The Bistro on Union Street is the new French inspired restaurant that now replaces Chuck and Augie’s from last year. Photos by Eric Wang / The Daily Campus.
Bistro on Union Street, located in the University of Connecticut’s Student Union, does not allow customers to tip servers due to a university policy.
Dennis Pierce, executive director of UConn Dining Services, said that the reason for this was to create symmetry with the other companies on campus.
“Several years ago the change was made to be consistent with several areas of dining that already had a no tipping policy in place for many years,” Pierce said. He said that this policy has been around since August of 2016.
These areas are the Dairy Bar and UConn’s catering bartenders, according to Pierce.
He said that UConn implemented this policy just as there was an increase in the hourly wage of the restaurant’s wait staff. Student employees also receive free meals.
Jackie Riberdy, an employee at the Bistro on Union Street, said that the policy was created for ethical purposes because a tip can be seen as a form of bribery.
“We are state employees and people are not able to bribe the employee,” Riberdy said.
Riberdy said servers at Bistro currently make a little above minimum wage.
“If we were working in an actual restaurant, we would be making a lot more money,” Riberdy said.
Riberdy said she does not like that she can’t be tipped compared to other employees.
“I don’t think there is much interest and it is so silly to me that tipping is seen as bribery by customers,” Riberdy said. “It would only benefit college students and not the employees.”
Anthony Zepperi is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at anthony.zepperi@uconn.edu.