Moderator’s introduction
Today’s moderator: Rick Badie
Rick Badie joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as an education reporter in 1997. A South Georgia native, he’s covered the region’s immigrant communities, was a feature obituary writer and opinion columnist for the AJC’s Gwinnett edition.
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Ever been steamed by the practice of some restaurants to automatically add a gratuity to your bill? Come Jan. 1, that may end at many establishments. An IRS ruling that takes effect in January will regard automatic tips as part of wages, which might lead to higher payroll taxes for businesses. In response, Darden Restaurants has nixed 18-percent tipping for large parties at nearly 100 restaurants and may disband the custom completely. Atlanta being a dining city, we explore the issue.
Guest columnists:
- Tips are here to stay by Todd Semrau
- Automatic tips protect workers by David Hayden
- Business as usual for restaurants by Karen Bremer
