Mario Batali Gives $5.25 Million Lesson in Tip Pooling

Mario Batali is well known as a celebrity chef, educating many in the fine art of cooking. Now he can add to that resume an education in properly paying employees, as he has just settled a class action suit alleging that his restaurants illegally withheld tips from approximately 1,100 captains, servers, waiters, bussers, back waiters, barbacks and bartenders who worked at Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca, Otto, Casa Mono, Bar Jamon, Esca, Lupa, Del Posto and Tarry Lodge, all in New York.

Managers at those restaurants are accused of deducting from the tip pool 4 to 5 percent of each shift’s wine and beverage sales. Pending approval by the Court, the total bill to Batali’s restaurants now due to their employees: $5.25 million.

If you’re working for a restaurant deducting money from your tip pool, call us.