Alison wrote: The comment one poster made that if a business can't afford to pay their employees then they can't afford to open a business is naive in the extreme. Takings go up and down. My business is entirely dependent upon the weather, so I staff accordingly. Yes, sometimes I could have done with an extra pair of hands, but as I am considered Speedy Gonzalez I cope, and yes, at other times there is not enough for employees to do. I really don't see anything wrong with having the tip jars because as I said it is up to the individual customer whether they put something in it or not.
Well that was me. And, after 15 or 20 years in the restaurant business, And being married to a restaurant professional for years AND my family having owned 2 restaurants and a hotel I have a bit of background here. It's not naivety, it's business and math. You gotta figure in those slow time, those snow days, those days when the kitchen floods, the freezer stops, the blender burns out. You can't say "oh, the dishwasher is on the fritz and I wasn't expecting that bill so can you guys pick up the slack with my employee wages?" Too many businesses start up with next to no capitol and expect to turn a profit the first year. All I'm saying is if a restaurant owner has a good line cook/cashier/counter help and they want to keep them they might consider paying them more rather than putting a tip jar on the counter and relying on others to do it for them.
(Allison I am in NOWAY referring to your restaurant specifically.)