Tipping shouldn’t sub for wage raise

I feel compelled to comment on the recent article regarding a locally popular restaurant raising their prices by 20 percent to assure their wait staff receives a fair tip.

Several aspects of this logic seems to me to be wrong. First, I totally agree with wait staff being recognized for hard work. However, what assurance is there that the 20 percent goes to the wait staff?

Second, this approach seems to take away the reason for recognizing superior service versus less than expected service. What incentive does the wait staff now have to provide superior service?

I have an idea: Rather than trying to build the biggest burger with the most fries, compared to the competition, how about cutting the quantity of food which just might lower costs that could go toward paying higher wages?

This may also lighten the weight of the patrons rather than lighten their wallet.

As I see it, the announced increase is the easy out for management to have the public pay for their employees’ deserved wage increase.

This story was originally published January 22, 2016 at 9:12 AM with the headline "Tipping shouldn’t sub for wage raise."