Please explain fast food taxes in Miami (downtown) (sales, sales tax)

[itinérant]

I went to Subway today. The sub was $6. I had to pay $6.47 even though I got it to go? Is there a fast food tax? If so, why did I pay more than 6%? Also, had I dined in, would I have had to pay a dining room tax.

BTW: The sub was not hot.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by itinérant

I went to Subway today. The sub was $6. I had to pay $6.47 even though I got it to go? Is there a fast food tax? If so, why did I pay more than 6%? Also, had I dined in, would I have had to pay a dining room tax.

BTW: The sub was not hot.

First of all, the sales tax in Miami is 7%, not 6%. But more to your point, prepared foods are a taxable item. It doesn't matter if you dine in or carry out. And it wouldn't matter if you bought the sub at Subway or at a Publix deli counter. If they put the ingredients together for you, then it's a prepared item and it is fully taxable.

Is this the first time you've ever eaten fast food or gone to any type of restaurant before?

[Marc Middleton]

Originally Posted by MadManofBethesda

Is this the first time you've ever eaten fast food or gone to any type of restaurant before?

Shocking the questions asked on here...a 5 second google search would reveal the sales tax in Miami-Dade.

[Bobdreamz]

Well some people don't know what is taxable and what isn't.
Food in Florida usually isn't taxed unless it's prepared such as a sub or a rotisserie chicken from Publix.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by Bobdreamz

Well some people don't know what is taxable and what isn't.
Food in Florida usually isn't taxed unless it's prepared such as a sub or a rotisserie chicken from Publix.

As you say, food in a grocery store isn't usually taxed unless it's prepared, so that can be confusing to some. But, come on now, who doesn't know that sales tax is applied at restaurants, including fast food establishments?

[Marc Middleton]

Originally Posted by MadManofBethesda

But, come on now, who doesn't know that sales tax is applied at restaurants, including fast food establishments?

Exactly, no one is talking about milk at Publix. You go to any food business and there is tax, any retail store, etc.

[oronzous]

seems you paid 8% taxes. Sub was 5.99+ 48 cents taxes = 6.47

6% FL sales taxes
1% Miami Dade County sales taxes

the other 1% could be Homeless and Domestic Violence Tax ¿did the place sell alcohol?
Miami-Dade County - Tax Collector - Tourist and Convention Development Taxes

[itinérant]

Originally Posted by MadManofBethesda

First of all, the sales tax in Miami is 7%, not 6%. But more to your point, prepared foods are a taxable item. It doesn't matter if you dine in or carry out. And it wouldn't matter if you bought the sub at Subway or at a Publix deli counter. If they put the ingredients together for you, then it's a prepared item and it is fully taxable.

Is this the first time you've ever eaten fast food or gone to any type of restaurant before?

Yes, I had eaten out before, including at fast food restaurants.

Maybe in Maryland they had a "prepared foods" tax. I don't recall.

I don't recall there having been one in California. In California, if I recall correctly, they had a hot foods tax. Thus, if you got a tuna sub and it wasn't toasted, you didn't have to pay tax. By contrast, if you got a tuna sub and had it toasted (tuna melt), you had to pay tax.

Nor do I recall there having been one in Ohio. I don't recall having paid tax on any food items in Ohio, even if they were prepared.

[itinérant]

Originally Posted by Marc Middleton

Exactly, no one is talking about milk at Publix. You go to any food business and there is tax, any retail store, etc.

I'm not from Florida, Marc. I don't recall having paid such a tax in California and Ohio.

California can get a little tricky because, as you can imagine, taxes abound. But, to use Subway as the example, I don't recall every having paid a tax on a sub that I didn't have toasted.

In Ohio, I don't recall every having paid taxes on any kind of food in Ohio. IIRC, if you went to a fast food restaurant and ordered your food to go, you didn't have to pay taxes. There was, however, a dine-in tax. There was also a beverage tax (at least on certain types of beverages).

[itinérant]

Originally Posted by oronzous

seems you paid 8% taxes. Sub was 5.99+ 48 cents taxes = 6.47

6% FL sales taxes
1% Miami Dade County sales taxes

the other 1% could be Homeless and Domestic Violence Tax ¿did the place sell alcohol?
Miami-Dade County - Tax Collector - Tourist and Convention Development Taxes

They are apparently charging a 2% tax on fast food in Miami-Dade County. This was the winning post. Thanks.