You may have heard about this last month, but the restaurant Girard in Philadelphia finally opened its doors this weekend.
Unlike most restaurants, Girard will forego the standard tipping system, and pay all of its workers an average of $13 an hour. On top of that, according to their website, they will offer all of their employees "full health care benefits, paid sick days & vacations." For perspective, food prep and service are among the lowest-paid workers in the Philadelphia area, if not the entire country.
Girard joins a growing list of restaurants choosing to buck industry trends, another example being Moo Cluck Moo, a Detroit-area fast food burger joint paying its employees $15 an hour. Together, these businesses are hoping to show that the conventional wisdom is wrong, that they can pay their employees a decent wage, and still be profitable.
Judging from their menu, Girard offers a wide variety of options, from brunch-style to a different roast every night, to suit many people's palates. Prices are reasonable considering the neighborhood (Fishtown), and especially compared to what you might otherwise find downtown. Although it is BYOB, as many places in Philly are, they offer mix-ins to make your own drinks. And even though it operates on a reservation-only system, it is integrated into Yelp, and should not be much of a hassle in the age of smartphone aps.
Even after being open only a couple days, Girard has already generated some positive reviews.
Of course, it would be nice to see our elected representatives taking the initiative to ensure hard-working Americans do not have to suffer the indignity of paltry wages that do not provide enough to live by. But it's good to see that we are finally getting some businesses that are willing to show that they understand that their loyal employees deserve to be compensated properly.
Sure, we may not necessarily attach any altruistic sense to their motives; it could simply be that they think that this business model simply works better to maximize their profits. But that doesn't change the fact that they pay their employees more, and isn't that ultimately the end result we are looking for?
Regardless, as long as these type of businesses flourish, it will become increasingly harder for restaurants who continue to treat their employees unfairly to maintain their claims on their sector's profits, or experienced labor force.
If you find yourself in the Philadelphia area, try to find some time to stop by and support a local business trying to show that you don't have to treat your workers like crap to make a profit.