Changing the Model Toolkit: How some hospitality businesses are shaking up compensation
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Anthony Anton, president and CEO of the Washington Hospitality Association, has been talking with several operators to learn what they are doing to ease the frustration of high minimum wages and work with their teams to ensure they are compensated fairly.
Washington state’s minimum wage is $17.13 in 2026, and many cities are implementing minimum wages in the $20 range. Operators are struggling with these wages.
Anthony Anton, president and CEO of the Washington Hospitality Association, has been talking with several operators to learn what they are doing to ease the frustration of high minimum wages and work with their teams to ensure they are compensated fairly. The key to all of these ideas is communicating and working with team members so they feel they are part of this process rather than having it done to them.
As a reminder, the Washington Hospitality Association does not endorse any particular one of these models. We are putting forth ideas to get you thinking about how you can work with your own teams in the coming years.
General Information Only. Not Legal Advice.
The Commission Model: A Conversation with Chad Mackay
Fire & Vine CEO Chad Mackay hasn’t worried about the minimum wage since implementing a commission model in his restaurants in 2017.
Join Washington Hospitality Association President & CEO Anthony Anton and Chad Mackay as they discuss how this plan works and how you can implement it.
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