Chef JJ Johnson Gets Real About Tipping In 2023: “The System Doesn’t Work”
Tipping in 2023 is a new frontier for even the most frequent of restaurant patrons.
Everywhere from coffee shops to fine dining establishments have implemented new tipping points for consumers, requesting additional cash for tasks like picking up your own take-out order, or passing you your standard house blend from behind the counter. It seems a tip jar just isn’t cutting it as the hospitality industry continues to find its footing after the financial blowback of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Consumers aren’t the only ones concerned with the shift, as restaurateurs themselves are fully aware of a changing landscape and how off-putting it can be to clients who feel pressured into shelling out more money for the same services, with many spots now opting to start their “suggested tips” around the 25% mark, hitting as high as 40% in some establishments.
“The system needs to be broken down and rebuilt,” Chef JJ Johnson explained to VIBE while at the New York City Wine & Food Festival Sunday (Oct. 15). “We can’t keep trying to fix a system that doesn’t work, so let’s rebuild the system, let’s look at the leaders who understand the model, and let’s figure it out.”
The current system of tipping in America has racist and classist origins, as post-Civil War white restaurant owners refused to pay Black servers adequate wages, forcing them to rely on tips to survive. Unfortunately, for many working in food service, this is still the case, which complicates the discussion even further, as patrons don’t want to be overcharged, but also have no desire to stiff great servers and back-of-house staff, who are often required to split whatever comes in.
The Simple Art of Rice author and FIELDTRIP founder is aware of the complexities of the conversation, and has taken steps to address tipping and wages at the highest level in NY.
“I was with Gov. Hochul, eating with her and 15 other New York State leaders, talking about this,” Johnson shared, adding that he also believes consumers should be made aware of exactly why certain prices — and in result, tips — will inevitably increase, as the sticker shock of seeing your total after the cashier flips that tablet can often illicit eye rolls from patrons who neither understand nor accept this post-2020 shift.
“Once we fix the system, we can talk to the consumer about it so they can understand it and educate them, but they’re not educated on it, so the price goes up and they’re like, ‘what’s going on?'” he explained. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done and we need to fix the system.”
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