In most restaurants in Canada and the U.S., after a meal the customer leaves the server a “tip.”
The tip is a bit more money, usually about 15 to 20 per cent of the cost of the meal, that goes directly to the server.
It’s a way of thanking the waiter or waitress for giving great service during the meal.
In many restaurants, servers count on that money as part of their salary.
Although customers don’t have to tip, nearly everyone does.
Now, a new restaurant opening in Nanoose Bay, British Columbia, says it will be “Canada’s first no-tipping restaurant.”
There will be a sign on every table that says “no tipping.”
That means customers will only have to pay the bill at the end of the meal. They won’t have to pay anything extra.
They also won’t have to do any “calculations” which some people find frustrating, especially if more than one person is paying.
Owner David Jones said, “I wanted to do something that was innovative.” “You don’t get successful by doing what everyone else does but just a little bit better.”
His menu also has some innovations, including a meal in a Mason jar. The jar will have a “side dish” like baked beans or mashed potatoes on the bottom, and then a layer of salad, then meat like pulled pork or ribs, then sauce and it will be topped off with a pickle. Customers can order a 16-ounce or a 24-ounce mason jar of dinner.
He said that, although there are no-tipping restaurants in other countries, his will be the first of its kind in Canada.
He said he’s had a few negative comments from people on social media about the lack of tips, but “anytime you make a shift in (something) there’s always resistance.”
Instead of the tips, Jones’s waiters and waitresses will receive part of the restaurant’s profits. At the end of every month, each server will receive a percentage of the sales. He is also giving them some money to cover their medical and dental expenses, and he’s setting aside money for a “social fund” for the servers. He said that money can go towards anything the servers want, such as buying a stroller for a server who is having a baby or buying the restaurant an ice cream maker if that’s what the staff want to do with it.
The restaurant, called Smoke ’N Water, is named after the smoky barbeque meals it sells and the view of the water the restaurant overlooks. The restaurant also features an aquarium inside it.
Smoke ’N Water plans to open on June 2 at 5 p.m. for dinner. They say they have already filled all of the 48 server positions required.
If any customer does leave a tip on the table, the money will be given to a charity.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly
Writing/Discussion Prompt
In North America, some people receive tips for doing their jobs well; however, others do not.
Name an additional profession that you think should receive tips.
Explain why you think so?
Reading Prompt: Point of View
Many people have different feelings about the no-tipping restaurant. How would you feel if you were: a server, the owner of Smoke ‘N Water, a customer, or a server at another restaurant?
Primary
Identify the point of view presented in a text and suggest some possible alterna- tive perspectives (OME, Reading: 1.9).
Junior
Identify the point of view presented in texts, ask questions to identify missing or possible alternative points of view, and suggest some possible alternative perspectives (OME, Reading: 1.9).
Intermediate
Identify the point of view presented in texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts; give evidence of any biases they may contain; and suggest other possible perspectives (OME, Reading: 1.9).
Math Feature: Percents
Today’s article explains that many people tend to tip 15% on their bill. This means that in order to calculate the tip, you need to do two steps. Firstly, you need to solve what 15% of the bill is. Next you have to add that amount to the bill. For example, if a bill was $10, the first step would be to solve what 15% of $10 is ($1.50) and then add this amount to the bill ($1.50 + $10.00 = $11.50).
What would the tip be on a $20 bill, a $50 bill, a $100 bill?
