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Busboys Vs. Waiters In Vicious Tip War At Cipriani

2011_05_ciprianih.jpg A feud is simmering between waiters and busboys at the troubled Cipriani restaurant empire, as the two groups battle on divvying up their nightly tip money. "It's a war," said one busboy, who apparently isn't afraid to sleep with the fishes.

The background is as follows: two months ago, the restaurant, located in the Sherry-Netherland, hired extra busboys (presumably to help clean up all those mob ties), which widened the tip pool waiters would be collecting from every night. To retaliate, the waiters cut the busboy's share in said pool from 33% to 15%, and the battle was on. Busboys are now taking home roughly $60 a day in tips, while waiters are walking out with $400.

While both sides are in union arbitration, we wouldn't be surprised if one party goes rogue and just starts stealing thousands of dollars worth of tips from the restaurant, instead. Kitchen justice is harsh.

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Comments [rss]

  • IgnatiusPabulum

    I went rouge once. Turns out it's not my color. 

  • Ragingsemi

    Not true...at all.

    Every restaurant you see bussers at, they're getting tipped out by the servers. And MOST restaurants now pool tips, so people should think about that before stiffing their waiter. 

  • Detex

    or your waiter should do a good job so they don't have to stiff their coworkers due to a poor TIP... TIPs should be based on service, good service gets you 20% (or more) bad service, I adjust down...

  • angry_pickle

    If tips is based on service, why is it 20% (or more) of the price of your food and drinks?

  • C_Right_THRU_U

    I thought it was illegal in NYC to force waiters to pool tips.  It's the restaurant's job to pay the busboys, not the waiter's.

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