Friendly reminder: Payroll software companies aren’t the only Oklahoma businesses that treat their employees poorly.
Over the past 24 hours or so, I’ve had about a dozen or so people send me a link to a viral Reddit thread about Hideaway Pizza cutting a thick slice of pay from their “commissioned” bartenders and servers.
The post—which has been upvoted over 16,000 times—features a photo of a corporate letter pinned to a bulletin board at an unknown Hideaway location. In it, the company explains why they’re 86’ing an apparently popular commission program introduced during the pandemic.
You can check it out below.
First of all, I had no idea Hideaway’s waitstaff worked on commission!
I guess that explains why, during my last visit, the bartender shadowed me like a determined Mathis Brothers salesperson.
“So, what kind of appetizers are we looking for today? Fried mushrooms? Cheesesticks? You know, we’ve got a killer 50/50 split that’s a crowd favorite.”
“I’m just browsing. Can I take your card?”
“Well, before that, let me show you these fresh-out-of-the-kitchen cheesesticks. You’ll love them. Oh, and we’re offering great financing options!”
Now, about that letter—it’s weaker than Hideaway’s alfredo sauce! You can’t hype your employees as “awesome” and “valued” in one breath, then turn around and slash their pay in the next because, apparently, you think they’re making too much money. It’s hypocritical, tone-deaf, and frankly, just dumb.
If Hideaway wanted to be bold, they should have gone full Paycom and blamed “performance issues,” or maybe pulled a Meers hamburger stand and pinned it on Obama:
For giggles, I asked a former Hideaway bartender about the commission program. Here’s what they said:
“You’d get a small percentage back for items they wanted you to upsell. It was more about incentivizing suggestive selling than giving us a chance to make real money. You could take the commission with your tips at the end of the night, but honestly, I’d rather have been paid more per hour. Haha!”
I’m sure "HAHA" is what Hideaway’s owners think about that idea, too.
To be fair, I’m not here to completely roast Hideaway.
Say what you want about their employee compensation practices,but the pizza is solid, the fried mushrooms are divine, and—let’s be real—their ranch dressing can go toe-to-toe with anyone this side of Mazzio’s! They’ll even give you an extra ramekin of the magic sauce for free! If cutting a commission program keeps that perk around, maybe it’s worth it.
That said, I do feel bad for the servers and bartenders who are losing out. They’re the little people in this, and these little people are usually the ones getting screwed. The good news? There are plenty of bars and restaurants where they can make more money—and not have to wear a tacky tie-dyed T-shirt while doing it.
Maybe this is a win-win for everyone?
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
