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Labor

Iona food service workers win AI protections in new contract

Food service workers at Iona won a contract that puts AI, seniority and scheduling in the same bargaining basket. The deal also brought the unit its biggest wage gains, plus better benefits and uniform money.

Derek Washington•2 min read•02:55 AM

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Guides

IRS tip reporting rules put restaurants on notice for card sales

Card sales, pooled tips, and sloppy records can push restaurants into Form 8027 trouble fast. Managers who treat tip reporting as a back-office task risk creating tax problems for staff too.

Derek Washington6m read

Labor

SoFi Stadium workers weigh strike ahead of World Cup kickoff

Nearly 2,000 SoFi Stadium workers backed a strike just 7 days before the World Cup opener, pressing for better pay, job protections, and privacy safeguards.

Marcus Chen2m read

Analysis

Restaurant turnover stays high as pay alone fails to fix retention

Higher hourly pay has not stopped restaurant turnover because workers are still walking away from unstable schedules, weak management, burnout, and dead-end careers.

Derek Washington6m read

News

Woman sues Outback Steakhouse for $1.5 million after mashed-potato slip fall

A Loudoun County woman says mashed potatoes on an Outback floor caused a face-first fall and $1.5 million in damages. The case spotlights floor checks, bussing gaps, and manager oversight.

Derek Washington2m read

Analysis

Texas barbecue restaurants raise prices as brisket costs soar

Brisket costs, labor pain and traffic declines are forcing Texas barbecue operators to raise prices, shrink menus and rethink staffing just to stay open.

Marcus Chen2m read

Guides

TouchBistro guide explains tipped minimum wages by state and province

Tipped pay is changing city by city, and the payroll mistakes can be costly. TouchBistro’s guide helps workers and managers track base wages, tip credits, and compliance gaps.

Derek Washington5m read

Labor

Cowbell settles with Labor Department over wage, overtime violations

Cowbell agreed to pay about $83,000 after federal investigators said workers missed wages, overtime and legal teen-shift limits across Maine locations.

Lauren Xu2m read

News

Indiana bans I Heart Mac and Cheese franchises after rule violations

Indiana hit I Heart Mac and Cheese with $377,500 in penalties and barred new franchise sales after finding 16 locations either closed or never opened.

Marcus Chen2m read

News

Kentucky concessions deal keeps workers on payroll, adds training

UK's Compass switch spared current dining workers from a payroll reset: jobs, pay and benefits stay intact, while training and apprenticeships expand.

Marcus Chen2m read

Labor

Walrus and the Carpenter workers vote to authorize strike in Seattle

Workers at The Walrus and the Carpenter backed a strike by 18-2 after more than a year of bargaining, raising the stakes for one of Ballard’s best-known restaurants.

Marcus Chen2m read

News

FAT Brands splits up in bankruptcy sale, Twin Peaks and others sold separately

FAT Brands is being sold piece by piece, with Twin Peaks, Hot Dog on a Stick and Elevation Burger heading to different buyers and an $8 million trust chasing claims.

Lauren Xu3m read

News

Atelier closes, Michelin-starred Lincoln Square restaurant weighs bankruptcy

Atelier’s bigger Lincoln Square room brought 36 seats and a bar menu, but not enough diners. The Michelin-starred restaurant has shut down and is weighing bankruptcy.

Derek Washington2m read

News

Hyderabad restaurant tax probe uncovers deleted bills, 408 crore in sales suppression

Deleted bills and AI checks helped tax officers flag 408 crore in hidden restaurant sales, with a wider probe now testing billing logs across 70 outlets.

Lauren Xu2m read

Guides

DOL guidance clarifies when restaurant managers qualify for overtime exemption

A new manager title does not kill overtime by itself. In restaurants, duties and salary basis decide whether a promotion really makes someone exempt.

Lauren Xu6m read

Guides

2026 minimum wage hikes complicate restaurant pay compliance nationwide

Nineteen states are raising wages in 2026, but the real payroll trap is location-by-location rules for tipped staff. One missed city ordinance can mean back pay, not just a messy schedule.

Lauren Xu6m read

Guides

Labor Department Clarifies When Restaurant Managers Can’t Share Tips

A floor manager can run food and still be barred from tips. The Labor Department says one bad tip pool can trigger wage recovery and full minimum-pay obligations.

Derek Washington6m read

Labor

Rise in Tip Pooling Enforcement Prompts Restaurants to Tighten FLSA Compliance

Restaurants are rewriting tip-pooling rules after a "past year" surge in litigation; operators must track $30/month thresholds, the 20%/30-minute rule, and keep managers out of pooled tips.

Marcus Chen3m read

Labor

DOL Explains How Restaurant Workers Can Recover Unpaid Wages

The U.S. Department of Labor outlines how restaurant workers can find recovered back wages and file a federal claim using the Workers Owed Wages database and form WH-60.

Marcus Chen2m read

Labor

New York 2026 Tipped-Wage Guidance for Restaurants on Tips, Overtime, Pooling

New York State issued guidance detailing tipped-wage rules for 2026, clarifying tip credits, overtime treatment and tip-pooling limits that affect restaurant payrolls and worker take-home pay.

Marcus Chen2m read

Labor

NLRB Guide Helps Restaurant Workers Protect Rights When Organizing, Complaining

NLRB information lays out how restaurant workers can legally organize, complain, and seek redress for retaliation, and explains filing steps and time limits that matter to employees.

Marcus Chen2m read

Labor

How restaurant workers can organize and file unfair labor charges

Learn step-by-step how to recognize protected concerted activity, spot employer violations, and file an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB. Practical guidance for restaurant workers and managers.

Marcus Chen4m read

Labor

How restaurant workers can file federal wage and tip complaints

The U.S. Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division lays out how restaurant staff can report unpaid wages, tip disputes, misclassification and other violations.

Marcus Chen2m read

Labor

DOL clarifies tip-credit rules and worker protections for restaurants

DOL Fact Sheet #15 clarifies federal rules for tipped workers, tip credits, tip pools and notice obligations. It affects wages, scheduling of non-tipped work and employer liability.

Marcus Chen2m read

News

Chick-fil-A to open Maple Valley restaurant, create about 100 jobs

Maple Valley’s new Chick-fil-A said it would create about 100 jobs, but the real test is whether those roles mean steady hours or just another lean restaurant roster.

Lauren Xu2m read

Analysis

Restaurant labor shortage drives higher pay, bonuses, and better schedules

Full-service restaurants are still short, and the operators winning staff are buying it with pay, bonuses, and schedules workers can actually live on.

Derek Washington5m read

Benefits

Restaurants boost benefits to attract workers in labor squeeze

Benefits now decide retention: paid time off, childcare, and predictable schedules keep restaurant jobs livable, while flashy perks rarely fix low pay.

Lauren Xu6m read

Guides

Labor Department outlines WARN notice rules for restaurant closures

When a restaurant closes, WARN notice, unemployment claims, and pay records can determine how badly workers are hit. The Labor Department says the real protection starts before the lights go out.

Derek Washington6m read

Labor

Japan restaurant chains scramble as visa freeze deepens labor shortage

Japan froze new restaurant visas after foreign workers in the scheme neared 46,000, putting shorter hours and temporary closures on the table.

Lauren Xu2m read

Labor

Step-by-Step Filing of Wage-and-Hour Complaints for Restaurant Workers

If your restaurant underpaid you, gather names, dates and payment records and call the DOL Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243 to start a no-cost wage claim.

Marcus Chen6m read