Pensacola's 'tipping' point


  • October 27, 2015
  • /   Shannon Nickinson
  • /   economy

Photo credit: Florian Plag. https://www.flickr.com/photos/27351191@N08/6261086405

Tipping is part of Pensacola's way of life.

In a community so reliant on service jobs, thousands of our neighbors depend on that 20 percent traditionally tacked onto a check in recognition of good service.

The economics of the service industry are in the public eye following restaurateur Danny Meyer said he would ban tipping at his 13 New York restaurants.

Bloomberg did a piece on Meyer's decision. They also followed it up with a story that looks at what tipping means in the service economy. The story considered the fact that the line cooks and behind the scenes staff at a restaurant typically don't share in the tip you leave.

It also highlights the fact that the federal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13 an hour — the same as its been since 1991.

While Pensacola is not Gotham, the service economy is a critical part of the Northwest Florida economy. And one where the pay scale often leaves a bit to be desired.

Data from the University of West Florida's Office of Economic Development and Engagement shows that from 2001 to 2015, jobs in food service and accommodation in Escambia County increased 36 percent.

Some 15,881 people in the county earn their living in that industry, according to the numbers. And many of them are doing so in an industry with a median income of $18,385 a year, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Want a little more food for thought? The median income for men in that sector in Escambia County is $21,135. For women, it is $15,826.

It is true that this region's economy has a strong component in service and tourism-related jobs. This is, after all, the western gate to the Sunshine State, where thousands live the way millions wish they could.

We want folks to come and stay in our hotels, visit our beaches, eat in our restaurants, stroll our reviving downtown. Making sure that happens — and making sure that the folks who do come have a wonderful time — absolutely is an important part of our success.

Making sure that our visitors have a great impression of Pensacola is critical to getting those visitors to come back, tell their friends about, and maybe someday even make this the place they come to start a business or build a life.

But is it too much to ask that we make sure that the people we pay to make all of that happen in a friendly, seamless way also earn enough to put a roof over their heads and a decent meal on their own table?

Think about the impression that would make on this community — and its reputation in the world at large.

 
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