‘South Park’ creators establish $30/hour wage, prohibit tipping at Colorado eatery.
South Park Creators Raise Minimum Wage to $30 per Hour at Casa Bonita
“South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have made a bold move by increasing the minimum wage to $30 per hour for all employees at their Colorado restaurant, Casa Bonita, including servers.
However, this rate increase comes with a twist. Customers will no longer be allowed to tip. Parker and Stone acquired Casa Bonita in Lakewood, Colorado, for $3.1 million in 2021 after the previous owners declared bankruptcy due to financial hardships caused by the COVID pandemic, according to People.
Currently, Colorado has a minimum wage of $13.65 per hour, which means the staff at Casa Bonita will be earning $16.35 more than the minimum wage.
Casa Bonita is renowned for its extravagant entertainment and animatronics, offering more than just food. The restaurant’s website promises diners a unique experience with “Mex eats & pageantry such as divers plunging into a pool below a 30-ft. waterfall & puppet shows.”
Parker, who had childhood birthday parties at Casa Bonita, and Stone have been praised for reviving the venue. The Denver Gazette even refers to Casa Bonita as the “Disneyland of Mexican restaurants.”
“During our soft-opening nights, we noticed that guests simply weren’t tipping. We believe this is due to our unconventional, pre-pay ticketing system,” explained a Casa Bonita spokesperson to FOX 31 KDVR, as reported by The New York Post.
“To provide a higher-than-average, dependable wage, we have transitioned to a no-tipping model and doubled the hourly rate to over $30/hr for our service staff,” the spokesperson added. “This change also benefits our guests, who can now enjoy Casa Bonita without unexpected costs. Out of our 256 employees, 93 were part of this transition, and only 2 expressed dissatisfaction.”
In an interview with The New York Times, Parker and Stone discussed their purchase of Casa Bonita and the subsequent improvements made to the establishment.
“It doesn’t smell like chlorine anymore,” Stone remarked. “We could have built it twice as big for half the cost, but we invested heavily in restoring it, treating it like a work of art. And the food is excellent.”
The issue of tipping has been a subject of debate for years, especially as more businesses, including coffee shops, grocery stores, and fast casual dining establishments, have started soliciting tips from customers.
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