This story appears in the
August 1998 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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At McAlister's Gourmet Deli, the waiters and waitresses do
the tipping. Since the early 1990s, the wait staffs at every
McAlister's have been putting all their tips aside, then
donating them monthly, quarterly or annually to local charities.
The policy was started by the Oxford, Mississippi-based
franchise's founder, Don Newcomb, and is carried out in all 30
restaurants.
Deli customers order and pay for their food at the counter; the
wait staff then delivers food to the tables and refills drinks.
Patrons don't have to leave gratuities--in fact, signs abound
on the walls that encourage customers not to leave tips. But below
those signs are other signs that say if money is left, it will be
donated to charity. Many of the customers choose to tip, whether
it's a few coins or a few dollars.
Does the tipping policy help business? "I think there is a
draw for customers who know we give back to the community,"
says Patrick Walls, director of franchising for McAlister's
Management Corp. But Walls is reluctant to completely attribute the
tipping to the donation policy. He would rather give credit to the
employees, who he says deliver friendly, smiling service.
Contact Source
McAlister's Management Corp., (888) 855-3354,
http://pwalls@usa.net