The next time you dine out, watch out for hidden fees on the menu. You may see a concession fee, a venue fee or a surcharge for things you thought were included in the meal.

Look for them in the fine print at the bottom of the menu, placed near the food allergy warnings.

How about a nearly 5% “concession fee”? You might see it on the menu listed with the letters “CNF”. What’s that?

It’s a fee that the restaurant simply makes up to try to compensate for other losses. It can be named a “venue fee”. But these fees are not mandated by any state or regulatory authority.

Some restaurants now even charge for bread at your table, but they only tell you about it when you spot the charge on the menu or you’ve already consumed a piece or two.

So can restaurants make these charges? Yes.

Can they stick? Since these fees are not government mandated, they are negotiable. So ask about them before you order your food.