14 Comments

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  koizumi at 05:56 PM JST - 22nd November

  "no person in charge" ... this is laughable : there is without doubt, for certain SOMEONE in charge at the till, collecting the cash for this uniqely overpriced food at Masa. The man should be ashamed for his unbelievable greed and selfishness. If he tried this tripe in Tokyo he'd be out on his ear in no time. Best of luck to the former employees!

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  some14some at 05:59 PM JST - 22nd November

  Masaka...(cannot be)!A Masa official told Kyodo News that the restaurant cannot comment as there is no person in charge. No comment now is ok but i am sure Masa will settle $1M soon instead of going through legal ordeal.

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  unscrejects at 07:54 PM JST - 22nd November

  Typical Japanese restaurant in the US. I've always had a horrible experience in a Japanese owned or run eating establishment in the US except one little place in Kona. They just don't get it. In fact what they do is totally unacceptable in the restaurant business in Japan. Take "Sapporo" in Manhattan. I had to file a complaint when the waiters blocked the door to stop me from leaving because I didn't tip the 'required' minimum tip as they put it. And not only were they insisting, they were poking me with their fingers until I threatened them in gutter Japanese. Strangely the Korean run Japanese restaurants do more for the image of Japanese cuisine than Japanese in the US.

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  koizumi at 08:17 PM JST - 22nd November

  Why would Japanese 'restauranteurs' be so polite and honorable in Japan ... and then be so positively crummy abroad. I think I've read this book before, different set of characters.

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  MikeBarrymore at 08:37 PM JST - 22nd November

  If i had to pay so much for a meal and knew my tip was n't going to poorly paid staff, i would scream my lungs out and stamp my feet so hard someone would take notice.

  I beleive in looking after the little guy, the owner should be locked up for a year or so for being such a bugger.

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  elbudamexicano at 09:33 PM JST - 22nd November

  A lot of the "sushi" guys at Japanese restaurants in the US are ex-yakuza etc..who are basically doing something they would never do back in Japan, work at sushi restaurants, entertaining "gaijin" customers, smiling 24/7 etc...I would not be surprised if the Japanese yakuza were behind this mess at Masa and I would be even less surprised to know that this restaurant was paying off the yakuza for "protection money."

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  Potsu at 10:32 PM JST - 22nd November

  No one in charge ?? Hilarious.450 $ a head ? Idiot customers,come to Japan and get good sushi for 100yen !!

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  sk4ek at 02:05 AM JST - 23rd November

  A lot of Japanese restaurants in the US started a mandatory "service charge" with the best of intentions, back in the days when Japanese tourism to the US was hitting its stride--to make sure that their staff wouldn't get stiffed by Japanese customers who either forgot about American tipping practices, or willfully failed to leave a gratuity. But the policy generally rubs customers the wrong way, because in a market where diners perceive the tip as their only way of expressing their appreciation or dissatisfaction, this takes the decision out of their hands completely.

  Still, whether or not you agree with the policy, given that even luxury-end restaurants such as Masa don't pay their wait staff any better than the average restaurant, it's unconscionable for the owners to turn the practice on its head and treat the service charge as just another revenue stream.

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  fatloser at 06:54 AM JST - 23rd November

  It ain't just him!!! Pop GOD Justin Timberlake is being sued for the same thing. He owns part of a feed shop in NYC and the waiters are suing for the same. Ban tips!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  bebert at 10:28 AM JST - 23rd November

  Takayama did not distribute to his staffers the 20% gratuity he requires of all customers

  But you can be certain those staffers had to pay federal income tax on that 20% gratuity (provided they are working legally) adding insult to injury. I wouldn't be surprised if this case resulted in an IRS audit of both the restaurant and the employees next year.

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  888naff at 07:22 PM JST - 23rd November

  How many times have I heard this kind of carry on in Chinese owned Japanese restaurants abroad... anyway this kind of thing certainly ain't new in the many non Japanese "Japanese restaurants". Usually though the Japanese staff are too submissive by culture to stand up for themselves in the foreign land so are regularly taken for a ride by the more naturally money grabbing give a dam about service and food (also it self not befitting of a Japanese restaurant) owners.

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  OssanAmerica at 01:09 PM JST - 24th November

  Take "Sapporo" in Manhattan. I had to file a complaint when the waiters >blocked the door to stop me from leaving because I didn't tip >the 'required' minimum tip as they put it. And not only were they >insisting, they were poking me with their fingers until I threatened >them in gutter Japanese.

  Sapporo? On 49th near 7th Ave? What a disgusting dive. Although it's been there since the mid 1970s.

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  cwhite at 01:44 AM JST - 29th November

  easy answer to the problem: get rid of tipping and up the minimum wage

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  Sarge at 02:16 AM JST - 29th November

  $450 tasting menu"

  Sure.

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