Worker Resilience Charge

In pursuit of a worker-centered restaurant industry, Reem’s is shifting away from tipping, replacing it with a 20% service charge entitled “Worker Resilience Charge”. The charge supplements worker wages based on hours worked, and goes towards worker benefits with the option to add more if you feel so called.

Tipping in the U.S. is rooted in slavery, exploitation, and deep racial and gender inequities originally brought to America to demand unpaid tipped work. Tipped restaurant and food service workers are paid some of the lowest wages in this country with the national minimum at $2.13/hour. Much of the burden of tipped service work falls on Black and Brown communities, further marginalizing them in our food system.  While Reem’s has employed beyond-minimum wages since the beginning, we’ve been hit hard in the wake of Covid-19 from having to shut down our Oakland brick & mortar. 

We hope that moving away from this practice brings us one step closer to transforming the hospitality industry into one that centers workers and communities around them. We envision a world where ALL work is dignified and recognized for its true value. Only then can we reach our vision to build strong resilience through good jobs, nourishing food, and sanctuary space. 

We thank you for joining us in achieving that vision and offsetting the current hardship. All 20% will supplement worker wages based on hours work with the option to add more if you feel called.