When you come from Europe, the tipping culture is a somewhat surprising part of American culture. Tipping culture means that waiters are not getting paid well if the restaurant has little business. When business goes well, waiters are getting a share of the revenue that is not really fair for chefs, dishwashers, and all other restaurant workers. So why not just pay everyone fairly and just charge your customers the right amount upfront?
Chef John Taboada is a restaurant owner that also thinks tipping is not the right way to price customers. He owns Navarre, a top Portland tapas restaurant, and the bar located next to it. In both places, he adopted a gratuity-free policy. To communicate that, he adopted the logo developed by New York restaurateur Andrew Tarlow.
The logo is quite clever, with a mix of the percent sign and a cross that suggests no percentage are added in that place. All this goes in a convenient round shape that make it the perfect sticker to put on your restaurant. Maybe the logo should use a color like green for easier understanding, but apart from that it’s nearly perfect. Will it catch on?
About the Author
Mirko Humbert
Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.