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No Tips At Glendale's Brand 158 Because It Pays Its Waiters More
Glendale’s new Brand 158 restaurant is setting itself apart by not allowing tips, since it apparently pays its waiters well.
Restaurant owner Gabriel Frem said he wants to pay his servers a decent wage to create a steady work environment, according to a story in the Los Angeles Times . Since there’s less competition and worry about how much money servers will make, that lack of tension will translate to better customer service, he says.
“We think that if we stabilize the lives of our employees, they can then focus on the customer,” Frem says.
One more thing: Paying in cash is strongly discouraged. Frem says it’s for sanitary resasons:
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“It’s always fascinated me in a restaurant that someone, especially your bartender, is touching cash, then squeezing a lemon in your drink. I wanted to eliminate that."
Though discouraging tipping is a common practice in Europe, it’s rarely done here, save for restaurants like Trois Mec and Nozawa Bar in L.A. Frem says he avoids charging higher-than-normal prices (pizzas run from $12 to $17, for instance) by getting his servers to do other things as well, like help with social media:
“You don’t have to make a lot of adjustments to your menu. If you’re planning smartly, you’re letting people help you with certain things in the restaurant that would require a third party to come in and do.”
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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