A 20% administrative fee is added to check totals to provide workers at the vegetarian restaurant in Manhattan a more consistent pay. "I shouldn't ask my customers to be my human resources department and pay my workers' salaries."
Why: There were days when Cohen's front-of-house staff were taking home hundreds of dollars in a night. Back in the kitchen, some of the cooks were making a lot less, she said. "An entry-level prep cook coming in at $10 an hour -- they can't live on that."
The result: She said customers and staff have been supportive of the move. "The back of the house is ecstatic since they are make more money and the front of the house is happy since it's a guaranteed salary."
