Lynn's Paradise Kerfuffle

I don't think the uproar is over tipping out bussers, bartenders etc. I think the problem here was requiring servers to come to work with their own $100 banks. I think.

I was replying to all of the posts directly above mine talking about the illegality of forced tip outs. I was just offering up that it was standard to tip out service people. Right there with you on the idiocy of making someone bring in $100 in cash.

I worked for A restaurant/grilled that deleted th same percentage from your charged tips as the credit card charged the establishment for the privilege of offering their CC use. Talk about stingy!

I have heard about this too. I couldn't believe it. So I try to always tip in cash whenever possible.

I worked for A restaurant/grilled that deleted th same percentage from your charged tips as the credit card charged the establishment for the privilege of offering their CC use. Talk about stingy!

I have heard about this too. I couldn't believe it. So I try to always tip in cash whenever possible.

And mark the bill you sign.. NO TIP THIS CHECK... then leave cash for the server.

I worked for A restaurant/grilled that deleted th same percentage from your charged tips as the credit card charged the establishment for the privilege of offering their CC use. Talk about stingy!

I have heard about this too. I couldn't believe it. So I try to always tip in cash whenever possible.

And mark the bill you sign.. NO TIP THIS CHECK... then leave cash for the server.

Richard, I understand your desire to help the servers, but this could backfire if management interprets this as : "The service was so bad I left no tip!"

Deb

Richard, I understand your desire to help the servers, but this could backfire if management interprets this as : "The service was so bad I left no tip!"

Deb

Yeah, I guess you are right. hmmm gonna have to come up with a better way...statement...

LEFT 5% CASH TIP.. DO NOT OVER DEDUCT. I AM A TIGHTWAD, SERVICE WAS EXCELLENT.

I just get so irked when companies do that to employees. Deduct CC charges... make them share tips... Don't buss boys and runners/expediters get minimum wage?

I either mark cash or put a line through it. Rich is being harsh because I did get a credit card charged for a tip when we had already left a tip on the table. It was an out of town restaurant and they insisted they did not do that. After a few days of hassling, it was refunded to my card, but I had several nasty conversations with the management of that establishment. I never got a copy of my original slip I asked for, guess someone was trying to double dip.

Don't buss boys and runners/expediters get minimum wage?

No. When I was a runner we made more than waiters did hourly, but recieved less in tips. I believe I made around $5.50 an hour.

Double Post!

http://insiderlouisville.com/news/2013/ ... idiculous/

New article by Steve Coome's on the topic.

I don;t quite understand all of this. When I was operating AJ's Gyro Cafe, I would ask the servers how much they had made in tips in cash. I put this info and the credit card tips they got on a spread sheet and entered that amount under tips on my Intuit Payroll system. The software then worked out along with the $3.50 and hour I paid them what taxes they had to pay. If they didn't make minimum wage for the hours worked including their tips then I would make it up with cash. I believe, that I also paid their credit card tips to them the following day. Therefore, they did not cheat on their taxes. I had no idea how restaurants did this as I had never been in a position before as employer or server dealing with tips. I just thought this was the best way to deal with it.
Of course I never had any bus boys or runners, the dishwasher I paid slightly above minimum wage also the kitchen staff.

Double Post!

http://insiderlouisville.com/news/2013/ ... idiculous/

New article by Steve Coome's on the topic.

Double Post!

http://insiderlouisville.com/news/2013/ ... idiculous/

New article by Steve Coome's on the topic.

In the article he states:

"An anonymous post to the site linked to KRS 337.065 as proof that tipping can’t be mandated by restaurants such as Lynn’s. Problem is, the post points only to sections 1 and 3 of the law, not to section 4, which lays out the terms under which such tip sharing programs can be operated as voluntary arrangements between restaurants and their employees."

That doesn't necessarily clear up the legality. Lets say the employer says "You need to sign our tip share policy or you cannot work here". Does that make it voluntary still? Or legal?

You can't circumvent the law by creating the appearance of compliance. Obviously at least one Lynn's employee was not very happy with the policy.

I do a lot of business "entertaining" and Lynn's has been..... I say been.....a regular place I take my customers and potential customers, particularly around Derby time. I am so outraged at this that I will state here......Lynn's is now only one of three places that I will NEVER spend my money again......(the other two local places shall remain anonymous) and the fact that a Schnatter (I assume this is Papa's wife) just makes it worse.

[Robin Garr]

Here is apparently the primary source material:

http://www.sw4j.kyjwj.org/

It has been quite a few years since I was in the biz, but I am under the impression that forced tip outs and forced tip pooling are illegal. What is the law on this?

Its illegal under Kentucky State Statute unless its a voluntary system. And if it was voluntary then why was the server fired?

She is going to get sued with all the press this generated and will settle or lose. And given the utter tripe Steve Coomes posted about the poor server involved in all this, I wouldnt be surprised if he were named as a party in the suit as well.

Steve is claiming on his blog that what Lynn was doing wasnt illegal, everyone in town does it, and if you dont like it go find another job. Initially I was angry at his obtuse post but then I realized he was simply acting like an internet troll to inflame people, increase page views and drive up their ad revenue for their website. So Ive just been ignoring him since.

I was just offering up that it was standard to tip out service people. Right there with you on the idiocy of making someone bring in $100 in cash.

Where does it end? The servers make $2.15 an hour plus tips? And then have to tip out of their income bar, bus, expediter and dish washers? Why not LG&E as well for supplying electricity that evening to the restaurant?
The owner should be responsible for paying his/her staff a livable wage. THIS is why tipping pools are illegal in Kentucky unless they are voluntary, so the wait staff doesnt end up having to pay the wages of the rest of the restaurant because an owner wont.

I do a lot of business "entertaining" and Lynn's has been..... I say been.....a regular place I take my customers and potential customers, particularly around Derby time. I am so outraged at this that I will state here......Lynn's is now only one of three places that I will NEVER spend my money again......(the other two local places shall remain anonymous) and the fact that a Schnatter (I assume this is Papa's wife) just makes it worse.

You and me both. I have taken numerous out of town clients ("Looking at bringing a conference to town? Hey let me take you to Lynn's!") to LPC. I wont any longer. Not until their management style and policies change. Maybe she should spend more time at her business, and less time in California doing aura readings.

And no Schnatter mentioned in the article isnt John's wife, she is Lynn's roommate.

I do find something a little strange about the duality of the arguments some people are making on the issue of tip pooling. Working for tips is fine. Give better service, get better tips. On the other hand, tipping out the busser and bartender to get drinks made and tables cleaned faster (ultimately leading to better tips for the server) is somehow horrible.

I get the sense that there's more to this than meets the eye. The whole "service workers for justice" thing seems to have much more behind it than a few unhappy workers.

I do find something a little strange about the duality of the arguments some people are making on the issue of tip pooling. Working for tips is fine. Give better service, get better tips. On the other hand, tipping out the busser and bartender to get drinks made and tables cleaned faster (ultimately leading to better tips for the server) is somehow horrible.

I get the sense that there's more to this than meets the eye. The whole "service workers for justice" thing seems to have much more behind it than a few unhappy workers.

Trust me, there are more than a "few" unhappy workers. I worked there years ago for almost a year, it was my second job. I will testify under oath if asked, and I would state that everything these people have been posting is true. I don't know about the $100 cash bank, I was way before this. But the crazy, inept, and erratic behavior of management is the worst I have seen in my 21 years in the business. When I was there, they tip pooled, and it was voluntary until you no longer volunteered then you were "taken off the schedule"

So it isn't voluntary, it is coerced.

The only thing behind this besides unhappy workers is some long overdue Karma.