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| Economy |
| Minn. Restaurant Charging Customers Minimum Wage Fee |
| 2014-08-07 |
| [MINNESOTA.CBSLOCAL] MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — People eating at a Stillwater restaurant Tuesday noticed a new fee added to their bill. Owners of the Oasis Cafe are charging a 35 cent minimum wage fee. They say it's to offset the cost of an increased minimum wage for tipped employees. Customers have mixed reviews about the new fee. For some, the thought of charging customers this fee sent them to social media to vent. "You're essentially blaming customers for the increase when you charge for it the way you do," one customer wrote on Facebook. Another said: "It's Oasis way of blaming our government for trying to set a fair living wage. It is political grandstanding." Oasis owners fired back on Facebook, saying: "Thumbing my nose at the law change, you're right. Part of my thinking was to shine a light on this matter, which I truly believe is in the best interest of both my business and employees." Many eating at Oasis on Tuesday said it's not a big deal to pay a little extra to keep a small business afloat. "I don't take issue with it really," Jordan Felt said. The Oasis management says they estimate the pay increase is costing them more than $10,000 a year. People we spoke with say they support the businesses effort to keep the employees they have working. "For a small business, I think that's an OK thing, but if you are a larger company and you have the money and you're just greedy and you don't want to pay it yourself, then that's a whole another story," Markie Babcock said. The owners say if Minnesota would pass a tip credit like 43 other states have done none of this would be necessary. The owners were on vacation Tuesday but say they are looking forward to coming home to debate this hot button issue. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #5 Oh if your small it is ok, and if you are big you are just greedy. Nevermind the basic business rules of making money and keeping a profit apply to both. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2014-08-07 15:50 |
| #4 "you don't need to make a filthy lucre profit!" |
| Posted by: Frank G on the road 2014-08-07 15:33 |
| #3 Why not harvest the magic money tree! Why should additional costs get passed onto customers when the magic money tree fruit can pay for them? /Where's my unicorn |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2014-08-07 10:02 |
| #2 You gotta remember, somebody else is supposed to pay for this stuff. Always |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2014-08-07 07:34 |
| #1 Reading the comments, its obvious they don't teach the fundamentals of business to anyone. #1 Costs are borne by the customer otherwise there is no reason to be in business. See - camel, straw, back. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-08-07 00:19 |