The 7th Settlement in Dover just (possibly) became the first restaurant in New Hampshire to eliminate tipping, citing inequality and an awful history that tipping is rooted in. According to an article I read on NewHampshire.com (originally from the Union Leader), they’re replacing tips with $45-50k salaries for all front AND back of the house staff. I hope this trend catches on. I’ve been solidly on the side of eliminating tips for favor of a living wage since I heard this Freakonomics episode. I’m curious to see how people react.
I’m also inspired by the reasoning put forth in the article by the owner, David Boynton:
“It’s a really, hard cultural transition outside the scope of our business. It’s much bigger than the TV question,” said Boynton, the restaurant’s general manager. “But again, the question is, do our actions reflect our values? And can we lead the change we want to see in our community?”
You can read more about the change, including a correction from the Union Leader article, in this article from Fosters.com.
This is values-centric work in practice! Good work, 7th Settlement. I’ll be stopping in soon to demonstrate MY values by dining in your fine establishment. If I recall, the wings are amazing…
Photo from: 7th Settlement Brewery on Facebook
