https://tax.illinois.gov/research/taxinformation/sales/mpea.html
https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2606398
https://www.ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=08600130

South | Atlanta, Dallas And Nashville Show Why Refill Terms Matter
Verified menu inputs; separate conditional models
Buttermilk Kitchen lists $5 bottomless drip coffee. Both reviewed Two Hands branches list $4 drip coffee and a $1 refill. Their menu terms support a concrete refill-budget story.
Scope: Expanded southern evidence: 24 orders at eight branches in seven cities, with seven operator groups. This is not a standardized regional meal basket; Washington, DC is in the Census South.
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f806071b53c24501c951e5/8f8980d1-8abc-4461-a803-ae54f3299d56/BK+Menu+SEP-NOV+2026-images-0.jpg
https://www.buttermilkkitchen.com/menu
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f806071b53c24501c951e5/16801f89-a34c-4c1b-9c74-0e028f8465a4/BK+Menu+SEP-NOV+2026-images-1.jpg
https://dor.georgia.gov/document/document/httpsdorgeorgiagovdocumentdocumentgeneral-rate-chart-effective-october-1-2026/download
https://www.twohandshospitality.com/location/two-hands-dallas/
https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/sales/city.php
https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/94-117.php
https://www.twohandshospitality.com/location/two-hands-nashville/
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/notices/sales/sales24-11.pdf
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/notices/sales/sales25-27.pdf

West | The Coffee Is Already Included In One $33 Los Angeles Breakfast
Verified menu inputs; separate conditional models
Lumière’s named breakfast includes a drink choice. It gives consumer and travel editors a specific example of why a meal’s inclusions belong beside its price.
Scope: Expanded meal evidence: one order at one Los Angeles branch. Original-panel western breakfast-sandwich median: $15 across 13 branches. No western full-bill average or city ranking.
https://www.lumierebrasserie.com/location/lumiere-fairmont-century-plaza/
https://www.lumierebrasserie.com/menu/brunch/
https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx

PRIORITY CITIES

Atlanta | What A $22.50 Brunch Menu Subtotal Includes
Menu Calculation
Buttermilk Kitchen’s $17.50 Triple Play includes two eggs, one buttermilk pancake and a side of sausage or bacon. Add the listed $5 bottomless drip coffee for a $22.50 menu subtotal.
Scope: One named order before tax and charges. Milk or flavor additions cost extra; bottomless applies to the published coffee choice.
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f806071b53c24501c951e5/8f8980d1-8abc-4461-a803-ae54f3299d56/BK+Menu+SEP-NOV+2026-images-0.jpg
https://www.buttermilkkitchen.com/menu
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f806071b53c24501c951e5/16801f89-a34c-4c1b-9c74-0e028f8465a4/BK+Menu+SEP-NOV+2026-images-1.jpg
https://dor.georgia.gov/document/document/httpsdorgeorgiagovdocumentdocumentgeneral-rate-chart-effective-october-1-2026/download

New York City | A Tofu Wrap And Coffee Make A $25 Menu Subtotal
Menu Calculation
P.S. Kitchen lists a $20 Tofu Scramble Wrap and $5 house brewed coffee. The menu subtotal is $25 before tax and any charges.
Scope: One branch at 246 W 48th St. Queso and avocado additions are excluded. Coffee size and refill terms are unestablished; an older group-policy disclosure is not confirmed by the current capture.
https://www.ps-kitchen.com/brunch1
https://www.ps-kitchen.com/coffeeandtea
https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/business/business-nys-sales-tax.page

Chicago | Beatrix Fulton Market’s 3.5% Surcharge Is Removable On Request
Verified Menu Finding
The branch publishes a 3.5% surcharge to offset costs and allows a removal request. One $15.95 lemon-pancake order plus $4.50 coffee has a $20.45 menu subtotal.
Scope: Policy is verified from the menu. Tax-inclusive retained and removed amounts are conditional illustrations; the restaurant has not confirmed the surcharge’s calculation base.
https://www.beatrixrestaurants.com/beatrix/fulton-market/
https://www.beatrixrestaurants.com/beatrix/fulton-market/menus/
https://tax.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/tax/research/taxrates/documents/salestaxrates/ordmache-current.txt
https://tax.illinois.gov/research/taxinformation/sales/mpea.html
https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2606398
https://www.ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=08600130

Houston | Traveler’s Table Lists A 20% Gratuity At Ten Diners
Verified Menu Finding
The Houston menu lists a 20% gratuity for parties of ten or more. It also lists $17 Ube Pancakes and $4 Café de Olla, a $21 menu subtotal.
Scope: Café de Olla is a named specialty coffee, not a standardized drip order. Group calculation bases and the employee-distribution condition for Texas gratuity tax treatment remain unresolved.
https://www.travelerstable.com/menus/
https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/sales/city.php
https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/94-117.php

Washington, DC | A $20 Pancake Dish Leads To A Conditional $29.74 Estimate
Verified Inputs / Conditional Total
The menu facts are $20 Bourbon Caramel Pancakes, $6 drip coffee and a 4% operational charge. The one-person estimate reaches $29.74 under the stated tax and charge assumptions.
Scope: The dollar total is conditional, not a verified menu price or bill. A separate 20% gratuity at six diners creates unresolved simultaneous-charge bases; those group totals are withheld.
https://www.residentsdc.com/faq
https://www.residentsdc.com/brunch
https://cfo.dc.gov/page/tax-rates-and-revenues-sales-and-use-taxes-alcoholic-beverage-taxes-and-tobacco-taxes
https://mytaxdc.wordpress.com/2023/03/27/otr-tax-notice-2023-03-sales-tax-on-additional-mandatory-charges-as-a-result-of-initiative-82/

Dallas | Two Hands Lists A $4 Coffee And A Separate $1 Refill
Verified Menu Finding
The Dallas branch menu lists $4 drip coffee and $1 refills. One coffee with two refills therefore has a $6 menu subtotal before tax and charges.
Scope: Cup sizes are not specified. An automatic 20% gratuity is listed at six or more; group tax treatment and the percentage base are not established.
https://www.twohandshospitality.com/location/two-hands-dallas/
https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/sales/city.php
https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/94-117.php

Miami | Waffles And An Americano Have A $20 Menu Subtotal
Menu Calculation
Love Life Cafe lists $15.50 waffles and a $4.50 Americano. Those named items sum to $20 before tax and any charges.
Scope: An Americano is not drip coffee. The additional restaurant levy depends on branch licensing and revenue conditions not established here; no combined tax-inclusive total is approved.
https://lovelifecafe.com/drinks
https://lovelifecafe.com/visit
https://lovelifecafe.com/menu
https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx
https://edr.state.fl.us/content/local-government/data/county-municipal/2026LDSSrates.pdf
https://www.homelesstrust.org/homeless-trust/about-us/home.page
https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser1499797928395868

Los Angeles | Lumière’s $33 Breakfast Includes A Coffee Choice
Verified Menu Finding
The American Breakfast at Fairmont Century Plaza includes eggs, bacon, breakfast potatoes, toast and a choice of drip coffee, tea or juice for a $33 menu price.
Scope: One specific breakfast, before tax and additional charges. Do not add a second standalone coffee price or infer unlimited refills.
https://www.lumierebrasserie.com/location/lumiere-fairmont-century-plaza/
https://www.lumierebrasserie.com/menu/brunch/
https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx

Charlotte | At Easy Like Sunday, $19.95 French Toast Includes Bacon
Verified Menu Finding
The Charlotte menu lists Ricotta Stuffed French Toast at $19.95 with berry compote and bacon. A listed $4.75 drip coffee makes a $24.70 menu subtotal.
Scope: Exact Charlotte branch at 1600 E Woodlawn Rd. Optional additions are excluded. No claim of the city’s best value, lowest price or a verified final bill.
https://easylikesundayclt.com/charlotte-easy-like-sunday-food-menu
https://easylikesundayclt.com/
https://easylikesundayclt.com/charlotte-easy-like-sunday-drink-menu
https://www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/sales-and-use-tax/other-sales-and-use-tax-resources/important-notices-issued-sales-and-use-tax-division/important-notice-mecklenburg-county-sales-and-use-tax-increase
https://mecknc.widen.net/s/ztwjqllljf/prepared-food-and-beverage-return-and-instructions

Nashville | Five Or Six Diners? Two Nashville Menus Set Different Group Rules
Verified Menu Finding
Midtown Cafe says a 20% gratuity may be added at five or more unless otherwise requested. Two Hands lists an automatic 20% gratuity at six or more.
Scope: Preserve the distinction between conditional/removable and automatic wording. Both branches were reviewed against the effective 2026 CBID map. Unresolved group totals remain withheld.
https://www.midtowncafe.com/breakfast-menu
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/notices/sales/sales24-11.pdf
https://revenue.support.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/360058139672-SUT-13-Sales-and-Use-Tax-Rates-Overview
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/notices/sales/sales25-27.pdf
https://www.twohandshospitality.com/location/two-hands-nashville/