Eric examines the history and culture of tipping in Europe and America as a way to explore recent legislation in Washington, DC that will change the way that bartenders and other service industry workers get paid. This, of course, will also have significant impacts on the cost and perceived value of dining and drinking out, changing the DC food and drink scene in a major way.

This episode begins with a historical and etymological exploration of how and why we tip, with an important meditation on the racist legacy of the tipped minimum wage in the United States. Then, we take a look at two recent ballot initiatives aimed at changing the tipped minimum wage in DC.

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