Reopen NYC: Tipping reinstated at Union Square Hospitality Group restaurants due to pandemic

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Union Square Hospitality Group reinstates tipping
The group says it's necessary during the pandemic.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- There's a reversal for one of the pioneers of the no-tipping model at restaurants in New York City.

Union Square Hospitality Group CEO, Danny Meyer, says he will be reinstating tipping at all of his restaurants because of the pandemic.

"Over the course of nearly five years, Hospitality Included was able to make some strides in narrowing the wage gap, but it was never easy to make the math add up for all stakeholders, even in far more robust economic times," Meyer said in an article published on LinkedIn.

The company owns restaurants like Gramercy Tavern and Blue Smoke.

Restaurant revenue will be shared, and total compensation will be increased by an average of 25%.

Meyer is also calling on federal lawmakers to change current tipping rules to allow the money to be shared equally among kitchen and dining room staffers in New York.

He closed the article by saying, "While we wait to reopen our dining rooms, we remain as committed as ever to seeing our employees fairly compensated and will continue to advocate for laws and business models that allow that to happen. We can't wait to see you, and in the meantime, wherever you dine, please tip as generously as you're able."

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