D.C. Voters Upend Tip System, Raise Minimum Wage for Tipped Staff

On Tuesday night, District of Columbia voters approved Initiative 77, a referendum to raise the minimum wage for waiters and other tipped workers from $3.33 an hour plus tips, to $12.50 an hour plus tips. Most places in the U.S. have a different minimum wage for tipped workers that is much lower than the regular minimum wage, based on the assumption that tips will bring the workers up to and even far above the regular minimum wage. As Jonathan Decker has written here, this system has often worked to the benefit of both the workers and employers. However, Initiative 77 would

Why New York’s Proposal to Abolish Tipping Is a Terrible Idea

Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting Europe for the first time. It was a fantastic trip, and there were many things I loved about the continent, including its architecture, churches, mountains, food, and wine. My Instagram was totally lit. But amidst all these items that make Europe such an awesome place to visit, there was one thing that was most definitely not so great: the service in restaurants. As you may know, Europeans do not tip the way that we do in the United States. While a customer may round up a check to the next dollar, tipping pretty