The sad truth is that if you rank workers along with animals and energy use in deciding how to eat ethically, there aren't a lot of good choices and they're awfully hard to find. That's what makes
the Restaurant Opportunities Centers' dining guide so valuable: It lists some of the good guys in the restaurant industry, from the eminently affordable like Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington, DC, or Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to the very high end like Tom Colicchio's Craft.
ROC also offers tips for encouraging your favorite restaurants to improve their labor practices, starting with the video above demonstrating how to have a conversation with management. Other ways include:
Leave behind a note, as simple as “noticed you still pay the subminimum wage of $2.13/hour to your tipped workers, as a frequent customer I’d love to see that raised!“
Send a constructive tweet or Facebook comment their way (easier if you download our Diners Guide app)
Enjoy reviewing restaurants? Be sure to include your knowledge of the restaurant’s labor practices in your review.
If your city or state government is considering a minimum wage increase, urging your representatives to include the tipped worker minimum wage, which is still just $2.13 at the federal level.