Over the last few years, there’s been a shift in the restaurant industry, with certain restaurants across the city moving to a new wages model, where tipping is eliminated from the dining experience. Now, Barque is following suit.
The Roncesvalles smokehouse joins a growing list of Toronto restaurants, from Marben to Richmond Station, that have revamped their staffing policies in recent years.
A sign posted at the restaurant revealed that the tip-free model was put into effect last month. After noting that the prices on the menu reflect the full price of food (outside, of course, taxes), Barque revealed the reason for their switch.
“We believe all restaurant employees should be able to afford living in the city where they work,” the sign reads. “The starting wage at Barque, $22.25, is above the Toronto rate calculated by the Ontario Living Wage Network. Our cost of fairly compensating staff (including paid sick days, personal days and health benefits) will be fully factored into our menu prices. Any gratuity is appreciated, but completely unnecessary.”
Some Reddit users were excited by the change and quick to point out other restaurants in the city that have adopted the same model, like Bar Isabel. Others were quick to point out Barque’s history of respecting its employees: “I worked there years ago briefly. They were great people and it caught me off guard as I was still young and was used to being abused in the kitchen,” wrote another user. Instead they were beyond welcoming and would often ask for my input even though it was my first week. Great food and great people.”
Barque is located at 299 Roncesvalles Avenue.
