The Einstein Noah Restaurant Group tells WW: “[W]e want our employees to deliver on our hospitality and guest service commitment each and every time without any expectation of a cash tip from our guests.”

Who expects a tip at a bagel joint? Tips generally come at the end of the transaction anyway, after service has been rendered. That's usually enough incentive to provide good service consistently. It's not like people tip you up front as a bribe for hospitality. And if they give me good service, why can't I tip them if I want?

At minimum wage, for a person working 40 hours a week (which I bet few of them do), losing $100 a week in tips is cutting their income by about 20% ... of their gross. Real nice.

We can toss them on the same heap as GI Joe's, oh that was Joe's wasn't it.

There's a place called Portland Bagel set to open here in SW. Anybody know anything about 'em? I sure don't.

Jack
Not far from you in the Beaumont neighborhood you should give Bagel Land on NE Fremont a try. They make great BOILED bagels, have fresh schmeers, lox and other toppings and the employees are "allowed" to accept tips. They are friendly, local and the bagels are tasty.

And you have Ristretto Roasters right across the street for your morning Joe.

They're no Einstein when it comes to product. I went to the Raleigh Hills Kettleman location shortly before it changed and was very pleased with a tasty salt bagel and a "normal" coffee that set me back less than three bucks. Tried it last week and found no such thing as a salt bagel - only a #$%@ "pretzel bagel" WTF?

Will definitely look into Bagel Land as an alternate location.

This looks like a job for the ILWU http://www.ilwu.org/ or UFCW http://www.ufcw.org/

And, given all of "Einstein's" profound colossal stupid decisions, maybe they should rename themselves "Golem's Bagels"! What a bunch of stupid pr!cks.

I have to admit that I got desperately tired of going into places in Portland where the guy behind the counter gave his absolute best "I'm too good to be working here" glower at everyone who came in, took his time to do a half-assed job, sighed like a steam engine and rolled his eyes when asked a question, and then literally held up the tip jar and shook it if I didn't put in enough. That said, though, when it comes to places that do a great job, I definitely want the option of leaving an additional tip to thank them. I guess management is basing this policy on its Dallas stores, where the plastic people stare in shock at tip jars and exclaim "You mean someone tipped A WHOLE DOLLAR?"

I've never once been pressured in any way to tip at a self-service counter. Never. The story about holding up the tip jar and shaking it doesn't ring true to me at all. Where did it happen? The employee should have been fired on the spot.

Semi-cynic, I'm honestly glad it's never happened to you, and I hope that the reason it hasn't happened is because the places that did it have gone out of business. All I can tell you is that it used to be bad in downtown and in SE, with the notable exception of Good Dog Bad Dog. I used to walk over there for lunch when I lived in the area not just because of the incredible hot dogs, but because they were fast, they were good, and they seemed legitimately happy to see customers. Compare that to at least one Subway on W Burnside, which is the example that particularly rankles. (I also remember the coffee shop down from Wieden & Kennedy in '96 that decided to boycott the ad firm because some poor intern didn't tip sufficiently as she was picking up a giant order.)

TTR- I agree with semi-cynic. I have never had anyone demand a tip from me at a take-out counter, let alone have it happen often enough to become "desperately tired" of the practice. I think you're exaggerating a tad.

Regardless, why are you letting snotty little counter people who provide horrendous service intimidate you into tipping at all, let alone into tipping more? Man, I wish such accommodating customers came into any of the myriad establishments for which I worked in my 30 years in the biz!