Man refuses to pay $4.50 cheese for burger at Chuck’s Roadhouse Bar & Grill. Then he looks at the camera and unzips his hoodie pocket: ‘please don’t…’

A man’s response to a cheese upcharge at a restaurant has been making the rounds on social media. In a video posted by Canadian TikTok user Mitch McClure (@mitchmcclurewealth), the man appears to take matters into his own hands after seeing that Chuck’s Roadhouse Bar & Grill charges $4.50 to add cheese to a $9 burger.

The on-screen text in the video reads, “When Chuck’s wants $4.50 for cheese on a $9 burger.” Mitch is seen sitting at a dark wooden table inside the restaurant. The caption read, “@Chuck’s Roadhouse please don’t raise cheese prices because of this #PersonalFinance #canadianfinance #Budgeting #frugalliving.”

In front of him sits a metal basket lined with red and white checkered paper, holding a deconstructed burger, a patty, a bun topped with sliced white onions and pickles, and a side of french fries.

The moment the man reaches into his hoodie pocket at the restaurant table

Rather than pay the extra charge, the man seemingly came prepared. He reaches into his hoodie pocket, pulls out a single slice of yellow cheese, and places it directly onto his burger patty. He then adjusted the bun and toppings back onto the burger.

The video drew a range of responses in the comments section. One user pointed out that a full 24-pack of Kraft Singles cheese slices was available nearby for $3.95 compared to the usual $5, suggesting the $4.50 single-slice upcharge at the restaurant was excessive. “That’s more than a 24 pack. that should be illegal,” they wrote. Unexpected charges on a bill can lead to outrage over a surprise fee.

Another commenter appeared less sympathetic toward the restaurant, writing, “Pocket cheese nice. Chuck’s is a dump. How’s your cold fries?” seemingly taking issue with the quality of the food beyond just the pricing.

A third viewer raised a separate concern about the chain’s billing practices altogether. “They also have an extra tax on their bills. if you haven’t noticed. they have a chucks tax,” she claimed in her comment. 

Restaurant add-on charges for items like cheese are apparently common in the industry. Toppings are typically priced separately to account for food cost and menu pricing structures. However, a $4.50 upcharge on a $9 item, effectively a 50% increase in price for a single topping, seems to be quite expensive. Other viral videos have documented similar billing surprises, like a Tampa man who found an unexpected item in his Burger King chicken wrap.