Sudbury Town Crier 7/30/09: Sudbury may adopt local meal tax; restaurateurs not pleased . Sudbury officials are seriously considering adopting the .75 percent local meal tax option as well as increasing the room tax, said Selectman Bill Keller.

Local restaurateurs fear that adding another tax on top of the 1.25 percent sales tax increase, bringing the total to 7 percent tax on meals – a 2 percent increase, will drive away customers at a time they can least afford.

“The .75 percent increase is not that much, but it has a tremendous psychological impact on the consumer,” said Steven Cochran, owner of Sky Restaurant on Boston Post Road. “Suppose Sudbury goes to 7 percent and Wayland stays at 6.25, everybody in that market will know the tax is higher in Sudbury, so they’ll say, ‘Let’s go to Wayland it’s less expensive.’ ’’.