Minneapolis Cafe Cuts Prices to Zero in Protest—and Profits Rise

A Minneapolis diner scrapped its prices in protest—and is somehow making more money. That’s the crux of a New York Times piece on Modern Times, a 15-year neighborhood staple that became “Post Modern Times” after owner Dylan Alverson decided he no longer wanted to collect sales tax for a government he saw as harming his community during the massive ICE operation there this winter. In January, he switched to a donation-only model “for the remainder of the government occupation,” braced for collapse, and instead watched his business surge, even though roughly half of his customers now pay nothing for their meals.

Reporter Brett Anderson outlines how the experiment has morphed from tax protest into something closer to a social and economic test case. Alverson says he’s finally earning more than he did running a conventional restaurant that pulled in $1.3 million in sales last year and still lost money, aided by merch revenue and outside donations. The change is now permanent. “I have succeeded more than I ever did when I was running a conventional business employing 22 people,” he says. “I think that’s proof that something is wrong.” The streamlined menu remains cooked from scratch; a security presence and staff mediation help manage tensions; and regulars say the space now functions as a rare zone of “economic equality.” For the financials, backlash, and industry context, read the full story at the New York Times.