Philly soda tax in Delco? Mistake leaves sour taste
RIDLEY PARK » As he does a couple times a week, a Boeing employee pulled into the driveway of the Stewart Avenue Wendy’s Monday and ordered the Number 4 meal — complete with Double Baconator, fries and soda.
By the time he pulled into the Royal Farms next door, he could tell something was off. Even though it was in Delaware County, he was charged a 45-cent Philadelphia beverage tax.
“What the hell’s going on?” Robert Marchetti asked himself. “We’re not in Philadelphia. I don’t understand how they’re charging us a Philadelphia charge. That’s kind of ridiculous.”
He responded as most 21st-century residents do: He took to social media. In one hour, his 80-word missive had been shared 100 times – and the comments were mounting. By Wednesday afternoon, it had been shared 589 times.
“I just figured I’d put it on Facebook with family and friends, nothing crazy,” the Boothwyn resident said. “It went viral overnight.”
And, not before Al “Big Al” Zaffiri and Hollywood Holbrook of Rambo’s Delco Radio got involved.
Hearing of Marchetti’s plight, the duo picked up their smartphones and headed on a mission 11 p.m. Monday.
First, they went to the Wendy’s on MacDade Boulevard in Ridley – no soda surcharge. Then, they headed to the Stewart Avenue facility, where they were tagged with tax.
So they took to Facebook Live.
Zaffiri explained, “We wanted to get it out there, not to get anybody in trouble, but (to tell people) take notice of your receipt. We posted it just to give people fair warning.”
The 1.5 cent-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages was imposed by Philadelphia City Council in January. It is only supposed to be collected within city limits.
Marchetti said he had first attempted to reach Wendy’s corporate, who told him to call the general manager. He said the GM didn’t call him back – and that’s when he decided to post the Facebook fair warning.
Parts of the multitude of comments delved into the injustice of the situation and even a heated debate with a Wendy’s employee.
Marchetti says he was just trying to give friends and family the heads up for something he thought odd.
And, now, he’s going to have to change his behavior – Wendy’s might not be a part of his lunchtime routine.
“Hell no,” Marchetti said about going back.
And so – potentially – ends Marchetti’s love for the Wendy’s Baconator meal.
His adoration for the fast food eatery dates back to when he was 10-yearsold, growing up in Prospect Park and him coming home with two big containers of chili.
But, the Baconator is what did it for him.
“It was good, it was great, it was one of the better things that they served,” he said. “I think I can go on without it.”
After getting notice, Wendy’s said they will refund the surcharge for anyone with a receipt from Monday and for all those who were wronged Monday, they will be given a free beverage – with or without a receipt.
In addition, Wendy’s will be making a donation to the local Boys and Girls Club, the company spokeswoman Heidi Schauer confirmed.
She explained what happened.
“This was a programming error that was quickly identified and corrected on Monday,” Schauer said. “We thank our customers for understanding, and apologize for any inconvenience.”
Zaffiri, who prefers to patronize Mom & Pop shops, said this Wendy’s isn’t really in his neighborhood but this one incident wouldn’t keep him from it.
“If it’s a stupid computer mistake like they said, it makes you wonder, but whatever,” he said.
Both he and Marchetti said what mattered was that the community was aware.
By Wednesday, the soda surcharge had been removed.
“It’s not about 45 cents,” Marchetti said. “If somebody’s in desperate need, I’ll throw them $20. It wasn’t about the 45 cents ... It was about the fact that they were implementing a tax for a county we don’t live in.”