In September 2021, the creators of "South Park," Matt Stone and Trey Parker, bought Casa Bonita, a famous Mexican restaurant in Lakewood, Colorado.
After the restaurant's bankruptcy, they invested $40 million to renovate it. On June 23, Casa Bonita reopened, but with one change: they decided to remove tips, the Denver Post reported.
Instead, wait staff will be paid a flat rate of $30 per hour, which is an increase compared to the previous hourly rate of around $14 to $15 with tips included.
The decision to remove tips was made because guests were not tipping during the soft opening period, which the management believes is due to their unique prepay ticketing system. Customers now purchase tickets in advance for $40 per meal ($25 for kids aged 3 to 12, and free for those under 3).
In addition to providing a "higher-than-average, dependable wage" for its employees, the company notes, the shift "also benefits our guests, who can enjoy Casa Bonita without incurring unexpected costs."
According to a report from Axios, an employee at Casa Bonita revealed the staff was called into a meeting shortly before the reopening where they were presented with new contracts outlining the revised payment structure and given a single day to either sign the agreement or choose to resign.
Indeed, when a Denver Post reporter visited Casa Bonita after it reopened, they could not leave a tip for their drinks because there was no place on the receipt to write in the tip amount.
While the updated payment system might be advantageous for employees during slower days, Axios estimated they could potentially experience a significant reduction in earnings, possibly losing out on "hundreds of dollars per shift" during busier periods.
According to a company statement, the change in the tipping model at Casa Bonita has impacted 93 out of the restaurant's 256 employees, including servers, bussers, and bartenders.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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