Philadelphia Restaurant Plans to Ban Tipping

An upcoming Philadelphia restaurant has announced intentions to ban tipping when it opens later this year: Philly's The Insider reports co-owners Cristian Mora and Brian Oliveira of the upcoming French bistro Girard will instead pay their waitstaff a "living wage" ($11 per hour) and offer full benefits and profit-sharing. To offset those costs, the reservation-only restaurant will have prices "10 percent to 30 percent higher, item by item, than similar restaurants" when it opens in September, according to the Insider.

Girard joins a growing list of restaurants that have elected to ban tipping: Earlier this month, restaurants in Kentucky and British Columbia eliminated the practice in favor of offering their employees a "living wage." Restaurateurs have long been discussing the act of banning tips all together; whether or not Girard will receive more (or fewer) job applicants as a result remains to be seen.

· No Tipping Allowed at New Fishtown Brasserie [Philly.com]
· All Tipping Coverage on Eater [-E-]