Seattle, WA

Seattle Restaurant Workers Could See a Big Spike in Pay Next Year

Published

1 year ago

July 18, 2024

Seattle Restaurant Workers Could See a Big Spike in Pay Next Year

As restaurant owners wait for the Seattle City Council to deal with high delivery app fees, there’s another challenge facing their businesses, reports the Seattle Times: The minimum wage at restaurants could go up by as much as $3 next year. That would be a huge boost for many low-wage workers, and also potentially an existential threat for restaurants that rely on those workers.

As of 2024, the minimum wage in Seattle is $19.97 an hour, unless you employ fewer than 500 employees, in which case you are allowed to pay them $17.25, provided the difference is made up by tips or medical benefits. According to the Times, this exception was carved out during negotiations over the minimum wage law passed nearly a decade ago, as then-Mayor Ed Murray attempted to assemble as broad a coalition as possible for the groundbreaking wage hike.

When that law went into effect in 2015, everyone was referring to it as a “$15 minimum wage,” then seen as a high number. (Small businesses then had to pay workers an $11 minimum wage.) Since then, Seattle’s minimum wage has risen beyond that number because the law ties it to inflation; Seattle’s Office of Labor Standards will announce the 2025 minimum wage in the fall. But the provision that allows small businesses to pay certain employees less will expire next year unless lawmakers take action, which means that in addition to the usual inflation-adjusted bump, smaller businesses will have to pay their employees as much as large ones do, and they won’t be able to factor tips into the equation.

This impacts the restaurant industry in particular because very few Seattle restaurant groups have more than 500 employees. The exception is Ethan Stowell Restaurants (ESR), which, the Times notes, hit that mark last year and responded by putting all workers, including servers, on an hourly rate and adding a service charge to checks.

“You either have to change the model next year or prices are going to go astronomically high or places are going to have to close down,” CEO Ethan Stowell told the Times.

The ESR example provides a window into how the industry could change if this small business exception expires. “The reaction among staff was mixed” at ESR, the Times writes. “For some, it was a positive, because it meant they earned more on sick days or when taking leave. Others quit.” This reflects a divide among restaurant workers — some want their pay to be more stable, while some servers and bartenders make good money thanks to tips and might see their earnings drop if they had to become hourly workers. Meanwhile, some customers really, really hate the service fees that tend to come with the hourly wage restaurant model.

According to the Times, restaurant industry lobbyists have been asking the City Council to make the small business exception in the minimum wage law permanent. But this is a tough ask. The Council also has other issues to deal with, and some members have conflicts of interest — Council President Sara Nelson is a co-founder of Fremont Brewing and still owns a portion of the company.

If politicians tried to tweak the minimum wage law, they would also face opposition from labor groups. David Rolf, a former union president who helped negotiate the law in the first place, was blunt about this when he spoke to the Times: “Undermining Seattle’s minimum wage law is political suicide for anyone who tries.”

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Seattle, WA

Redhawks Upset Huskies 70-66, Win Second Straight ‘Battle for Seattle’ — Emerald City Spectrum

Published

10 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Redhawks Upset Huskies 70-66, Win Second Straight ‘Battle for Seattle’ — Emerald City Spectrum

With neither team shooting well from the outside at Climate Pledge Arena, the Redhawks outperformed the favored Huskies driving the ball to the paint in the second half, making more plays down the stretch to beat their city rivals for a second straight year.

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Seattle, WA

Seattle Seahawks Injury Updates: Status of trio of DBs

Published

22 hours ago

December 19, 2025

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Seattle Seahawks Injury Updates: Status of trio of DBs

There were Seattle Seahawks injury updates on Friday regarding three defensive backs coming out of the Hawks’ overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football.

Seahawks’ Derick Hall suspended one game for stepping on player

Here’s a look at the updates, as well as insight from head coach Mike Macdonald and additional information from ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler.

• The biggest concern for the Seahawks coming out of the game is safety Coby Bryant, who has a knee injury. Macdonald said in a press conference Friday that Bryant would “get imaged,” meaning undergo an MRI. Fowler reported on social media that, per sources, Bryant is “expected to miss ‘some time’ based on initial tests.”

• Cornerback Riq Woolen has a knee concern of his own, but Fowler reported that it’s “not considered serious” and that, per a source, Woolen “more so got ‘banged up.’”

• Versatile defensive back Nick Emmanwori was evaluated for a concussion late in Thursday’s game, but Macdonald said he cleared concussion protocol.

The Seahawks improved to 12-3 with their win over the Rams, giving them a one-game lead over Los Angeles for both first place in the NFC West and the No. 1 seed to the postseason out of the NFC. The Seahawks also clinched a playoff spot with the dramatic comeback victory.

The next Seahawks game will be at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28 on the road against the Carolina Panthers (7-7). Radio coverage on Seattle Sports will begin at 7 a.m. that day with the pregame show.

More Seattle Seahawks coverage

• Macdonald explains Seahawks’ game-winning 2-point decision
• Brock Huard: The reason Sam Darnold was able to beat Rams
• Where Seahawks’ No. 1 seed odds stand after epic win
• Stacy Rost: Seahawks dramatically flip script to beat Rams
• Anatomy of a comeback: How Seattle Seahawks stunned Rams

Follow @BrentStecker

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Seattle, WA

Seattle brings losing streak into game against San Jose

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Seattle brings losing streak into game against San Jose

Seattle Kraken (12-14-6, in the Pacific Division) vs. San Jose Sharks (17-15-3, in the Pacific Division)

San Jose, California; Saturday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Seattle Kraken look to end a four-game losing streak with a victory over the San Jose Sharks.

San Jose is 17-15-3 overall and 4-4-2 against the Pacific Division. The Sharks have conceded 117 goals while scoring 104 for a -13 scoring differential.

Seattle is 12-14-6 overall with a 5-4-0 record in Pacific Division play. The Kraken have a -20 scoring differential, with 79 total goals scored and 99 conceded.

The matchup Saturday is the third time these teams square off this season. The Kraken won 4-1 in the last meeting. Jaden Schwartz led the Kraken with two goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: William Eklund has eight goals and 14 assists for the Sharks. Tyler Toffoli has five goals and five assists over the past 10 games.

Vince Dunn has five goals and 14 assists for the Kraken. Chandler Stephenson has four goals and three assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sharks: 5-5-0, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.9 assists, 2.9 penalties and 5.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game.

Kraken: 1-9-0, averaging 2.2 goals, 4.1 assists, 3.9 penalties and 9.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game.

INJURIES: Sharks: None listed.

Kraken: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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