I went into the fallafel shop near my school today and ordered a wrap from one person and then to the counter to pay with another. I forgot my wallet and was using my phone to pay for my meal. The receipt had a place for a tip, and I started to fill it out. He interrupts me and says,
“Do you have cash? because we will not get that”
Me: ” No, I don't. What do you mean you don't get this?”
Cashier: “We don't get this.”
Me: “This doesn't go onto your paychecks?”
C: “No.”
Me:”So who gets this?”
C: eyes darting “I don't know the chef.”
Me: “Aren't you two the chefs?”
C: ” Uhh.”
Me: ” So the owner just takes it?”
C: Shrugs mubbles something about the machine
Me: “pretty sure that's illegal.”
C:shrugs
Me “sorry, I wouldn't have put this on here then.”
I walk away, and the dude who made my wrap says, “It's a crazy world, isn't it? Because he is the owner, haha.”
I look at the owner and say, “Well, that's illegal.” he shrugs and says, ” gotta do what you gotta do, ” to which I reply.”No, you don't.” Then, he tried to shrug and point at the tip jar like I could have tipped cash..
This is in Rhode Island in the US, where tipped workers can be paid as little as ~$3.89 an hour.
Hopefully, I opened the employees' eyes. But god, that fallafel wasn't as good as they used to be.