Restaurant Sales Tax Percentages

[Luanne]

Just cleaning out my wallet and I noticed that the sales tax was 6% at a restaurant in Merrifield, but 10% at a Starbucks on Fairfax Blvd near Paul VI high school.

Are both tax rates correct?

Thanks in advance!

[Nick Freshman]

I don't anything about Fairfax, but Arlington has a supplemental meals tax above the state sales tax that makes it 10% instead of 6%. My guess is that the Starbucks is in a jurisdiction with the same--Fairfax city maybe? Or is that part of Falls Church?

Some places create two line items--one for state and one for local--to clarify.

[B.A.R.]

Yes. City of Fairfax tax is higher than Fairfax County

[RWBooneJr]

Are both tax rates correct?

Yes. The general sales tax in Northern Virginia is 6% (4.3% state, 1% local, .7% transportation). Fairfax City (but not Fairfax County), Arlington, and Alexandria also add a 4% meals tax.

[Jeff Heineman]

Wel,l if that isn't a great reason to dine in Bethesda, and Grapeseed in particular. Stop in and enjoy our luxurious 6% Sales tax (you can avoid the 9% on alcohol by bringing your own wine, no tax on corkage). if you become a regular or a general high roller we usually don't even charge the corkage anyway.

[Bart]

There was just an article in the Mt Vernon Gazette about the new meals tax they're talking about doing in Fairfax County.  This table was included:

[SeanMike]

What's the "Collector's Commission/Discount"?

[Bart]

Not sure.  I didn't see it mentioned when I skimmed the article.

[Luanne]

Thank you all for your information. I'm inclined to find a map to note when I am in a 10% zone!

[DonRocks]

I think it would be incredibly useful if someone would come up with a table (no pun intended) of restaurant sales tax percentages (dine-in and carry-out may be different in some places) for our four forums: Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City - and all their corresponding suburbs, such as City of Alexandria, Baltimore County, Prince Georges County, Cherry Hill, NJ, West Chester, PA, Long Island, etc.

There are probably two-dozen autonomous authorities with two-dozen different tax levels, and it would be extremely useful to have them all in one thread.

Would someone please tackle this project? I will put it in the top post, perhaps even in its own thread, and give it some notoriety.