An Ontario Restaurant's No-Tipping Policy Is A Game-Changer & Here's Why They Do It (VIDEO)

Imagine dining in an Ontario restaurant without worrying about the added pressure of tipping culture, and how much extra you should add to your bill.

It sounds almost unreal, right? But there is a Toronto spot that's turning the traditional restaurant model on its head with a no-tipping policy, while promising its staff a living wage.

Bampot Bohemian House of Tea and Board Games doesn't believe that customers should feel obligated to tip or that servers should feel dependent on tips to survive.

But what's the catch?

Well, there really isn't one. The owner of Bampot, Alex, has worked in several restaurants over the years, including fine dining establishments, and had his fair share of experience with unfair wages, long hours and needing tips to pay his bills.

He was actually the manager of Bampot eight years ago when it was owned by someone else.

"I ran this restaurant for about a year and a half, and then I left because I was basically underpaid and overworked," he told Narcity on Friday.

He eventually bought Bampot in 2021, aiming to create a community hub that offers a living wage to its workers.

A living wage is basically a wage practice that ensures that a worker's hourly rate is enough to "cover their basic expenses and participate in their community," according to The Ontario Living Wage Network.

"In this industry, people should have a base level of pay that's allowing them to live, and then tips should be extra on top of that," he said.

"I'm not necessarily against tips. As a general rule of thumb, I'm against the way that people perceive it as a way to subsidize wages."

According to Alex, his team of 11 workers are all paid $25 an hour and receive regular health benefits after three months of work.

The current general minimum wage in Ontario is $15.50 per hour.

So, how does Bampot make this model work? Simple – by pricing customers by the hour.

All customers can hang out at Bampot for a minimum of two hours for $12 with unlimited free coffee and tea. Food and drinks cost extra, and tips aren't accepted by any of the servers.

"Currently, we don't accept (tips) mainly because we want to change the perception around it. But if you can tip and you want to tip, you're welcome to do it," Alex said.

"We're not like, you have to (pay) 20 percent, or our servers will die!"

Tipping culture in Canada has recently been under intense debate, especially as people have noticed businesses have jacked up their prices, but not their employees' wages.

As many restaurants have started to suggetsing a "minimum" percentage of how much customers need to tip, the tip-what-you-can culture seems to have become a thing of the past.

So, why not give Bampot a try? You'll enjoy a delicious meal, support fair wages, and get to skip the awkward tipping conversation.

The restaurant is also home to a great space for board games, soul food and live events.

It's a win-win-win! And who knows, maybe establishments trying out systems such as Bampot's little experiment will start a revolution in the restaurant industry.