If you have ordered Acme To-Go recently, you’ve seen the “living wage service charge” on your receipt. Because transparency and integrity is at the beating heart of our business, we want to explain to you directly about this charge. Please read about it here, as well as on the flyer below that you’ll also find in all your to-go bags.
Covid-19 has rocked our industry. If we’ve learned anything from this pandemic, it’s that people are everything in our business. That’s why last spring we decided to guarantee a living wage to all of our employees.
What is the living wage service charge? A 12% service fee on all Acme to-go orders to support payingonly members of our team who are paid by the hour. You’ll see this fee listed as a “service charge” on your check. If you would prefer to leave more than 12% for our staff, you can still elect to add that in the form of a tip. Anything additional is welcome, but never necessary.
Why do it this way? Why not just raise menu prices? We have researched every model possible under North Carolina law – truly. We’ve also watched as some of the best restaurants in the world have tried and failed at raising their prices 20% to include the cost of service. What we learned: guests don’t like it, staff don’t like it, and in the long run it does not work. And if those weren’t reason enough, raising our prices is the least transparent way for you to know where your money goes. We want to make sure that the money you are providing for service goes solely to our team members who are cooking your dinner, mixing your drinks, and delivering that meal to your car. Raising prices would not provide that same transparency for our staff or for you. This model also encourages everyone to work hard for each other knowing that the work they are doing is helping everyone on the team.
Then why don’t you say that on the checkout screen? Unfortunately we do not control the ordering system design, and are unable to customize the framework of your checkout screen. This is very frustrating! For you! And for us! We are working on it, as are the engineers that design our online sales system.
If there’s anything we can clarify about how this works, we are standing by to help at contact@acmecarrboro.com.
Well, that’s all the news from Carrboro. The staff at Acme look forward to serving you soon.
That’s why last spring we decided to 
We want to make sure that the money you are providing for service goes solely to our team members who are cooking your dinner, mixing your drinks, and delivering that meal to your car. Raising prices would not provide that same transparency for our staff or for you. This model also encourages everyone to work hard for each other knowing that the work they are doing is helping everyone on the team.
