restaurant workers

One restaurant challenges our assumptions that immigrant food must be cheap.

National

Cheap Eats, Cheap Labor: The Hidden Human Costs Of Those Lists

7:00am February 12, 2017

by Diep Tran

Those all-too-common lists of cheap places to eat are part of a broader restaurant culture that devalues immigrant labor and ignores the consequences, says commentator and restaurateur Diep Tran.

At Everyman Espresso in New York City's East Village, customers were greeted with a sign announcing a fundraiser to help defend immigrants.

Amid Travel Ban Debate, Chefs And Food Brands Take A Stand On Immigration

12:07am February 09, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

From pledges to hire refugees to fundraisers for the ACLU, food businesses large and small are getting vocal about their support for immigrants in the wake of President Trump's new policies.

Queue Listen Now

Woohoo! Get wild, all ye Starbucks employees. Now crew necks are acceptable work wear!

Starbucks' New Dress Code: Purple Hair And Fedoras OK, But Hoodies Forbidden

5:54pm July 26, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

Yes, the green aprons remain, but you may begin noticing more personal flair underneath. Instead of black and white garments, baristas are now free to embrace "drabby chic."

Protesters gather at a McDonald's to ask for higher wages on April 15, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. Food labor advocate Saru Jayaraman writes in a new book that the company has taken the "low road" and lobbied extensively for lower wages and working condit

Health & Safety

'Forked' Rates Restaurants On How They Treat Their Workers

3:45pm February 02, 2016

by Tracie McMillan

More restaurants are offering better wages, benefits and working conditions for employees. A new book rates dozens of restaurants and scolds the ones taking the "low road" to profitability.

At fine-dining places, white workers overwhelmingly fill jobs with the heftiest salaries, while Latinos, blacks and other minorities have jobs with pay closer to the poverty level, a study finds.

National

The Startling Racial Divide In Pay For Restaurant Workers

4:02pm October 22, 2015

by Alastair Bland

At fine-dining places, white workers overwhelmingly fill jobs with the heftiest salaries, while Latinos, blacks and other minorities have jobs with pay closer to the poverty level, a study finds.

Customers pick up their orders from a Shake Shack in New York City. It's one of the restaurants whose labor practices are detailed in the ROC United Diners' Guide app.

Like Yelp For Labor Rights: This App Rates How Restaurants Treat Workers

4:45pm February 12, 2015

by Poncie Rutsch

Want to know if your favorite restaurant pays its servers a living wage? An app encourages diners to ask before they dig in.

Unions Have Pushed The $15 Minimum Wage, But Few Members Will Benefit

4:33pm February 10, 2015

by Ben Bergman

Most union members won't benefit from a higher minimum wage because they already earn far more than that. With membership declining, some union leaders fear collective bargaining is dead.

Queue Listen Now

Srirupa Dasgupta opened Upohar, a restaurant and catering service, with a social mission. Her employees — primarily refugees — earn double the minimum wage.

National

A Restaurant That Serves Up A Side Of Social Goals

7:23pm January 01, 2015

by Jeff Brady

Burned out from her high-tech job, Srirupa Dasgupta opened a restaurant and catering service that hires primarily refugees. On the menu: a mix of cuisines from South Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Queue Listen Now

A handful of restaurants across the U.S. are experimenting with no-tipping models, opting instead to charge higher set prices for menu items and give their servers higher hourly pay.

Customers Can Keep The Tip — Which Might Please Restaurant Workers

3:45pm October 14, 2014

by Alan Greenblatt

A handful of restaurants are experimenting with no-tipping models, guaranteeing their servers a base level of pay. So far, satisfaction is up and turnover is down.