Tipping Banned at Restaurant Co-Owned by South Park Creators

In September 2021, the brilliant minds behind the popular animated sitcom South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, made headlines when they purchased Casa Bonita, a sprawling 52,000-square-foot Mexican restaurant located in Lakewood, Colorado. The restaurant gained fame after being featured in one of the show’s episodes. Unfortunately, Casa Bonita had previously filed for bankruptcy before being acquired by Stone and Parker. However, the dynamic duo had big plans for the eatery and decided to invest $40 million in its renovation. Fast forward to June 23, and Casa Bonita finally reopened its doors to the public. But this time, there was a major change that caught the attention of the Denver Post: Tips are no longer accepted.

This means that while servers and bartenders won’t receive any gratuities, their pay has been increased to a flat rate of $30 per hour. Initially, when tips were still included, the pay rate was expected to be around $14 to $15 per hour. According to a statement from the restaurant’s management to the Post, the decision to eliminate tips was made after guests failed to leave any during the soft opening period. The management believes that this is due to their unconventional prepay ticketing system, where patrons purchase their $40 meal tickets ($25 for kids aged 3 to 12, and free for those under 3) in advance.

In addition to ensuring a “higher-than-average, dependable wage” for their employees, Casa Bonita highlights that this shift also benefits their guests, who can now enjoy their dining experience without incurring unexpected costs. As reported by Insider, the minimum wage in Colorado, according to the state’s Department of Labor, is $13.65 per hour. Therefore, the new pay rate of $30 per hour at Casa Bonita ensures that employees receive above-average compensation. When a Post reporter visited the restaurant after its reopening, they were unable to leave a tip for their drink because there was no space provided on the receipt for a gratuity amount.

According to a report by Axios Denver, the restaurant’s employees were called in for a meeting shortly before the reopening. During the meeting, they were presented with new contracts outlining the revised payment setup and given only one day to either sign or resign. While the new pay structure may prove beneficial for workers during slower days, they may experience a significant loss of potential earnings during busier times, which could amount to “hundreds of dollars per shift,” as calculated by Axios. The restaurant’s statement reveals that a total of 93 out of 256 employees were affected by this change. For more information on Casa Bonita’s renovation and the plans of Stone and Parker, including the addition of indoor cliff divers, check out the New York Times interview. Casa Bonita has recently earned the title of the “Disneyland of Mexican restaurants,” as reported by the Denver Gazette. (Read more tipping stories.)