FAQs

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General

Q. What is the Golden Gate Restaurant Association?

A. The GGRA is a non-profit trade association formed in 1936. The association is committed to promote, extend and protect the interest of the restaurant industry. The GGRA staff works full time on the work plan approved by the Board of Directors on an annual basis. Members are voted onto the Board of Directors by the full membership at the beginning of each calendar year...

General

Q. How does the GGRA support the restaurant community?

A. The GGRA supports the restaurant industry through educational programs, legislative advocacy, member benefit programs, communication, and community involvement...

General

Q. Who can become a member of the GGRA?

A. Regular membership is open to the entire food service industry in the nine county Bay Area. Associate membership is open to any vendor providing product or service to the restaurant industry. Affiliate membership is for educational institutions with a connection to the restaurant industry...

General
Q. How does the GGRA Scholarship Foundation work and who can apply for scholarship?

A. The Golden Gate Restaurant Association Scholarship Foundation has provided scholarships annually since its inception in 1968 to students dedicated to careers in the culinary and hospitality fields. The Scholarship Foundation is entirely supported by annual contributions from GGRA Member Dues, donations from restaurateurs, and a generous endowment from the Kenneth and Anna Zankel foundation...

Industry Inquiries

Q. What should you consider if planning to open a restaurant?

A. Long lead items to research before signing a lease: - Review zoning for the specific location. If the location is not currently a restaurant and needs a change in current zoning plan on 4 to 6 months or more to complete the process...

Government Regulations

Q. What state labor laws significantly impact restaurants?

A. State minimum wage is currently $8.00 per hour. There is no tip credit in California. Meal breaks of 30 minutes (employer choice paid or unpaid) are required for employees working 5 or more hours per shift...

Government Regulations

Q. Which San Francisco Labor Laws significantly impact restaurants?

A. Minimum wage - 2009 minimum wage is $9.89 per hour
-2010 minimum wage is $9.89 per hour...

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. What is the minimum numbers of hours an employee must be paid if they are sent home from work without working?

A. Two hours are paid to the employee if they are sent home without working after showing up on time to work their scheduled shift.

Industry Inquiries

Q. Is a restaurant required to have a certified food handler?

A. A restaurant is required to have a minimum of one certified food handler. That person must be on premise or available by phone when the restaurant is operating. Many restaurants certify multiple individuals to maximize safe food handling.

Industry Inquiries

Q. If a server or bartender forgets to charge a customer for a consumed item can the employee be made to pay for their error?

A. The employee cannot be charged for their mistake. They can be disciplined for negligence and/or misappropriation of company funds.

Industry Inquiries

Q. What is the most effective method of inviting concierges to try your restaurant?

A. Concierges prefer a gift certificate to try the restaurant. The certificate avoids the situation where they have been invited to try the restaurant, but the individual who invited them is not present during their meal...

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. What is a tip?

A. A tip is money a customer voluntarily leaves for an employee over the amount due for the goods sold or services rendered. Tips belong to the employee, not to the employer.

Marketing

Q. What does the GGRA do to promote its member restaurants?

A.The GGRA website has on on-line dining guide. Restaurants are listed by name, location and cuisine, and are linked to their own website. In 2009, the GGRA founded SFChefsFoodWine, a 4 day showcase of chefs, food, wine and other beverages focused on the bounty of Northern California. Restaurant members have participation priority...

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Is it legal for an employer to deduct tips from an employee's paycheck?

A. No. Employers can neither take employee tips (or any part of them), nor deduct money from employee wages because of the tips earned. Furthermore, employers cannot credit tips against the money the employer owes to employees.

Marketing

Q. What does the GGRA do to promote its Associate Members?

A. GGRA staff provides phone and e-mail referrals to restaurant members and restaurant non-members looking for a particular product or service on a regular basis.GGRA website hosts an online Services Guide listing Associate Members by their business name, service provided and key search words chosen by the Associate Member...

Government Regulations

Q. How does the GGRA work with local and state government on issues and potential legislation affecting the restaurant industry?

A. The GGRA monitors potential legislation at the local and state level. We evaluate each piece of proposed legislation for its merit and its impact on our members, the restaurant industry, and our community...

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Is it legal for employers to pay employees less than the minimum wage because they include tips in the hourly pay? (Tip Credit)

A. No. Unlike the federal regulations, in California an employer cannot use an employee's tips as a credit towards its obligation to pay the minimum wage...

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. When a customer pays their bill with a credit card and a tip is included, when can the employee expect payment for the tip?

A. When payment is made using a credit card the employee must be paid not later than the next regular payday.

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Is it legal for employers to deduct credit card processing fees from tips?

A. No. California law is specific that the employer must pay the employee the full amount of the tip that is indicated on the credit card. The credit card fee is considered a cost of doing business.

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Are tips considered part of "regular rate of pay" for overtime calculations?

A. No. Tips are voluntarily left by customers of the business and are not provided by the employer, they are not considered as part of your regular rate of pay when calculating overtime.

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Are mandatory service charges the same as a tip or gratuity?

A. No, tips are a voluntary amount left by a customer for an employee. A mandatory service charge is an amount that a customer is required to pay based on a contractual agreement or a specified required service amount listed on the menu of an establishment...

Sustainability

Q. Does the GGRA have programs that support sustainability?

A. The GGRA sponsors a program for pick up of used fryer oil. The oil is picked up at no cost by Got Grease, and then recycled into biodiesel gasoline. Please contact David Levinson for program details 415-728-8766.

Sustainability

Q. Does the GGRA champion zero waste events?

A. In 2009 the GGRA hosted the inaugural SFChefsFoodWine, a four day celebration of food and wine on Union Square featuring member chefs and restaurants. The event was designed to be zero waste...

Government Regulations

Q. What identification is required to verify that an individual is 21 years of age or older in order to be served an alcoholic beverage?

A. A current government issued ID with photograph is required to verify age.It recently came to our attention that servers in one local restaurant when trained to ask if an individual was 21 or older, and accept their answer as proof of age. This does not meet current law or protect the employee and restaurant from a serving infraction.

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Can an employer require servers to share their tips with other staff?

A. Yes, employers can require servers to share tips with other staff that provide service in the restaurant. Such employees could conceivably include waiters and waitresses, busboys, bartenders, host/hostesses, maitre d's and most recently kitchen staff...

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Why should kitchen staff be included in the tip pool when they do not provide "direct table service"?

A. There have been several cases including Etheridge which reason that individuals who are in the "chain of service" meaning any employee who contributes to the service a customer receives, may participate in the tip pool...

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Who is not allowed to participate in a tip pool?

A. Owner(s), manager(s), and supervisor(s) who hire, fire, discipline, assign work, set wages, schedule shifts, etc… cannot participate in a tip pool, even if these individuals should provide direct table service to a customer.

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Must I have a tip policy?

A. No. However, it is a good practice to have a policy that at minimum outlines the employees' responsibilities regarding the reporting of tips for tax purposes.

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. If I mandate a tip pool, what must I include in the policy?

A. If you mandate a tip pool you should have a policy that explains the following: who is eligible, who controls and monitors the money, who counts and distributes the money, distribution percentages of tips (who gets majority of tip, what is fair?), when tips are distributed.

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Do I have to report my employee's tips?

A. Yes, when an employee receives $20 or more in a calendar month, while working for you, they are required to report to you the total amount of tips they receive. They must give you written reports by the tenth of the following month...

Payroll/Labor Law

Q. Do I have to pay any employer taxes on the tips?

A. Yes, you are responsible for paying the employer's portion of the social security and Medicare taxes. You must collect the employee's portion of the social security and Medicare taxes and the income taxes. You can collect these taxes from the employee's wages. For more information on employer responsibilities, refer to IRS Publication 15, Circular E, Employer's Tax Guide

Regular Member| Associate Member| Affiliate Member| FAQs