Can restaurants survive without traditional tipping? | Katie Button (Reupload) | 063 Artwork

The Pre-Shift

Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into what it takes to build great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, the strategies they use, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D. J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.

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The Pre-Shift

Can restaurants survive without traditional tipping? | Katie Button (Reupload) | 063

May 29, 2025 • 7shifts

The restaurant industry has long struggled with the divide between front and back-of-house compensation. In this archive episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, Chef Katie Button of Cúrate and La Bodega by Cúrate in Asheville reveals how she completely transformed her restaurant's pay structure after the pandemic shutdown. Katie details her journey from engineering PhD student to award-winning chef, and explains why she took the bold step of eliminating sub-minimum wage pay, implementing a weighted tip pool, and creating transparent pathways for advancement. She candidly discusses the challenges and benefits of this transformation, from staff reactions to financial adjustments, ultimately showing how creating more equitable compensation has strengthened her restaurant team and culture.

Resources

Connect with Katie Button on LinkedIn 🔗
Visit: Cúrate and La Bodega by Cúrate 🍽️
7shifts Restaurant Management Blog 📝

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Katie Button and Pre-Shift Podcast
00:57 - From engineering PhD to award-winning chef (Katie's background story begins)
03:52 - The decision to transform restaurant compensation (discussion of sub-minimum wage issues)
07:20 - Understanding the front/back of house pay disparity (holiday season example)
08:50 - Katie's personal experience with pay differences
11:13 - Creating a new compensation model post-shutdown (weighted tip pools explained)
14:16 - How the new model affects team morale and culture
15:31 - Financial adjustments required to implement higher wages
19:34 - Comprehensive benefits package implementation (healthcare, PTO, etc.)
21:07 - PTO structure and fairness for new vs. veteran employees
22:00 - Transparency in pay and performance expectations (posting tip pool breakdowns)
22:48 - Using Seven Shifts software for transparency
23:15 - Introduction to La Bodega (second restaurant)
24:08 - Closing and contact information

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7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.