Tip-Sharing Practices Have Landed Some BBQ Joints in Hot Water With the U.S. Dept. of Labor

Two years ago, the Texanist fielded a question about tipping at barbecue joints. Reader Justin Schwartz was making his way through the Top 50 barbecue list and sought ethical clarity on the acceptable percentage to leave the staff. Unlike restaurants with servers, where a 20 percent tip is customary, most barbecue joints hand orders to customers over a counter rather than deliver them to a table. Still, the Texanist asked readers to consider the time and effort that goes into smoking meat, along with the uncomfortable pit-room environment. “We should think of a generous gratuity for our barbecue workers as a chance to show our appreciation for that with which we have been blessed,” he wrote. I agree, but where do those tips go—and where…

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