••• The city’s crackdown on unlicensed street-food vendors doesn’t seem to be going all that well, judging from the one I saw on the State Street Promenade last Saturday night.
••• Chick-fil-A has reopened after a two-month closure to better deal with traffic.
••• The Michelin Guide announced which California restaurants earned stars for the first time, but none were around here. Sushi by Scratch Restaurants in Montecito, however, has lost its one star.
••• An outpost of Mister Softee is opening in the former Creamistry space at State and Carrillo. —Restaurant Guy
••• “Felonies Dropped Against Ocean Fathoms, but Bottles Being Destroyed […] Founders of Santa Barbara’s Underwater Wine Company Still Have Hope for Future.” —Independent
••• The proprietors of Foxtail Kitchen on E. Cota Street are changing it to Wadi Rum Kitchen: “We are going back to openings starting at 6 a.m. till 9 p.m. with a hookah lounge on the back patio and new waterfalls,” they told Restaurant Guy. “We will have a Jordanian/Lebanese market as well.”
••• The 39th Santa Barbara Vintners Festival is October 14 at the Vega Vineyard & Farm: “The Santa Barbara Vintners Festival provides participants with an unparalleled opportunity to taste wines from over 60 renowned wineries in Santa Barbara County. […] In addition to the outstanding wine offerings, the festival will also feature a delectable selection of regional cuisine from dozens of esteemed restaurants, chefs, and food producers.” Tickets are available now.
••• After I posted about the 18 percent service charge at Sama Sama, the restaurant explained that that it “opted for this pay structure for several reasons. (1) To minimize the wage gap between the front and back of house, (2) to provide our staff with a higher living wage, (3) to provide full healthcare, and (4) contribute to our employees retirement funds. This does not eliminate the pay gap between front and back of house by any means, but it certainly minimizes it. All additional tips will go directly to the staff.” Coincidentally, we ate at the restaurant the other night. I love the idea of everyone on staff being fairly and nicely compensated, but there’s an inherent ambiguity—to me, “service charge” and “gratuity” mean the same thing, except one is mandatory—and wondering whether to tip cast a pall over an otherwise fun dinner. And to answer BW’s question (“I’m still confused if the Sama Sama charge is in lieu of gratuity? Can someone clarify?”), I honestly have no idea.
················
Sign up for the Siteline email newsletter for the freshest food news in town.
We were just in Paris and all service charges including tips were included in your bill. The French sometimes leave some change to round up the bill. Many restaurants have tip/service charge included when your party is 6 or more. I’m fine with paying it all although we leave 20% at most restaurants.
Ugh mandatory “service charges” are just infuriating – if it’s mandatory and applies to everything it should be reflected in the item prices. Here’s hoping SB 478 passes.
I ate at Sama recently. They seemed understaffed on a busy weekend night, but our server was very composed and friendly. After expressing some concern over the stressed staff, we were conversing with our server and they told us how upset they were over the automatic 18% “service charge” because most of it was going to the owners. Very disappointing, if you’ve ever worked in the service industry, you’d know that tips are your main income, especially in the very expensive Santa Barbara housing market AND inflation costs. When I tip (always at least 20% ) I assume it goes to my server, the one who is directly responsible to my experience. It’s a shame to hear that it goes to the owners and not the hardworking staff.
As previously noted, it appears the 18% is almost entirely going to the owners to cover their operating costs. The staff “may” be getting the monies indirectly via what they describe on the bill above but who knows. Have they gotten a pay increase or improved healthcare since this started … only the staff could answer. If not … you have your answer. This is becoming as infuriating as giving 20% to someone to literally hands you a donut or cup of coffee from across a counter and the “service” includes nothing else. Shouldn’t I tip a cashier at Target or In-N-Out in this case?
I will not be going to Sama Sama . I agree with the person above if you want to charge a service fee because increase in rent, utilities, etc. then change the prices of your food not of the service
Let your consumers decide if they want to pay your prices don’t tax on words and add extra fees.
I went to a concert at the Bowl last week and was shocked to see a tip jar at the area that sells shirts, posters, hats, etc. That was a first for me!
Many restaurants are getting tricky with how they pay their staff with how they distribute tips amongst employees. Unless you work there or have family working there, we often have no idea. Recently a very popular restaurant in the Santa Ynez valley decided to change how they divide up tips. Instead of giving the hostess an hourly pay raise, they are giving the actual servers/bartenders less. They told the employees it was more fair, but actually the hostess is now getting a huge portion of the pooled tips. I have worked in the service industry for over 35 years, in many fields, and find that quite unfair. I expect with the automatic 18% service charge, the servers at Sama will now get tipped less. I understand that running a successful restaurant in this area is tough, but I do not agree with that service charge. I will not be returning to Sama Sama.
Sama Sama should raise prices to cover vs force a decision on service charge + gratuity. Focus on quality of food and great service.
Seems like a business cost should be in price.
It looks like the DA is going after these types of practices.. This Noozhawk article is dated July 21: https://www.noozhawk.com/santa-barbara-county-das-office-sends-warning-letters-to-restaurants-charging-illegal-surcharges-fees/?utm_medium=email
“ The city’s crackdown on unlicensed street-food vendors doesn’t seem to be going all that well, judging from the one I saw on the State Street Promenade last Saturday night.”
The photo is from a distance; are you sure they were unlicensed?
Any licensed vendor is supposed to have a enclosed tent, hand washing station and a closable window to serve from…that was pre-covid
Sama Sama suffers from the same delusions that all associated with all points between landlord, through business owner to customers. We all feel entitled, but it’s ultimately the customer who pays. To hell with anyone attempting to impose a gratuity or service charge. Tips are our subjective choice, not an entitlement. In this instance it’s the business owner. It doesn’t pass the sniff test. I won’t patronize any business that does this.
Let’s assume that the owners of Sama sell 2 million dollars a year. That would mean that by simply making this change with the 18% additional fee they gave themselves a $360k a year raise. I am all for small business but not when it’s taken from servers and transferred into owners hands.
I have friends in the restaurant business and they offer their employees insurance and pay them very well. ( without having to do this shenanigans )
Super shady that Sama Sama is choosing to do this.
I will never eat there again.
Seems like a lot assumptions being made in these comments about what the surcharge is going towards. What about higher hourly wage and health insurance? Service industry jobs are tough and usually for the young but many restaurants are trying out new models of doing things. Also doesn’t seem very service friendly to declare you’re never going to a restaurant again because of “fill in the blank”.
No reasons to make assumptions when testimony like this commenter shared has been given: “After expressing some concern over the stressed staff, we were conversing with our server and they told us how upset they were over the automatic 18% “service charge” because most of it was going to the owners. ”