New Portland eatery will be a ‘no-tipping zone’
Amy Alward, the owner of the soon-to-be opened Baristas and Bites in Portland, says that customers of the café will be entering a “no-tipping zone” when they stop in for a bite to eat.
Instead, customers will see a 11.2% “cost-of-living” surcharge added to their bill, which Alward, who also owns Love Kupcakes Inc., told the Bangor Daily News will allow her to pay employees a livable wage.
“We need our staff to live near where they work, since we have to get people in the door baking by 3 a.m. to get our fresh-baked goods in the ovens,” Alward told the BDN. “To do that we need them to be able to support themselves.”
Alward told the BDN that the surcharge will be offset by encouraging customers to return to the 469 Fore St. eatery through a loyalty program. Baristas and Bites will also have a self-checkout, curbside pickup and a new ordering app, all meant to boost retention among its customers.
“I want people to understand in order for me to take care of patrons, I need to take care of my staff,” Alward told the BDN.
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