Shabby Restaurant Owners?

I always figured that tips were tips - you pool them, share with the back of house staff that don't have any opportunity to get them directly and everone goes home happy.

I hadn't realized that some owners were helping themselves to the take, and on very thin rationalizations (basically "Because we can!").

Batali, I could see, somehow, but Joe, Joe, I am disappointed in you! Is this practice widespread?

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/mario-batali-agrees-to-5-25-million-settlement-over-employee-tips/?hpw

No idea if its widespread or not. Since the tipping custom in the US is as a percentage of the bill and as we have elevated chefs to celebrity status to the point that they can charge more simply because they own the place, does it not follow that a portion of tips generate are due to no other reason than who owns the restaurant. If the owner is the reason for the tip being artificially inflated, I can make a connection to them making claim to a portion of the tips. I don't support it but I can understand the logic.

All things being equal I don't tip owners. Tips are for staff.

All things being equal I don't tip owners. Tips are for staff.

As part of growing up my father said, "you do not tip the owner of the barbershop when he gives you a haircut just the other barbers in the shop."

I always figured that tips were tips - you pool them, share with the back of house staff that don't have any opportunity to get them directly and everone goes home happy.

I hadn't realized that some owners were helping themselves to the take, and on very thin rationalizations (basically "Because we can!").

Batali, I could see, somehow, but Joe, Joe, I am disappointed in you! Is this practice widespread?

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/mario-batali-agrees-to-5-25-million-settlement-over-employee-tips/?hpw

Saw this earlier today. I don't understand what they thought their justification was, other than "Because we can". It just seems so wrong. I wish it had been $10.25M.

When I had my restaurant going I asked the waitstaff to "tip out". Once a month I divided the funds among the hourly non tipped personnel.