| Submit your comments on this article |
| Economy |
| North Raleigh brewery ditching tip system for livable wage salaries |
| 2021-05-06 |
| [WRAL] Releigh, NC. — Restaurants might be open and allowed to serve more customers, but it doesn't mean they are back to normal. Heyday Brewing in north Raleigh opened up about eight weeks ago. General Manager Harrison Lassiter says they are trying out a new method to pay staff. Employees here don’t get tips, instead, they make more than double the state’s minimum wage. "A lot of excitement over the place, the community that we have here has been really excited," Lassiter said. One of the first things you’ll notice when you walk in is a sign that reads, "a 15% living wage service fee will be included on every check." "This allows us to create a little bit more equity between the different positions in the restaurant," Lassiter said. Lassiter says employees make $15 an hour — more than double the state's minimum wage, which is $7.25 per hour. "We were upfront when they signed up with us," he explained. "It’s a different model. A lot of restaurants in this industry, especially in Raleigh, are playing around with different models and I think everyone is trying to figure out what’s best for them right now. So far, I think our employees have been completely open to it and enjoying it." Lassiter says they have been transparent with customers as well. He believes this method is a much better option than raising food and beverage prices. He says the 15% is strictly used for labor. "I think it’s very important to us that we are upfront about it and everyone knows exactly what we’re trying to do," Lassiter said. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #6 It's a freakin' craft brewpub. Overpriced everything, uncomfortable trendy seats, all items served with ranch dressing. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2021-05-06 15:05 |
| #5 Why do I get the vibe this is not supported by actual number crunching, or even a gut instinct honed by years of successful business management? I guess, from a management position though, you no longer have to hear the shitty loudmouth hiding in the break room complain about the hustler who cares about the customer gets better tips. Of course that flies in the face of the Gods of the Market Place, "Nothing so discourages and chases off the good employee like management tolerating the behavior of a bad employee." |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2021-05-06 13:53 |
| #4 That 15% 'tip' will represent a sizeable pay cut to my servers (with a couple of notable exceptions.) |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2021-05-06 09:36 |
| #3 I used to eat at a restaurant where I got clued that tips added to tabs paid with a credit card were being skimmed by the management, cheating the servers. I've tipped cash only ever since, separate from my bill. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2021-05-06 09:16 |
| #2 so they are just automatically adding the tip, just another way of acting like they are so high and mighty while doing nothing different. I bet the servers still expect a tip too. |
| Posted by: Chris 2021-05-06 08:47 |
| #1 When you see the size of your tab, tipping will be far from your mind. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2021-05-06 08:02 |