By: Randy Klagsmeier
Several laid-off waiters claim they are still waiting – not tables, but for their bosses to pay them.
In fact, the wait staff at New York City’s popular dining spot Nello are saying that they have not received tips that had been left for them before the pandemic hit.
The charge by the restaurant’s bartenders and waiters is that owner Thomas Makkos has stiffed them out of three paychecks. Together, they reportedly total in as much as $4,000 in pooled tips.
A trio of employees told the New York Post that “they’ve called Makkos’ office repeatedly. They said he told them the checks had been mailed out but nobody has received them. Nello let most of its 30 workers go March 19 when Gov. Andrew Cuomo told restaurants to close. It has been operating with a skeletal staff of four since then with only delivery and takeout available. The laid-off employees’ last checks were issued to them on Feb. 19.”
The claims stand in stark contrast to the upper-than-upscale reputation of the eatery, which boasts: “Where art, fashion, politics, entertainment, aristocracy, and finance converge to create a world of urbane sophistication, genuine leisure and cosmopolitan chic on Madison Avenue. Our casual elegance, northern Italian cuisine, and accommodating staff have brought famed clientele to our private dining room for over 25 years.”
“I am just really taken aback that someone with his money would treat us like this in the middle of the pandemic,” Anthony Vacca, 32, a Nello bartender, told the Post in an interview. “Some people have families to feed and they need that money.” A colleague added, “I’m running out of money and my anxiety is through the roof. The brazenness of [Makkos] not responding to us and not paying us is bizarre. There are other employees I know who are down to their last $100.”
The claims are, unfortunately, not unique, as restaurants around the country – in fact, around the globe – also suffer. “Local governments have shut down or severely limited restaurant operations in many cities and states,” reported foodandwine.com. “Even for those businesses whose operations aren’t limited by legislation, or weren’t several days ago, financial realities have dictated complete closures or shifts to takeout and delivery.”
Nor does the gradual reopening of various states necessarily mean a restaurant resurgence. “When restaurants are allowed to reopen, it won’t be the dining scene Charlotte is used to. There will be capacity limits, spaced-out tables, and masks covering the smiles of servers and hostesses. Some restaurants may stick to takeout for a while. Others may close altogether,” reported charlotteagenda.com.
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