logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2022
42m 30s

How do we fix the restaurant tipping sys...

TED
About this episode

How often do you go back and forth over how much to tip at the end of a meal? Depending on the state, in the U.S. that choice could be the difference between a livable income or financial mayhem for the workers who served and prepared your meal. But why do consumers have such power–and why are labor wages so tied to tips? Saru Jayaraman is a lawyer, activist and President of One Fair Wage. She is organizing a national movement of restaurant workers, employers and consumers in one of the most important labor battles in the country–one that aims to end subminimum wage and tip-based labor. Listen as she talks about the stakes of minimum wage legislation, the surprising history of this unfair practice, and how the pandemic has changed the labor landscape–for better and worse.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
May 2024
How to solve the world’s biggest problems with Natalie Cargill
To get a free copy of the Infectious Generosity book, visit ted.com/generosityWhat if the world’s biggest problems could be solved with just some simple math? Natalie Cargill, the founder of strategic giving consultancy Longview Philanthropy, works on finding funding for the most ... Show More
40m 34s
May 2024
How much happiness can 2 million USD buy? with Elizabeth Dunn
To get a free copy of the Infectious Generosity book, visit ted.com/generosity How much happiness could be gained if more people had access to wealth? Does the relationship between spending money and happiness change when people are in different economic classes? And if chosen ra ... Show More
51m 52s
May 2024
Exercising your generosity like a muscle with John M. Sweeney
To get a free copy of the Infectious Generosity book, visit ted.com/generosity When John M. Sweeney first read about the old Italian tradition of “café sospeso”, he didn’t know he’d create a viral movement. The simple and powerful idea originates in the working-class cafés of Nap ... Show More
30m 21s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2022
How do we fix the restaurant tipping system? with Saru Jayaraman
How often do you go back and forth over how much to tip at the end of a meal? Depending on the state, in the U.S. that choice could be the difference between a livable income or financial mayhem for the workers who served and prepared your meal. But why do consumers have such pow ... Show More
42m 30s
Sep 2020
Making Work Work for Everyone (with Saru Jayaraman and Michelle Miller)
Baratunde wonders what today’s labor movement looks like and how workers are responding to the unprecedented consolidation of corporate power across all industries from tech to agriculture to retail. He learns how our economy and our democracy are impacted by these extremes. Saru ... Show More
1h 3m
Mar 2021
Should the US abandon tipping?
President Biden has pledged to scrap the 'tipped wage' in the US - a salary system where diners effectively subsidise waiters' wages.It's a move that's divided restaurant staff across the country. Tamasin Ford hears from those who want a higher minimum wage and an end to a system ... Show More
26m 43s
Jun 2016
Do You “Earn Your Tip” in Life?
Waiters make their tips based on good service. But regardless of what we do for a living, we all serve others in one way or another. So the question becomes: When presented with a complication, do you use it as license to complain, or an opportunity to show your value to others? ... Show More
5m 45s
Dec 2021
Selects: How Tipping Works
<p>Tipping is commonly expected in some places, such as U.S. restaurants. Yet this practice varies across cultures. Join trivia gurus (and former waiters) Josh and Chuck in this classic episode as they take a closer look at the history, practice and controversy surrounding tippin ... Show More
51m 29s
Jul 2025
Is tipping fair?
From raising the tipped minimum wage to "no tax on tips," we look at the challenges of remaking tipped work. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo ... Show More
29m 45s
Jun 2024
To tip or not to tip: Who should pay service workers?
Tip culture is at a tipping point in the US, with more opportunities than ever to tip. However, some have decided not to tip at all…anywhere. So tipping influencers aside, who should pay service workers a liveable wage? Plus: Toys R Us taps ChatGPT and Volkswagen invests $5B in E ... Show More
16m 13s
Aug 2023
394: How Often Should I Be Tipping?
Has tipping culture gotten out of control recently? We’ve always had a strong tipping culture in the U.S. but recently the conversation surrounding tipping has gotten more heated. It would appear that I’m not the only one who has noticed an influx of businesses utilizing a tip pr ... Show More
11m 11s
Jun 2023
Gratuitous Gratuity? The Truth About Tipping
This week, Audie visits a restaurant that got rid of tipping, and looks into the movement to get rid of the practice all together. Our guests are Amanda Cohen, chef and owner of Dirt Candy, a no-tipping restaurant in Manhattan, and David Stockwell, co-owner of Faun in Brooklyn. W ... Show More
29m 7s