Security is being served a la carte at a Waffle House in downtown Atlanta. According to the Athens Banner-Herald, the restaurant has been charging 20 percent extra for security – essentially turning any $5 menu item into a $6 item – to pay for an off-duty police officer to provide security.

The Waffle House is located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, and whole the area is home to the chain’s corporate headquarters, it is also a high-crime area that makes a security officer imperative for any 24-hour establishment. There were 260 major felony crimes reported last year in the eatery’s police beat, the Banner-Herald reports.

While Waffle House spokespeople say that no specific incident prompted the hire, it was noted that the officer is mainly for crowd control in the high-traffic area.

While some customers are baffled by the surcharge, the Atlanta location tries to notify customers as they enter. A sign on the door says all orders will include “a 20 percent property management surcharge” in addition to local sales taxes. Similar notes are placed at tables and printed on checks, the article says.

How would you handle the extra costs of a security officer? Leave a comment below and join the conversation.