JenChan's, a pizza and Chinese eatery nestled in Atlanta's Cabbagetown district, has stirred up significant attention not just for its sourdough-based Vietnamese pork pizza but for a more contentious reason: a surcharge designed to help cover health insurance costs for its full-time employees. The 4% health insurance fee, which was established as a means to contend with soaring premium rates, is openly disclosed to patrons before they even make their menu selections.

Ahead of a wave of divisiveness, Emily Chan, the restaurant's owner, is sticking to the belief that the added charge is not only crucial for her staff's well-being but also serves to spark a dialogue about the burdensome cost of healthcare. Chan expressed, "Of course, people are going to disagree with it, and I think that is what is beautiful about where we live. I want people to disagree because that means we can have a conversation about it. That is fantastic but let us leave the physical violent threats out of the picture," as reported by WSB-TV.

The decision to impose the fee has been met with both support and hostility, including threats of violence towards the restaurant's owners and their family. Despite the backlash that has also taken shape in menacing online posts, Chan remains resolved to maintain the charge, highlighting the gravity of the healthcare crisis and its impact on small businesses. She remarked, "We feel like there’s a pretty huge crisis going on with health insurance. No one can afford it. Nothing has worked," per Atlanta News First.

. Many customers willingly accept the surcharge, understanding that it contributes to a provision that has enabled full-time staff, like lead bartender Sam Hammer since 2022, to afford their health insurance for the first time. "I don’t have money like that and so I was just living my life without it and finally found this job randomly and I fell in love with the people and the place and because of them, I’m able to have health insurance," Hammer told Atlanta News First.