18 restaurants in Florida will stop allowing tips for their servers. Though menu prices raised to compensate, increasing about the same amount a 20% tip would cost. Hit the jump to find out the owner’s reasoning.

Emma Rabid: Twitter ~ Instagram

Joe’s Crab Shack is following a trend set by 20 NYC restaurants. Owner Ray Blanchette had this to say:

“We believe that consistently great service should always be included in the menu price, so we are taking the responsibility for paying the service staff. I personally believe tipping is an antiquated model and you have seen most businesses in America migrate away from it over the last 50 to 100 years.”

3.3 million people in the U.S. work off tips. Most of them make less than $9/hour including tips. As it is, tipped workers struggle to make ends meet. They already make less than enough to live on. This change in tipping policy will just make their lives more difficult.

Source: ABC