Star-studded LA restaurant chain Jon & Vinny's is blasted over compulsory 18% service charge that isn't a tip - as bosses say all staff earn more than city's $16.04-an-hour minimum wage
- Two former servers filed the class-action lawsuit against Joint Venture Restaurant Group Inc., which owns Jon & Vinny's, on June 21
- The ultra popular restaurant's website clarifies the purpose of the service fee on their website, and outlines Los Angeles' $16.04-an-hour minimum wage
- In June, receipts at the Fairfax and Beverly Hills locations failed to specify that the service fee was not a gratuity, according to an Los Angeles Times report
A hotspot LA restaurant frequented by celebs like Kim Kardashian and Jeff Bezos was sued by its waiters for adding a compulsory 18 percent 'service fee' to checks.
Two former servers filed the class-action lawsuit against Joint Venture Restaurant Group Inc., which owns Jon & Vinny's, on June 21, claiming the service charge confuses customers and denies them of their deserved tips.
The service charge is not a tip. Jon & Vinny's owners Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo say it uses the cash to ensure 'equitable' pay. Every worker in the establishment is paid at least the $16.04-an-hour minimum wage, the restaurant's website states.
Salary data sent to DailyMail.com by a spokesman shows what the restaurant chain claims are actual base wages ranging from $17.72-an-hour for a dishwasher before tips, to $21.51 after, and $20.07-an-hour for a server before tips, to $42.32-an-hour after.
Hospitality businesses in many other states are allowed to pay staff below minimum wage with the understanding that workers there can boost their earnings through tips.
The lawsuit has been filed by Shannon Liss-Riordan, and Jane Farrell. A page on the popular restaurant's website explains the service fee as a way of ensuring all staffers 'make a more equitable wage and strive to create more stability for all of our team members.'
Jon & Vinny's also added an explanation to the bottom of customers' checks, which now reads: 'The service charge is not a tip or gratuity, and is an added fee controlled by the restaurant that helps facilitate a higher living base wage for all of our employees.'
![A hotspot LA restaurant frequented by celebs like Kim Kardashian and billionaire Jeff Bezos, Jon & Vinny's, was sued by its waiters for adding an 18 percent 'service fee' to checks](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/18/72973561-12275627-image-a-2_1688750934158.jpg)
A hotspot LA restaurant frequented by celebs like Kim Kardashian and billionaire Jeff Bezos, Jon & Vinny's, was sued by its waiters for adding an 18 percent 'service fee' to checks
![Kim Kardashian also enjoyed a late night pizza date with boyfriend Pete Davidson at Jon & Vinny's Italian restaurant in LA after the premiere of her new Hulu show The Kardashians in Hollywood last year](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/19/72973559-12275627-Kim_Kardashian_also_enjoyed_a_late_night_pizza_date_with_boyfrie-a-1_1688752871284.jpg)
Kim Kardashian also enjoyed a late night pizza date with boyfriend Pete Davidson at Jon & Vinny's Italian restaurant in LA after the premiere of her new Hulu show The Kardashians in Hollywood last year
![Jon & Vinny’s has locations in Beverly Hills, Slauson, Fairfax, and Brentwood, and its successful founders, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, have a restaurant empire in Los Angeles](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/19/72973563-12275627-Jon_Vinny_s_has_locations_in_Beverly_Hills_Slauson_Fairfax_and_B-a-2_1688752871288.jpg)
Jon & Vinny’s has locations in Beverly Hills, Slauson, Fairfax, and Brentwood, and its successful founders, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, have a restaurant empire in Los Angeles
'Please scan the QR Code at the top of the receipt for additional information, or speak with a manager,' it added.
In June, receipts at the Fairfax and Beverly Hills locations failed to specify that the service fee was not a gratuity, according to a Los Angeles Times report.
Instead, the QR code listed on the receipt was linked to a web page headlined 'What We Believe,' where customers are then told 'No, the service charge is not a tip or gratuity, it is an added fee that is controlled by the restaurant.'
The plaintiffs, Jordan Slaffey, who waits tables at Jon & Vinny's Beverly Hills, Slauson, Fairfax, and Brentwood locations, and Kara Jobe, who works in Beverly Hills, claim that the company denied them tips and therefore cheated them out of their take-home pay due to confusion resulting from the 18 percent service charge.
'When customers have paid these 18 percent service charges … it is reasonable for them to have believed they were gratuities to be paid to the service staff, as that is customarily the percentage added as gratuity or tip in the hospitality industry,' the suit states.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury, and are asking to be awarded restitution for all 'gratuities that the defendant collected from customers which were not remitted to the non-managerial service employees.'
They are also asking that they be awarded pre and post-judgment interest; reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses; and any other relief to which Plaintiffs and the class may be entitled, according to the lawsuit.
The restaurant's website also explains that the 18 percent service charge is necessary and they cannot just increase food prices.
'At its core, the service charge is about driving change in our industry – helping ensure our business can thrive in challenging economic environments and compensating each member of our team in a more equitable way – in a way that uniformly increasing our food prices doesn't allow for,' it explains.
![Salads prepared by Chefs Vinny Dotolo (L) and Jon Shook of Jon & Vinny's during E!'s The Arrangement Event on February 15, 2017 in Los Angeles, California](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/18/72973579-12275627-image-a-1_1688750930083.jpg)
Salads prepared by Chefs Vinny Dotolo (L) and Jon Shook of Jon & Vinny's during E!'s The Arrangement Event on February 15, 2017 in Los Angeles, California
![Two weeks after the lawsuit was filed, the ultra popular restaurant released an announcement clarifying the purpose of the service fee on their website](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/18/72973577-12275627-image-a-5_1688750953559.jpg)
Two weeks after the lawsuit was filed, the ultra popular restaurant released an announcement clarifying the purpose of the service fee on their website
![The restaurant's new message explained that the 18 percent service charge is necessary and they cannot just increase food prices](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/18/72973571-12275627-image-a-6_1688750956350.jpg)
The restaurant's new message explained that the 18 percent service charge is necessary and they cannot just increase food prices
'The restaurant's service charge model offers a forward thinking approach to service, in-house advancement opportunities, and professional growth for our team members.'
'We expect friendly, professional, and courteous service from all of our team members, and our service charge allows us to employ a diverse mix of people with specific areas of expertise that elevates the dining experience for our guests.'
Servers were notified about the change over the weekend by management, according to the LA Times.
'We have decided to further update the guest check and QR Code summary page regarding the service charge,' the message read.
'Although we have always been very clear with our guests and our staff that the service charge is not a tip or gratuity, unfortunately the recent LA Times article has created confusion and we don't want that to affect our staff or our customers' experience,' the message continued.
'We believe in this team, the experience, and our ability to come together to preserve what's so special about Jon & Vinny's.'
However, a server who currently works at the Jon & Vinny's told the LA Times, that this clarification has not improve the system of receiving tips.
He said while the language might be clearer, it didn't please some of their diners on Sunday evening.
![Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are seen leaving Jon & Vinny's restaurant after having dinner on a Saturday night in Brentwood in 2021](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/18/72973589-12275627-image-a-12_1688751203615.jpg)
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are seen leaving Jon & Vinny's restaurant after having dinner on a Saturday night in Brentwood in 2021
![Jennifer Garner has a girl's night out with her daughter Seraphina and friends at Jon & Vinny's Italian restaurant in Brentwood in 2019](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/19/72973585-12275627-Jennifer_Garner_has_a_girl_s_night_out_with_her_daughter_Seraphi-a-3_1688752871300.jpg)
Jennifer Garner has a girl's night out with her daughter Seraphina and friends at Jon & Vinny's Italian restaurant in Brentwood in 2019
![Leonardo DiCaprio and girlfriend Camila Morrone exit from the back door following a dinner party at Jon & Vinny's Italian restaurant in Los Angeles in 2019](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/19/72973587-12275627-Leonardo_DiCaprio_and_girlfriend_Camila_Morrone_exit_from_the_ba-a-5_1688752871344.jpg)
Leonardo DiCaprio and girlfriend Camila Morrone exit from the back door following a dinner party at Jon & Vinny's Italian restaurant in Los Angeles in 2019
![Feasting: Kim shared her night out with fans after dining at Jon & Vinny's](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/19/56386797-12275627-Feasting_Kim_shared_her_night_out_with_fans_on_Thursday-a-6_1688752871432.jpg)
Feasting: Kim shared her night out with fans after dining at Jon & Vinny's
'It certainly doesn't solve the problem, because people are still pissed about the 18% and where it goes,' the server said to the LA Times. 'And it clearly didn't make them tip more last night.'
He said diners left fewer tips than usual, with many leaving 'a lot of zeroes' in the tip line or the word 'included'.
Every employee is paid a minimum of $16.04 per hour, regardless of whether they also receive tips or service charge distributions for additional compensation.
The restaurant implemented the service fee in 2015 when they opened Jon & Vinny's on Fairfax. This was aimed at eliminating the wage disparity between the various positions that help make a restaurant successful.
'The goal was to create a better, more equitable, way to compensate all of our team members who participate in the chain of service,' the website writes.
'We believe in everyone making a more equitable wage and strive to create more stability for all of our team members. We have a lot of respect for everyone who works at Jon & Vinny's and hope that they choose to work here because they too believe in this model,' it added.
Jon and Vinny's is a modern Italian eatery hit and one of LA's most successful restaurant groups with an A-list celebrity crowd, including Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, as well as Jay-Z and Beyonce.
Jon & Vinny’s has locations in Beverly Hills, Slauson, Fairfax, and Brentwood, and its successful founders, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, have a restaurant empire in Los Angeles.
The partners have written a cook book, appeared on Top Chef, and collaborated with major brands like shoe company Vans.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was spotted in Los Angeles having dinner with his girlfriend, Good Day LA anchor, Lauren Sánchez.
Bezos, 57, and Sanchez, 51, were seen leaving Jon & Vinny's restaurant in Brentwood, after dining at the restaurant for two hours.
Kim Kardashian also enjoyed a late night pizza date with boyfriend Pete Davidson at Jon & Vinny's Italian restaurant in LA after the premiere of her new Hulu show The Kardashians in Hollywood.
![Two weeks after the lawsuit was filed by attorneys Shannon Liss-Riordan (pictured), and Jane Farrell, the ultra popular restaurant released an announcement clarifying the purpose of the service fee on their website](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/19/72973575-12275627-Two_weeks_after_the_lawsuit_was_filed_by_attorneys_Shannon_Liss_-a-4_1688752871332.jpg)
Two weeks after the lawsuit was filed by attorneys Shannon Liss-Riordan (pictured), and Jane Farrell, the ultra popular restaurant released an announcement clarifying the purpose of the service fee on their website
![More than half of Americans think we are in an era of 'tipflation'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/07/19/72720929-12275627-More_than_half_of_Americans_think_we_are_in_an_era_of_tipflation-a-7_1688752871432.jpg)
More than half of Americans think we are in an era of 'tipflation'
A report released in June found two-thirds of Americans have a negative view about tipping and are growing 'stingier' with gratuities on a range of everyday services.
A Bankrate survey of 2,500 people reveals that shoppers are tipping less across the board for eating out, taxis, food delivery, haircuts and their daily coffee.
Some 30 percent of people said they thought tipping culture had gotten out of control as prompts for gratuities has spilled out from bars and restaurants and into stores, takeout chains and even self-service machines.
Two-thirds of Americans have a negative view about tipping and are growing 'stingier' with gratuities on a range of everyday services, a new report found.
A Bankrate survey of 2,500 people reveals that shoppers are tipping less across the board for eating out, taxis, food delivery, haircuts and their daily coffee.
Some 30 percent of people said they thought tipping culture had gotten out of control as prompts for gratuities has spilled out from bars and restaurants and into stores, takeout chains and even self-service machines.
According to the survey, the number of people who always tip for servers at a sit-down restaurant has declined by 12 percent in the last four years - from 77 percent in 2019 to 65 percent in 2023.
And less than half of diners - some 44 percent - said they always tip at least 20 percent at restaurants.
'Inflation and general economic unease seem to be making Americans stingier with their tipping habits, yet we’re confronted with more invitations to tip than ever,' said Rossman.
'While a lot of people said they would tip more generously during the pandemic, as there was a groundswell of support for service industry workers who kept showing up at work, that enthusiasm hasn’t lasted,' he told DailyMail.com.
'There has also been a lot of tip creep – being asked to tip for things that haven’t historically warranted a tip. I’ve seen tip requests at self-checkout machines and when booking travel online. These are blatant revenue grabs.'
'I think a lot of people are saying enough is enough,' he told CBS MoneyWatch
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