Which excerpt from “Diners Should Pay Attention to Workers, Not Just the Food” provides the best evidence that restaurants are able to pay higher wages? * But political will in Washington to raise the minimum wage has stalled, and labor enforcement, at both the federal and state levels, has been ineffectual.
Ask top executives at Chipotle Mexican Grill. The burrito chain has achieved record margins and robust sales in recent years as Americans (and Europeans and Canadians) embrace its “Food with Integrity” motto.
[Chipotle] does offer its employees some luxuries rare in its industry—quick advancement, health insurance, regular full-time shifts, for instance—but its average wage for non-managers works out to be just slightly above $9 per hour (including bonuses).
Tip in cash. Servers who make the tipped minimum wage ($3 in Massachusetts as of Jan. 1) often must rely on generous tippers to make up most of their take-home pay.