as a seattle bartender…what

I just finished reading the post here from yesterday about zig zag cafe, and I just have to ask: can we have more specific, productive conversations about the ambiguity of automatic service charges?

The general public doesn’t know what the fuck those charges mean (especially tourists!!!) and where that money goes within your businesses. At this point? Neither do I. I’ve been in food and bev across multiple states since I was a teenager, and have been bartending here in seattle for years. Every time I see ~service charges~ on receipts, even I am still slightly thrown.

Yes, the tip credit elimination and consistent rising of minimum wage here is extremely complex for small businesses, and there are wildly polarizing pros and cons to all of it. I am painfully aware. But, it is unsettling to be charged 20-25% on an already expensive bill, and not know if you’re stiffing the staff by not leaving anything additional. “100% of this service charge is retained by xyz restaurant” on the bottom of your receipt after you closed out doesn’t sound nice, it’s confusing and sounds sketchy.

if anyone that works for a bar/restaurant has a breakdown of their pooling system and how their service charges are utilized, PLEASE jump in here. It’s nothing but harmful to all of us (industry and non-industry workers alike) to have no idea where this money goes and how it is split up for operations (healthcare, business costs, utilities, rent, etc) and worker compensation.

I don’t mean to be aggressive, but every time I see this brought up in this thread, the conversations are a hamster wheel of shitting on that business and people who have never worked a service job a day in their life contributing to repetitive discourse and bad yelp reviews. It’s weird.

Edit: I love Reddit. I should’ve known that this would spiral 100 different ways. To be clear: ABSOLUTELY NO HATE TO ZIG ZAG, we love that place.

1) as a consumer, yes, you’re the core part of this conversation. Industry worker or not, how you decide to go out and spend your money is really important, our local economy depends on it. You should know where it’s going.

2) yes, at the end of the day, ownership and management need to pay their people, and should be held accountable for it. It’s not the direct responsibility of consumers to help me pay my bills.

3) go fucking vote and participate in local elections ab this stuff!!!!

4) to all my bartender peers: have a good day, xoxo

5) I don’t mean to invalidate anyone who hasn’t been in the service industry. I’ve just seen a lot of tone deaf and uninformed commentary lately

6) wrote this post at 7 am and am now regretful that I too have participated in said hamster wheel of uselessness. Sorry guys.