Seattle has a very large number of indie coffee shops and I’m betting the baristas aren’t making any $15/hr. Well, they will now. Those of them that are working.
If I owned one of those Indie Coffee Shops, I would raise the Wage and confiscate all the Tips to help pay for it.
When the Staff complains, I’d tell them to take it up with the City Council, who must be way overpaid if they are getting anything near $15 an Hour themselves.
“Seattle has a very large number of indie coffee shops and I’m betting the baristas aren’t making any $15/hr. Well, they will now. Those of them that are working.”
99.9% of those coffee shops have 100% automated espresso makers that require no more than punching in the number of shots and pushing the “START” button, not too much more difficult to operate than the self-serve soda-pop machines all fast food outfits have.
My prediction is that in short order the espresso makers will be moved from behind the counter to the FRONT of the counter where customers make their own espresso drinks, completely eliminating the need for a “barrista” to push the “START” button for you.
It’s only one more step for the espresso machine makers to add a credit-card swipe unit that auto-charges you for the espresso you make based on the number of shots you dial in.
At that point, the only need for an employee is to load the beans in the hoppers. Big enough hoppers, and that need be done only once a day. At that point, many of these shops can then just be converted into totally self-serve kiosks.
Once this equipment gets built, installed and self-serve shown to be successful, the rest of the country will quickly move in that same direction.