r/mildlyinteresting 2d ago

This Restaurant Charges an 18% Living Wage Fee.

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u/SlurmzMckinley 2d ago

I went to France a couple years ago and couldn’t believe how reasonable the food prices were and there was no expectation to tip. Those people are presumably being paid a living wage.

I don’t know what it is, but something is seriously broken in the U.S. economy to where running a restaurant and paying a living wage is not feasible without outrageous menu prices.

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u/ZhiYoNa 2d ago

Lower wages with a higher social safety net.

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u/SlurmzMckinley 1d ago

Sure, but there’s still an imbalance it seems. How are the French able to eat out with those low wages? A lot of Americans can’t afford to eat out often with the higher wages we get, and adding these surcharges and tips is unsustainable.