We’ve talked a little bit about the increase to the minimum wage for restaurant workers. That means a lot of changes in the way that the system is structured, and to some, it means that it’s the end of tipping. What it also means is the normalization of how wages are distributed. One restaurant in Seattle, Ivar’s Salmon House, has gone to the $15-an-hour minimum wage and has seen some astounding results.
When you change the patterns of payment for your servers, you'll see increases in morale. For those who were generally getting paid lower amounts, this means that they can branch out and try to better themselves. The change in the minimum wage has brought about a revolution of sorts – one which is delightful. With the changes, and the increases in revenue being passed on through price increases, workers are feeling even more confident with their own money situations.
This situation is working out well for those who have traded their deep fryer in the fast food chains for the convection ovens of the more fancy restaurants. It’s a lot easier to raise those prices in the fine dining rather than in fast food. So, what will happen with those who are in the fast food industry? We’ll see as the mandatory wage hikes are rolled out for those restaurants. What it comes down to is having superior service and superior offerings.
