BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Servers are tipped based on their service to their customers at restaurants, while the kitchen staff in the back of the house does all the cooking. Tappo restaurant on Ellicott Street in Buffalo decided they wanted to give the kitchen staff a little extra compensation for their hard work.
If you walk into the Italian/American restaurant you may notice a new card on the table that describes their new tipping program. For each entree, customers will be charged an extra $0.50. Tappo will then match the $0.50 so $1 per entree with be tipped to the back of the house staff.
"The back of the house will enjoy a little more compensation and actually be acknowledge for the grueling work that they do," Philip Limina, Chef and Owner of Tappo said.
Cooks at Tappo make $14-$17 dollars an hour depending on experience. With the tip program, Limina says each person in the kitchen will see an extra $80 to $120 dollars in their paychecks each week.
"The servers do a lot of work to make sure the customers have a good experience but at the same time, it is our job to make sure the food comes out right," Josh Lonczak, one of the cooks at Tappo said. "I'm really glad they are showing the appreciation toward the kitchen.
People can opt out to the addition fee if they want to. Limina says there is no pressure on the customer to pay the extra $0.50 and people can tell the server if they do not want the addition charge.
The tipping program will continue on a trial basis for the rest of the month.
