review: keep the change by steve dublanica

Following his bestselling book Waiter Rant, Steve Dublanica uses his background as a tipped employee to inform his research on tipping for Keep the Change. As Dublanica posits, many are confused on how tipping works and what's appropriate. For example, in some states (like my home state of Washington), tipped employees receive tips on top of their regular wage which must meet the state minimum ($9.32 in 2014); in others (like Texas where I live now), their wages can be reduced below the state minimum because of the tips. The interviews with a wide variety of tipped workers proved eye-opening and incredibly interesting, especially the one with the shoe shiner. I had no idea that shoe shiners are oftentimes considered contract workers who make almost no salary--they literally live on their tips. Dublanica also explores the history of tipping and how even as tipping started to become commonplace, the tipped workers were often exploited by corporations. This is definitely a book that will make you think if, like me, you've never worked for tips.
5/5
Review copy provided by the publisher, Ecco Press.