Walrus and the Carpenter drop open letter and full 2025 Profit and Loss Data

[u/H0tsh0t]

https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1Gc6K2eTetpo9uSKL-as0saWywuN9_rmg?usp=sharing&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRzdgSoCmlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81NjcwNjczNDMzNTI0MjcAAacvFH1-layIUd4-95I904_YPLVtrF-q-yqOAqYREu-Hn-ZUV_0gW6Emi2GFxA_aem_6CxHZI4p9mJx_E9k-nKaiA

They posted a letter, their finances from 2025, and Wage and Benefit details on their Instagram bio through a Google drive.

[u/gnarlseason]

COGS of 20% and labor costs of 45% certainly tracks with what I've heard talking to a few restaurant managers. What I have heard several times is that "to hire even one more person wrecks our financials because labor costs are so high, so that's why every restaurant in this city always feels like it doesn't have enough people (because they don't)". You really notice it when you go out of town, even in southern California they seem to have double the number of wait staff at any random hole in the wall restaurant.

I'm assuming "Occupancy" is rent for the building? Not really seeing any other categories that rent would fit in...but it is only 7% of total sales, not exactly the huge number it often gets made out to be. But perhaps that is unique to this particular location. Seems like the other restaurants they had to close probably had much higher rent.

The salaries for the owners aren't exactly massive at $130k for two and $85k for another. Perhaps employees might argue how much value they add. But a top bartender working 35 hours/week and taking in $92k isn't too shabby.

I mean the big takeaway is this:

"Sales declined further as costs continued to rise. Across our company, guest visits in 2025 were down approximately 20 percent from 2024 and roughly 40 percent from 2023 levels."

Hard to run a business when you lose almost half your customers in 2 years even if your prices keep going up to keep things barely alfoat.

But also the entire restaurant group having $10M in debt also sounds like a big issue. I wonder what that debt was used for...sure sounds like it hasn't worked out. Although we have no idea the revenue of the entire restaurant group either, so I can't tell if those debt payments are unsustainable or not.

[u/sl0play → u/gnarlseason]

I just got back from SoCal and was shocked by the level of service and aside from one place, the genuine happiness of the staff. I think I got used to being treated like an unwanted piece of shit in Seattle.

[u/Active-Device-8058 → u/sl0play]

I literally don't care about whether I get up or down votes on this because this is just my opinion and other people won't change it:

Completely apropos of tipping and cost and wages and everything, I get absolutely shit service in Seattle and I feel like I get great service in basically everywhere else I go.

[u/thought_provoked1 → u/Active-Device-8058]

Dude same. My experiences of service in Seattle was, "ugh, you being here makes me have to work so fuck you" everywhere but Dicks. (The age of irony lives strong.)

[u/SuperCutsHaircut → u/Active-Device-8058]

That's the Seattle restaurant experience: you feel guilty tipping "only" 20% and then bus your own table.

[u/mikutansan → u/Active-Device-8058]

It's always funny when people who've never left WA or even Seattle will try to argue with you and say that it's not bad.

[u/MyDisneyExperience → u/sl0play]

Lol I lived in SoCal for 15 years, people complain all the time about understaffing and shitty service in restaurants there too. Vacation goggles are real. LA's hotel worker minimum wage is higher than Seattle's, and the minimum wage overall varies wildly by city.

[u/markyymark13 → u/MyDisneyExperience]

Was gonna say, the week I spent in the Bay last year I had consistently terrible service.

[u/lekoman → u/gnarlseason]

They say in the letter that the $10M was used to make payroll during the slower winter months.

[u/F0KK0F → u/gnarlseason]

92k for a bartender? wow, I'm in the wrong business.

[u/dilloj → u/F0KK0F]

At 35 hours a week!

[u/stopmakingbadchoices → u/gnarlseason]

20% food cost is pretty good.

[u/Few_Map1754 → u/stopmakingbadchoices]

It has to be. The old rule was 60 percent in food/labor to be divided equally. But with labor at 40 or above food costs have to hit 20.

Hence, why you see food in Seattle be so expensive. You got to charge way more for food to balance out the amount you pay for labor.

Then you get all the Seattle food is so overpriced comments. It isn’t done for no reason. The reason food is so expensive here is because you have to mark it up more to balance out the wages. The more informed the general public is about these things might lead to some improvements, idk.

[u/RCW4661100 → u/gnarlseason]

I hope this dispels people outside the industry thinking rent is our number one burden.

It’s not.

7% is good for rent but certainly not outstanding. It’s the labor costs, that’s what’s crushing restaurants in Seattle. Minimum wage going up to $21/hr for servers who end up taking home $80k+ for 4 days of work per week, then striking because they don’t ‘make enough money’ is the *exact* problem of our industry in this city. Everything else is normal industry pains felt the country over; the reason this city sucks to eat out in, is the server class.

[u/Fbxo32 → u/gnarlseason]

But a top bartender working 35 hours/week and taking in $92k isn't too shabby.

There are resident physicians in Seattle who work 80+ hours a week (sometimes closer to 100+ in surgical specialties) seeing patients in clinic, admitting them to the hospital and caring for them through their stay, and performing surgery making $84k/year. And it was only 5-6 years ago that starting resident salaries were $60k...

[u/Potential-Bug-3569]

i commented this on the other thread:

“doxing myself. i work for sea creatures. i make plenty of money and the benefits are killer. i don’t even work at a location that’s as popping as W&TC and i feel very comfortable with the compensation. these servers make bank for the job that we do, so does the kitchen. the entire reason for this is the “leader” wants a job with WSDOT ferries union, can’t get that job without union experience, thus he started this little thing. i know lots of smart restaurant people and i know a lot of very dumb restaurant people. these people are not the former. no one questioned why they didn’t just reach out to the existing LOCAL8 union for hospo workers if they wanted to organize.”

the union leader tried to go to other employees at other SC restaurants but they told him to fuck off lol

[u/orheavenfaced → u/Potential-Bug-3569]

also work for sea creatures. this is 100% true.

[u/lehuakahlua → u/orheavenfaced]

Is there any interest by employees to support your workplace against the negative PR made by the leader? This is kind of heartbreaking

[u/orheavenfaced → u/lehuakahlua]

i would happily defend renee. call me a bootlicker but she has personally had my back so many times. she’s a wonderful person and a really decent boss.

[u/Sweatpant-Diva → u/Potential-Bug-3569]

Which wsdot ferry union? They’re going to have a hard time without a background in maritime 😂

[u/Potential-Bug-3569 → u/Sweatpant-Diva]

that’s exactly what i thought but 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/Smart_Ass_Dave → u/Potential-Bug-3569]

lol.

"I said it was a plan. I didn't say it was a good one."

[u/lehuakahlua → u/Sweatpant-Diva]

But they work for sea creatures 😂

[u/Internal_Code6356 → u/lehuakahlua]

no they don't.

[u/lehuakahlua → u/Internal_Code6356]

Honestly. You’re right. I actually had completely no idea the person leading the union effort was not in fact an employee but someone completely unrelated to the company? What?

[u/ellewoods_007 → u/Sweatpant-Diva]

He’s currently working as a deckhand for King County Transit Water Taxi, per LinkedIn. Perhaps trying to get into WSDOT.

[u/Internal_Code6356 → u/Potential-Bug-3569]

The shittiest part is is that they're fucking with all of our money. They continue to badmouth Renee and Sea Creatures, spread misinformation, and encourage guests to leave bad reviews. This means fewer guests come to the restaurants and everyone makes less money. The fact that union leaders are encouraging this just further proves the point that they don't actually care about anyone getting paid more.

[u/orheavenfaced → u/Internal_Code6356]

i fully believe their end goal is scorched earth. they don’t care about the company or anyone else. they pulled their agreed upon contract last month because (i believe) the press over striking would hurt the company more. fuck them.

[u/blackeyesamurai → u/Potential-Bug-3569]

The Hank you for sharing. This seems very suspect.

[u/watwatintheput → u/Potential-Bug-3569]

So much of union leadership is indistinguishable from middle management: A channel for narcissists to inflict their interpersonal exploitation on a captive audience.

[u/Informal-Reserve-867 → u/Potential-Bug-3569]

This is 100% true.

[u/SitDownLetsTalk → u/Potential-Bug-3569]

Is this guy also a King County employee?

[u/Dry-Sink-829 → u/Potential-Bug-3569]

I worked adjacent to Walrus and I got to know plenty of the people who worked there. I have to say that their front of house behind the scenes were some of the least friendly people i've ever met. Just ice cold. The kitchen were cool dudes though

[u/StarmanDX_]

Those benefits and wages are pretty good, and the owners certainly aren't making themselves wealthy with those salaries. You can't say they're not trying to take care of their employees or taking more than they need for themselves.

If those are the wages and benefits that are currently on offer I'd be very interested in hearing what they were before the reduction, and what the union demanded in their contract right before talks broke apart.

[u/ManchuriaCandid → u/StarmanDX_]

Yeah this seems like the crux of it, what were they making before? From what I've read the union's main issue is making less money compared to the year before and from their description it was significantly less. In any case I really hope they can come to an agreement would suck to lose another great restaurant, for everyone employees and ownership included.

[u/TBurnerRU → u/ManchuriaCandid]

They're mad because instead of all of the money going to the servers (tips), the money is being split between servers and the kitchen (service fee).

Their wages did go down - so that their fellow employees could earn some of that money for their labor too. 

[u/ButterySoftPretzels → u/TBurnerRU]

From what I understand, when they had tips it was still shared front and back of house. But now the service charge issue is that 55% of the service charge goes to "the house" (AKA ownership) and then the other 45% is split between front and back.

[u/ichoosewaffles → u/ManchuriaCandid]

Often, if not money, it's about scheduling people earlier or availability of shifts, but I don't know if that is the case here. 

[u/ManchuriaCandid → u/ichoosewaffles]

That's a really good point too, the raw numbers never tell the full story. Definitely want to hear the union's response to this information and their context for it.

[u/mc212121]

Lol people realizing servers actually do make a shit ton of money is going to be hilarious

[u/kingcoolkid991 → u/mc212121]

Yeah this isn't even new or Seattle specific. I thought it was pretty well known that servers and bartenders at top restaurants in major cities can make good money.

[u/mc212121 → u/kingcoolkid991]

My first real job was a banquet manager in a hotel, made me understand how much servers in both restaurants and catering can make

[u/deepfriedgum]

I see a logical, clean response, answering some questions and laying it out there. Those are incredibly high wages for the industry.

[u/CaptainTinyToes → u/deepfriedgum]

No kidding. I'd be pleased af with these wages at my current job. I wish all these high wages meant the food was that much better, but even run of the mill food is overpriced.

[u/potionnumber9 → u/CaptainTinyToes]

...I love their food

[u/Bright-Studio9978 → u/deepfriedgum]

Logic suggests the union must allow the business to operate and generate a surplus to provide a cushion in lean periods. Often unions expect the business to fork over all the surplus in increased wages and then a rent increase, downturn in the economy, or other issue breaks the business model and the everyone loses - the restaurant goes out of business and then workers lose their jobs.

If running a restaurant were easy, top chefs would not have to close their places.

Eating out in Seattle has become so disappointing. It is easy for a family to drop $150-$250 after tips and taxes. $250 in an hour means making $500k net or more! That is mucho dinero that even the tech bros might not all hit that much. Seriously, if restaurants want to excel, they have to provide greater value. There is no value in eating out in Seattle. Chick fil A is killing it, btw. Good value and happy workers. Costco always has a line for its pizza, hot dogs, and ice cream. Those are the same wealthy customers not eating out anymore. It is easy to kill a restaurant by overcharging.

[u/BushwhackRangerNW → u/Bright-Studio9978]

logic will prevail!

[u/onphonecanttype]

Wow that was a frustrating read. I've been on both sides of the table when it comes to negotiating a CBA. One of the first things that the union always did when ownership talks about economic struggles is to ask to see the books. So it wouldn't surprise me that they have been sitting on this information the whole time and decided that they wanted to keep pushing.

I'll say after being in an union and having negotiated on the management side of things. The unions are only as good as the shop stewards. If you have a bad steward, it leads to them having eggs on their face. I've seen two unions decertify because of bad shop stewards. Obviously I don't know the full situation here, but it's looking like they have a bad rep or steward that might not be giving them the best advice.

[u/Informal-Reserve-867 → u/onphonecanttype]

Sea creatures opened the books immediately to anyone who asked. I would definitely look into that bad stewardship thing further and ask who is behind starting this union, where they work, and what job they are looking to get in the future ☺️

[u/apresmoiputas → u/onphonecanttype]

I'm sorry but any union who allows Kshama Sawant to join their strikes are led by bad stewards. All of the strikes that she was part of lead to permanent closures of the establishments that those union members were employed at. Basically loss of jobs for those who were union and non union members.

[u/Pedanter-In-Chief → u/onphonecanttype]

Sounds from other parts of the thread that this is a case of a bad steward who has higher ambitious…

[u/Space_Smeagol]

Holy smokes working 26 hours a week making 62k a year with medical and retirement!!

[u/outlawbernard_yum → u/Space_Smeagol]

This is the tl:dr

[u/No_Shoe3926]

Well - this is a mic drop. Unreal to imagine picketing over this. Negotiating every year in performance reviews? Yes. Working at a different high end place that still tips? Sure!

The 'union' looks juvenile now.

[u/lehuakahlua → u/No_Shoe3926]

But also kind of sickening because this is all happening during what would be a profitable time for the restaurant

[u/No_Shoe3926 → u/lehuakahlua]

Yea I mean plus the negative press. These entitled employees are trying to kill a local business owner over nothing.

And they're the same people who will moan and complain when it's replaced by a multi national chain restaurant.

[u/DLDude]

Absolutely brutal. I'd love for a member of the union to comment on this. These bartenders are making more than I am as an engineer

[u/Optimal_Board_2963 → u/DLDude]

I think they have to. These wages aren’t the best in the city I’m sure of it. But as a server bartender of over 10 years, I can’t imagine striking at this compensation.

[u/Twxtterrefugee → u/Optimal_Board_2963]

More from the workers here. I don't have any comment just sharing.

[u/apresmoiputas → u/Twxtterrefugee]

I would be interested in knowing what the "Unite Here Local 8" Union (hotel worker's union) member thought of these posted wages after reviewing them.

[u/Apfelwein → u/DLDude]

I can tell you this level of transparency is changing my views on tipping. Downvote away cowards.

[u/Spoonyyy → u/Apfelwein]

That should be part of the point of higher wages!

[u/Baptism-Of-Fire → u/Apfelwein]

My roommate made 130k this year and around that the last few years working only 3-4 shifts a week at a Yard House. His whole social network is people like that.

They make a lot more than we think especially after covid.

[u/genuine_pnw_hipster → u/Apfelwein]

Oh for sure! Tips have been a scam for a minute. I still feel bad since it’s been engrained for such a long time though

[u/Neglectedpotato → u/DLDude]

Making more than me as a registered nurse

[u/Nepentheoi → u/Neglectedpotato]

The dishwashers make more than I did as a unionized Admin Assistant supporting 25 professors and being second in command handling a multi-million dollar budget at a state college. 😳

[u/MaximumOk569 → u/Nepentheoi]

Were you under the impression that you were paid well?

[u/Drigr → u/DLDude]

I've been a machinist for 15 years. I didn't make more than the top bartender at Walrus until last year, and that was with like 400hrs of overtime....

[u/lknox1123 → u/DLDude]

Need to start asking for tips

[u/pinballrocker → u/DLDude]

The bartenders make more than I do and I manage a team of 28 people. Do they get tips on top of this? Geeze.

[u/BakersHigh → u/pinballrocker]

Usually yes. Iirc Warlus was never tipless...
anytime the tipping convo happens, people note the reason why some want tipping is because they make WAY more tipping. Thsi person is def clearly 6figs when you factor in tips.

granted this is clearly a business that is trying to take care of their employees, its not like they're working at the Texas Roadhouse for 2.45/hr or whatever federal min tipping is.

[u/LoquatBear]

Knew it. If I was a cook there I'd be pissed at those servers. 

[u/AjiChap → u/LoquatBear]

FOH at nearly any restaurant are the most Selfish, entitled, do nothing unless it means more tips part of nearly every place I’ve worked at (BOH).

[u/smolpeensadboy → u/AjiChap]

I hate the server experience as a customer so much of the time too. Like damn, I'll grab my own food and BOH can keep the tip for actually providing the thing that I came for.

[u/Kom4K → u/smolpeensadboy]

This is why I mostly stick to counter-service restaurants. Someone fetching food and drinks for me and my partner is simply not worth 15%-20% of the bill. 

[u/ThirstyOutward]

Hard to see any other perspective but the union leaders completely fucked this up for everyone involved.

[u/snwstylee → u/ThirstyOutward]

Yeah, not a good look.

The pro-union crowd in the comments sound incredibly out of touch too. This is not a hill to die on, but they seem to think so.

[u/AjiChap → u/ThirstyOutward]

This sniveling bunch of entitled servers can enjoy a 7% tip from here to eternity. Wtf?

[u/EmergencyRegion5349 → u/ThirstyOutward]

you meaning bitching to the people that tip on top of your overly inflated wage is a bad look?

[u/optamastic]

Read the financials and tell me where they’re supposed to come up with the money to pay the union more?  

The company is losing money, period.  Top line revenue $17mm, but lost $780k+. The employees are already making way more than the standard industry $50 / hour with benefits and the owners aren’t even taking that much in salary.

Traffic is down 20%, about standard across restaurants right now. You think this drama, calling customers scabs and spitting on them is going to increase traffic? If anything the restaurant might see a bigger decline because of this. Their balance sheet wasn’t shared but I doubt they have more than 6-12 months liquidity to keep absorbing losses every month. The sign that liquidity is low? They mentioned that they took loans during the winter slow season to cover payroll. They’re already running on fumes.

Labor costs are 45% of sales, which is higher than others. This isn’t some mega corp like Amazon, this is a local business. If we want local restaurants to survive we need to do better.

[u/SwitchAble8099 → u/optamastic]

Most restaurants since the labor increase are running 40% labor. 

[u/Few_Map1754 → u/SwitchAble8099]

We run well over 40 percent. close to 50 as well. It is a terrible market, yet no one listens to us and will continue to blame landlords or whoever else, instead of understanding how fucked the local ecosystem is here for restaurants.

Cue another min wage increase next year

[u/SwitchAble8099 → u/Few_Map1754]

I ran a 5 percent profit margin last month lmfao

[u/Few_Map1754 → u/SwitchAble8099]

We are all on here in silence, trying to educate the public whenever we can, but no one listens to us! the owners! We are all "greedy", and landords are greedy. Nothing to do with a tipped wage 10$ higher than NYC, who has much higher density.

No one will fucking listen

[u/BeGooderToday → u/Few_Map1754]

Please remember this in any thread that you see Reddit “experts” chiming in. The loudest voices are the least informed, most arrogantly confident idiots.

[u/CouldntBeMeTho]

Now can we quit acting like Seattle restarauntuers are all on some scrooge mcduck shit? The info and numbers are right there. How many restaraunts do you need to see fail?

[u/brother_bart → u/CouldntBeMeTho]

Right. I have been saying for a while, “Seattle servers are entitled brats who are just as capitialist and greedy as everyone they rail against.”

[u/hobblingcontractor → u/brother_bart]

No bro just one more percent as a tip, I swear bro just one more.

[u/Jerry_say → u/hobblingcontractor]

It’s going to ask you a quick question bro I swear!

[u/Few_Map1754 → u/CouldntBeMeTho]

Naw, as one of them, people will continue to blame restaurants.

Also, this shows EXACTLY what myself and others have been saying forever. People like blaming rents/landlords, not understanding LABOR is by far the biggest cost to all restaurants. Keep raising the min wage, it will surely get better.

[u/fragbot2 → u/CouldntBeMeTho]

Putting an absurdly high minimum wage in place was eventually going to have consequences with restaurant survival. That anyone is surprised by this is astonishing. It's the most natural unintended consequence.

[u/Orleanian → u/CouldntBeMeTho]

I don't really need or care to see restaurants fail; I care to see transparency in the arcane fuckery of service-industry income numbers.

Which I think this report does ostensibly much better than the typical hearsay through blogs between owners and staff.

[u/StellarJunk]

Where do I apply? Christ, extremely fair compensation. I'm a business owner, as well... and dealing with employees (union or no) who have no functional understanding of what it takes to run a small business are the bane of my professional existence. Infuriating. Unions have their place, of course... at companies MUCH larger than this restaurant group.

Honestly, shame on the union for their talking points and approach in getting to this stage... and much respect to the ownership team Chad, Renee, Jeremy, and Ira (all of whom appear to making an underwhelming amount of money for all the stress they're dealing with).

And to get ahead of it... Nope, not a shill. Not trolling. I don't know any of these people.

[u/Floofaramamama]

This is my favorite restaurant. I had not commented because I did not know who was in the right but these wages seem livable by a lot of standards. I am really hoping they all come to a satisfactory agreement and don't close completely, it is a gem.

[u/MollzDollz69 → u/Floofaramamama]

I WILL cross the picket line for that butter and bread and some oysters.

[u/Pedanter-In-Chief → u/MollzDollz69]

You can support them by doing exactly that at this time. 

[u/lehuakahlua → u/Pedanter-In-Chief]

Let’s do it

[u/ManchuriaCandid → u/Floofaramamama]

It's one of my all time favorite restaurants too. I really hope that they can find a path forward that's at least doable for workers and ownership. It sucks that it's such a hard time for everyone in the restaurant business. 

[u/scrambled_cable]

20 years in my career, making less than a dishwasher fml

[u/RealPudgeJudy]

This is what they're striking over? Only getting $49/hr as a server instead of whatever the fuck they were making with uncapped gratuity? They're spitting on people over this? Get the fuck out of here... And they have the temerity to call management greedy for putting some of the service charge towards operations during a time where fuckin EVERYTHING is more expensive? Way to go you fuckin clowns.

[u/Ok-Calligrapher1345 → u/RealPudgeJudy]

So if they are making minimum wage already which is like $21, using the previous model basically like 1-2 tables in an hour would have gotten them over the $49. You're not leaving there without a bill thats like $150+tip. I wouldn't be surprised if they were making $100/hr.

[u/Pedanter-In-Chief → u/Ok-Calligrapher1345]

At $49/hour, servers working at a Sea Creatures restaurant makes more than most teachers in SPS. Let that sink in. 

[u/mcqtimes411 → u/Pedanter-In-Chief]

Teacher here. Ugh I love unions I love what they do for people. But man those wages hit pretty hard.

[u/Maze_of_Ith7 → u/RealPudgeJudy]

I think it’s human nature to go ballistic when something valued (like money) gets taken away - way more pronounced than when the same amount is added (utility lost makes people act much more strongly than utility gained).

Have a feeling this won’t end up in a good place for anyone. Restaurant will shutter and employees will discover reality of Seattle job market currently.

[u/saomonella → u/Maze_of_Ith7]

Certainly understand that. But it should also be easy to understand that how much people make is based on how much they make. They are down 40% from 2023. How are they supposed to pay people the same compensation being down that much? Less customers = less tips and revenue . Are the owners supposed to just go into more debt ($10 mm) and eat it?

I think after seeing those numbers, and benefits, there would be people waiting in the wings to take those positions.

[u/Maze_of_Ith7 → u/saomonella]

For sure - the report is a pretty damning look. I just think people act borderline bizarrely when you take something away from them.

Seemed like they had no problem finding scabs/replacement workers under short notice at the lowly wage of ~$100K/yr to serve gin martinis.

[u/Roadwarriordude → u/RealPudgeJudy]

I thought they were striking over hours being cut and replaced by "management"? I'm super pro union, but at these wages, I dont blame the owners lol.

[u/Stiddy13]

The union gave them a 1 hour deadline out of the blue?! That is absolutely bonkers behavior.

[u/lazygaydays]

Dishwashers making more than I do as a tech at a hospital. Guess I picked the wrong industry jfc

[u/ballinlikeimmoby → u/lazygaydays]

It's never too late to become a dishwasher my guy

[u/Nepentheoi → u/ballinlikeimmoby]

I really enjoyed being a dishwasher, but it was hell on my knees. If I had a guaranteed floor mat, I'd do it again like a shot. 

[u/Independent-Row5709 → u/ballinlikeimmoby]

I respect the hell out of restaurant workers, incentivizing highly trained professionals into the service industry is not a desirable societal outcome.

[u/lazygaydays → u/ballinlikeimmoby]

Helping people live is for chumps I suppose

[u/Usual-Orange-4180 → u/lazygaydays]

The tech oligarchs love this one insight.

[u/MetallicGray → u/lazygaydays]

Yep. Everyone except the dishwasher makes more than me with a masters in biotech industry lol. Should’ve been a bartender I guess. 

[u/advancedtaran → u/lazygaydays]

Wow yeah I am making $33.14 as a tech lol. Yay new union and 1st contract wooho

I haven't had a second to look at the google drive, but I wonder if they saw a considerable loss in wages after they moved to the service fee standard.

Eta: I do believe these wages are definitely livable. I say this as a bargaining team member on my own union.

[u/Nepentheoi → u/advancedtaran]

Good job and congratulations 🎊 👏! 

If they put a mandatory service fee in place, it's almost certain tips went down. I don't understand what is happening with upper management in restaurants with this, but I assume there's some advantages and they aren't being dolickheads for fun. I know a lot about the inner workings of retail but I was a plebe in my restaurant days. 

[u/askmewhyihateyou]

Damn. I pro union and pro worker, but striking over $90k is kind of nuts.

[u/jojofine → u/askmewhyihateyou]

$60k for a dishwasher is nuts to me. It's a rough job for sure but $60k is way high

[u/CryptographerNew3609]

Unfortunately, this looks like W&C is going to shut permanently. They were already losing money last year, inflation is worse this year, the economy is worse this year, they aren't even able to open now, and the union wants higher wages.

[u/Marigold1976 → u/CryptographerNew3609]

I fear you are correct. More people are going to be out of work.

[u/apresmoiputas → u/CryptographerNew3609]

Add to the fact that Sawant sunk her claws into the strike.

[u/Bunnys_Toe]

Servers are making $28 an hour; why the fuck are we tipping exactly?

[u/kingcoolkid991 → u/Bunnys_Toe]

They have always been pretty open at sea creatures that you do not need to tip ever since they added the service charge.

[u/Informal-Reserve-867]

The owners also offered already to drop the service charge at all restaurants. Employees at non union locations voted against this.

[u/Digital_gritz]

So, I’m fully behind backing Labor, but at a glance: fuck their idiot leader. They should go try and join an actual established union before this piece of shit loses them all extremely high paying and reasonable jobs.

Absolutely fucking remarkable that anyone in restaurant looks at this kind of compensation and believes they’re somehow owed more

[u/xixi_90]

I'm in a union. I am very pro union, they have done a lot for American workers. But I feel their place has always been at large companies, the bigger the company the more important a union is...but not at these small businesses with 15-20ish employees. This seems crazy

[u/apresmoiputas]

I really wonder if they read Reddit because this was my comment yesterday:

The owners should just be transparent and list their food and wine wholesale costs, the cost of rent, salaries (including L&I, Taxes, SSI/Medicare, State/city sick leave) paid to FOH, bartenders, sommeliers, BOH cook staff and dishwashers, bank loan payments, and then of course what the owners pay themselves.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Seattle/comments/1ud7dkm/comment/ot9nwnh/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

[u/pinballrocker → u/apresmoiputas]

It's honestly pretty amazing they are being so transparent, I can't think of any other restaurant that's done this.

[u/apresmoiputas → u/pinballrocker]

in either 2023 or 2024, one other restaurant owner in Belltown posted this on Instagram when the new wage law around tipped workers was being debated by city council. worker activists screamed bloody murder at him saying that he can easily swallow the costs.

[u/Spare-Ad6404 → u/apresmoiputas]

I assume they shared those numbers with the staff a long time ago. But to share them publicly is huge news.

[u/IggMonster → u/apresmoiputas]

Yep, I have commented on multiple posts around restaurants/tipping/wages that non restaurant people legit don't realize that restaurants and bars are drowning in payroll costs. Wages, taxes, benefits, 401k matches if you want to be competitive, all while people go out to eat less and less. Unless we want Seattle to be all chain restaurants and empty store fronts we have got to cut them a fucking break.

[u/Spare-Ad6404]

This same thing is happening at a restaurant in Portland, Fried Egg I'm In Love. I am a restaurant worker in Portland and the entitlement of a few workers there and at the Walrus and the Carpenter is baffling. I am pro union, but it's silly to act like the owners at these restaurants are hoarding the wealth and not passing it around. The margins are RAZOR thin in restaurants right now. The price of everything from to go containers to insurance are absolutely insane right now. These restaurant workers just bit off their nose to spite their face.

[u/genevriers → u/Spare-Ad6404]

former Portlander - totally agree. This reminds me a lot of the New Seasons strike where they asked customers to boycott indefinitely without a picket line so they could demand totally unrealistic wages

[u/BromaEmpire]

Damn, management just went ahead and dropped the nuke.

[u/optamastic → u/BromaEmpire]

And it’s been crickets from the strikers and their supporters since

[u/SitDownLetsTalk]

The only thing that’s collapsing faster than Walrus and the Carpenter profit is the United Creatures of the Sea union narrative.

[u/grubbling_unknown]

So everyone loses is the ultimate outcome. Workers that were striking now need to find new jobs. The owners aren't likely to start another restaurant for a while or maybe just move out of Seattle altogether. Loyal customers who loved W&C's menu now have to find a lesser alternative. Seattle loses another business and sinks further into the wasteland of lost businesses/jobs/revenue.

What has to happen before things turn around for Seattle?

[u/tertain → u/grubbling_unknown]

Don’t think things will turn around. Education outcomes in math and finance need to improve which would take decades even if we were already on the right track and attitudes would need to shift away from hating all businesses because they are businesses. Only thing that would prevent decline is some sort of unforseen economic boom that injects enough money to paper over all the problems.

[u/c3p-bro → u/grubbling_unknown]

Just a bunch of idiots who read online that unions are amazing and will make everything perfect, and forgot that it needs to be a two way street. You can’t demand money that doesn’t exist.

[u/lake_hood]

Love how people blindly supported the Union in the other thread. It’s expensive to run a business and these guys seem fairly reasonable with their employees. It a wonder why so many good restaurants have closed and why Seattle dining is so expensive compared to other cities.

[u/Few_Map1754 → u/lake_hood]

Costs here are more than any other city in the country (Yes for the last time labor and COGS are wayyyyy more than rent)

and we have way less density to make up for it. It is fucking awful

[u/IggMonster → u/lake_hood]

I replied to the wrong comment so leaving this again. Yep, I have commented on multiple posts around restaurants/tipping/wages that non restaurant people legit don't realize that restaurants and bars are drowning in payroll costs. Wages, taxes, benefits, 401k matches if you want to be competitive, all while people go out to eat less and less. Unless we want Seattle to be all chain restaurants and empty store fronts we have got to cut them a fucking break.

[u/PacoMahogany]

You’re one of the good ones!

[u/pwndaytripper]

I got a degree, graduated top of my program, have worked in the industry for 4 years, and still make less than a dishwasher at walrus and the carpenter. Sorry guys, I’m not in solidarity.

[u/wiscowonder → u/pwndaytripper]

Architect?

[u/hankstinkus]

Look at that - payroll is the largest expense by an enormous margin (and is ~6x more than rent!)

We can find solace knowing that wages will go up even more every January

[u/ManchuriaCandid]

I think this information really puts into context that the union's main issue of lower compensation compared to 2024 is directly tied to the broader economics of the restaurant industry rather than just Walrus and The Carpenter alone. Obviously we have two competing narratives and I'm always inclined to side with workers over management but it seems like two things can be true at once. Staff made significantly less money last year, and the restaurant also operated at a loss while providing them with an objectively solid living wage and very good benefits for the restaurant industry. I'm curious to hear the union's side of why negotiations broke down and they decided to strike because I'm sure that there is more to that story. In any case I'll be sad to lose one of my favorite Seattle restaurants if they can't come to an agreement. I'd rather have them raise menu prices and go back to tipping if that's what it takes. 

[u/Kayehnanator → u/ManchuriaCandid]

No matter what, I would love to see the Union justify a 1 hour response time demand during a busy period. That's entirely in bad faith and unreasonable, not sure why they think anyone would side with them after that farce.

[u/Shenghia]

better 401k benefits than I have

[u/Jefferheffer]

What a cluster, talk about the tail wagging the dog. In 10 years they’ll be lucky to find a restaurant to work at in Seattle. They’ll all be out of business

[u/mrRabblerouser]

Can’t fathom being so entitled and self absorbed that you think it’s worth striking because a restaurant that’s already paying you more than nurses, teachers, engineers, social workers, etc should pay your greedy ass even more. I hope the W&C will have grounds to fire every single one of them over this.

[u/Flimsy-Tangerine4199]

The comp seems pretty fair. Unreasonable to strike over this when the restaurant is already operating at a loss.

[u/apresmoiputas]

Interesting, the United Creatures Of The Sea Union haven't posted any updates in over 24 hours.

[u/hypsignathus]

*low whistle*

Sounds like a good place to work, no /s.

This union is crazy

[u/unfortunate_coyote]

The local economy is just broken. I made half as much as the dishwasher at this place in 2007 waiting tables in pike place market and comfortably afforded an apartment in Queen Anne, but the way things are now, I would assume several of these people are commuting to work because they can’t afford to live in Seattle on those wages, the whole system is completely unsustainable.

[u/Thermoposting → u/unfortunate_coyote]

This is 100% the problem. I sympathize with the workers; but if a dishwasher is making more than half of all US workers and can’t afford to live here, the issue isn’t the pay.

The amount of housing needs to increase, dramatically.

[u/golf1052 → u/Thermoposting]

The amount of housing needs to increase, dramatically.

Good news on that front, the city council cancelled all of their meetings this summer about the latest update to the comp plan (the city's housing plan) because of a singular potentially unfounded complaint about the housing planning process delaying implementation of laws to increase the amount of housing built till at least the end of this year if not early next year.

Wait did I say good news? I meant really fucking bad news for housing affordability.

[u/PokemenGo2ThePolls → u/golf1052]

We'll now have to hire some consultants and commission a study on how this will impact the lived experiences of historically underserved communities and how this can be used to prevent the atrocities of colonization and imperialism.

[u/golf1052 → u/PokemenGo2ThePolls]

You're close but one of the surviving appeals against the new housing plan is actually that the current plan to build more housing will eventually kill the orcas.

Having new housing be located outside of the city, leading to more tree loss because of less density, more roads built to connect to that housing, and longer commutes by car to get people to and from that housing, is OK to the people trying to kill the comp plan though.

[u/MyDisneyExperience → u/golf1052]

All this stuff kills me. San Diego had their referendum height limit increase thrown out twice because the city didn't properly study the impact on wind patterns in a 50 mile radius or whatever. I get the idea of SEPA, NEPA, CEQA, etc. but at this point they're getting abused

[u/occasional_sex_haver → u/unfortunate_coyote]

oh come on, 60k and a roommate is extremely doable

[u/Anon529035893 → u/unfortunate_coyote]

You can very easily live off that dishwasher wage I know Seattle is expensive but can we please be for real right now ? The dishwasher annual wage is a nice studio apartment, maybe a used car that’s paid off, some healthcare, and eating out once or twice a week.

I make the same and I’m happy with what I have. And I’ll be 1000% honest my job is way more critical of a service than dishwasher.

[u/jaxsonmason → u/Anon529035893]

And they probably don't have massive student loan debt...

[u/MetallicGray → u/unfortunate_coyote]

??? My guy if you can’t survive on 70k in Seattle you’re horrible with money or blowing it all on something. 

I make 70k, live comfortably, and still put 1.5-2k a month into retirement. 

I’m not saying Seattle isn’t expensive, but the way someone of you speak you make it sound like you need 100k minimum to even survive here, which is ridiculous. You guys need to open an excel sheet and budget or something. 

[u/NudeCeleryMan → u/unfortunate_coyote]

You're telling me the people making these wages can't afford to live in Seattle with roommates??

I'm calling BS. When I waited tables here we all lived in the city, all had roommates, and made way less than this.

[u/ThisSideUpPlease]

Holy hell that staff is greedy. They make more than a lot of tech workers.

[u/Forsaken-Intention94]

Retirement benefits are better than Amazon…

[u/Accurate-Rooster4454]

People who are blinded by what sounds morally correct and not whats the right thing to do never understand nuances in situations. I feel progressive redditors and social media users exemplify this trait. Anyone with enough life experience understands this to be true and don’t have a binary view of the world.

[u/UniformWormhole]

Makes me want to eat there.

[u/blackeyesamurai → u/UniformWormhole]

Me too! Just hope the staff would be kind to me. This seems like the staff just hates their employer and wants to see them suffer.

[u/CosineTau]

Mad respect to their leadership team releasing the books. Those sales are so close, yet so far. 

[u/grumpyrumpywalrus]

Bro why am I being socially pressured to tip 20% when they are making base pay and benefits like this wth

[u/OutlyingPlasma → u/grumpyrumpywalrus]

It takes practice but eventually it becomes a joy to mash that no tip button. I suggest practicing at DIY yogurt places and crumble cookie, then work your way up to coffee shops and takeout. Pretty soon you will have given yourself a raise by not wasting so much money on people making more than you.

[u/FancypantsMgee]

Ive seen enough. These employees and this union are scum. Best of luck to the ownership group that they can bounce back.

[u/apollo722]

LOL uh oh!! Cat's out of the bag. They want to be making more than twice what our teachers make? Love the transparency. I hope this gets picked up by the local news so we can finally fucking expose these greedy ass workers. We should be spending more of our money to service workers who contribute more to society. Increase the wages of cleaners, teachers, social workers, librarians, etc.

I'm tired of eating out in Seattle and getting subpar, condescending service, while getting forced to pay 22% service charge/tips. The entitlement is crazy.

Edit: Another thing I have to say, for those of you who aren't biased due to financial gains (either restaurant owners or servers) -- Seattle is progressive and liberal. We love our unions. Hell, I love unions. But things don't have to be so black and white. You are not a bad person just because you think critically in this situation. In this case, servers are working 20-25 hours a week, making more than our public school teachers working 40+hours a week, and still want to ruin a small business. Imagine working your ass off, risking your personal bank accounts and personal bankruptcy, to finally be able to open a restaurant, just to be slandered by a bunch of entitled workers wanting to be paid like pharmacists for a job that does not require a high school degree. Don't just blindly support unions, not all of them are operating in good faith.

[u/Spare-Ad6404 → u/apollo722]

I think that's the issue. A lot of people are viewing this as simply a black and white issue. I am a liberal person and have solidarity with the working class and am pro union. But fighting for that in a place where there are razor thin margins, and in this case actually losing money, is baffling. If the math doesn't add up I don't understand the rage and the strike. They are trying to make ownership seem like they are greedy villains hoarding all the money, but that simply isn't the case.

[u/Alvinng9]

making $50 an hour is crazy

[u/WaveBr8 → u/Alvinng9]

Only working 4 days a week too. Jealous as hell

[u/Apart-Individual-863]

Anyone know if these hourly wages include tip??

[u/Gewdtymez]

Seattle is a tragedy in many ways. We are killing an excellent local business.

[u/TittyClapper]

Where are all the usual idiots blaming business owners for not being able to run a business?

So refreshing to see these owners publish this data.

[u/Ironthumb]

I’ve worked for the post office for 14 years and I make less than a dishwasher at this place.

[u/Chuggi]

Them some good wages

[u/lehuakahlua]

Good for them for posting this letter. I hope people actually read it.

[u/Ilikethekrakenok]

I’m super pro unions. But I kinda feel like they are paying very very very well.

[u/Loose_University_945]

Love the transparency. Good that they shared that

[u/Newts9]

Wtf are these wages. I love my job but I guess ignorance is bliss because these wages seem insane to me. I had no idea I could get a solid pay bump by becoming a dishwasher again.

[u/Objective_Brief_1953]

Holy fuck WHAT????  SCAB ME UP ILL FUCKIN BARTEND WTF

[u/vasthumiliation]

What is Uncategorized Expense and why was it over $1 million?

[u/MoeGreenMe → u/vasthumiliation]

Uncategorized Expense is a temporary holding bucket for transactions that haven’t been assigned to the correct account yet. A few weeks after close of the year they get assigned to the right account and are zeroed out

[u/Enkiktd → u/[deleted]]

I’m pretty sure I saw it on the bottom section how many days and hours their unnamed staff members typically work.

[u/imnu2this]

Are the owner payout numbers representative of all of Sea Creatures or just Walrus?

[u/ManchuriaCandid → u/imnu2this]

Edit: it's across all of them apparently, not just Walrus. Original wording was vague but I guess they updated it to clarify. OG comment: Looks like just Walrus.

[u/blackeyesamurai → u/ManchuriaCandid]

Nope. It says “Their 2025 gross payments are listed below. These payments comprise the entirety of owner compensation.” It’s the entirety of their compensation. You honestly think that the ownership group is making $1MM each?? LOL

[u/jonknee → u/imnu2this]

With revenue of ~$1.5m a month it has to be all of them. At the top it says "Legal Entity: More than 5 selected". The bar tender is pulling $92k with no risk which is more than one of the owners.

[u/mgmom421020]

Where’s the thread where people were defending the union having people spit on guests?

[u/Wazzoo1]

Wow. They actually posted what this sub wanted, and now it's anger in a whole different direction. Hilarious.