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In 2024, outside special interest groups are attempting to eliminate the tipped wage that is so important to servers, Ohio's restaurant and hospitality industry, our customers and Ohio communities.

Eliminating the tipped wage would be especially harmful to small and independent Ohio restaurants and those who serve guests in our communities. 

• It would significantly reduce income earned by servers, bartenders and other tipped employees. 
• It would drive up menu prices for customers and make it more expensive to dine out and order food for take out and delivery.
• It would harm restaurant operators by driving up already challenging labor costs at a time hospitality businesses are still battling 3 years of record-high inflation on food, energy and supplies. No tipped wage in Ohio would result in more closures of restaurants, bars, breweries, food trucks and other hospitality businesses across our state.    



So, when you hear about "Raise the Wage" in Ohio, know that the message from the activist group One Fair Wage is misleading. Operators and servers do NOT want this change.   

Would Raising the Minimum Wage Hurt or Help Tipped Employees?

Hail Mary's server Pat Lavecchia told News 5 in Cleveland he makes an average of $25 to $30 an hour and if a change to tipped wages goes into place in Ohio, he will make less money. He also doesn't want a proposed ballot amendment to fast-track increases in the state's starting wage to $15 per hour (and likely $22 in the near future as we see the SEIU pushing in other states) nor force customers to pay even higher prices as the U.S. continues to battle record-high food & supply inflation.

The Case for

the Tip Credit

The tipping system provides substantial earning opportunities for workers across many industries, especially restaurant servers and bartenders – well beyond the current minimum wage, and even beyond the proposed $15 minimum wage.

A new study from the Pew Research Center discovered that 72% of people said the long-standing practice of tipping is now expected in more places than five years ago, which appears to be sowing some confusion among Americans.

“Even as Americans say they’re being asked to tip more often, relatively few have a great deal of confidence about when and how to do so,” the authors wrote.

About a third say it’s extremely or very easy to know whether or how much to tip for different types of services.

21% say tipping is more of a choice, while 29% say it’s more of an obligation.

So, where are Americans tipping? The situations when people add a gratuity offer insight into the new tipping landscape.

• Dining at sit-down restaurants (92%). Of note: A majority said they would tip 15% or less for an average sit-down meal.
• Getting a haircut (78%)
• Having food delivered (76%)
• Using a taxi or rideshare service (61%)
• Buying coffee (25%)
• Eating at fast-casual restaurants (12%)

Read the Article from Pew Research Center

Outside Special Interest Groups

Eyeing 2024 to Eliminate the Tipped Wage in Ohio

Is phasing in raising the minimum wage to $11 an hour good for the Restaurant Industry?

Senate Bill 146 would raise Ohio state minimum wage to $15 hour in a few years 

Save the Tip Credit

Explore the National Restaurant Association Policy Agenda and why it's imperative for restaurants to maintain the tipped wage.

Updated Nov. 21 2023