Seattle’s minimum wage increase sparks tipping debate [Video]

Though many workers and advocates are celebrating the wage hike, the change has also reignited debates around tipping, particularly in the restaurant industry.

The new minimum wage applies across the board, meaning all employees will earn at least $20.76 per hour. Previously in Seattle, restaurants were allowed to pay $17.25 per hour if employees earned at least $2.72 in tips or received medical benefits. With the new rate, those exceptions will no longer apply.

For restaurant workers like Brandon Nyland, who has spent eight years in the service industry, the increase is welcome news.

“I think going from $17 to $20, you’re going to see those raises in cost-of-living adjustments in a 9-to-5 corporate world as well,” Nyland said.

However, Nyland and other industry professionals acknowledge the challenges this could pose for businesses. 

“A lot of restaurants are going to have razor-thin, one- to three-percent profit margins,” Nyland explained. “So, …