!!! I'm sharing my personal experience so customers can make their own decision about TIPPING.!!!
I worked at Bonjour Crepe from April 29 through June 25, 2026. I worked 31 shifts and 181 hours at $17 an hour.
While working, I saw tips being collected through the Square POS and the orange tip jar labeled "Tips" where we take orders. What I received was $100 cash each pay period, described as a bonus, which I have documented. My pay stubs show no tips line. In my own Square account, where I can see my pay and what is withheld, there was NO tip option to view.
When there is a "Tips" jar and we only get a bonus, it makes me question who he is a person and what he is doing.
When I was hired, David explained to me in person why he uses a bonus system. He told me about his first crepe business in Saint Paul, which he sold to a family member. He said some of his employees there did not work as hard, and that is why he decided to do the bonus system at Bonjour Crepe. He said to me the girls agreed with this after he talked with them.
After I was hired, I asked David again to explain the bonus system so I could understand it better. He told me full-time employees get a minimum of $100 and part-time gets a different amount, both depending on performance, sales and teamwork. I then asked if he gives us the whole amount of tips customers leave, to be distributed among the staff as bonuses. He told me the tip money he did not give to us as bonuses would be paid to us in the next pay period.
From what I saw and counted myself, the cash tip jar and electronic tips together on a full shift were often around $70, and at times over $100. That means the tips from just one shift opening at 10am to closing could come close to or pass the $100 I received for a whole pay period. These are my own estimates, not a POS report. Based on my dated tip notes, I estimate about $1,200 in tips that never reached me over two months.
The only paper I ever signed was a one-page sheet about scheduling and giving notice. Nothing about tips or the bonus system was ever in writing. It was all verbal.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry states: "Employees must receive the full amount of tips paid by card or e-payment," "Gratuities received through credit cards or other types of electronic payments must be paid to the employee in the next pay period," and "No employer may require an employee to share a tip with the employer." Source: dli.mn.gov/tips. Full law: Minnesota Statutes 177.24.
I texted David on August 10, 2026, and it shows he read it. I also emailed his business email along with calling him (to which has continued to go to voicemail regardless of time I call). In my messages I included links to these Minnesota state pages so he could read them himself. While I worked there, he was very responsive by text and call. Since I left and asked to go over the tips, I have heard nothing. As the owner, he has the POS and tip records I never had access to, which is why I asked to go over them together.
David talks about being in it together with his employees and wanting to bring us up with him as he rises. He also told us that if any of his employees ever wanted to open our own franchise, we would be learning from him and he would help us through the process, the same way he says he is helping his own family members open their own crepe businesses in Minnesota. While I worked there, I would hear him explain to his family members how he runs his system. My experience has showed me something different then how he presents himself to be.
When customers leave a tip, I believe most think it goes to the person serving them. My experience made me question whether that is what happens here.
As a fellow Hmong sister, I truly wanted to see him thrive. But after this experience, I could not and will not stay silent. I'm sharing my experience so customers can decide for themselves how they want to TIP, and whether they want to support this business.
To this day as I share this, David as not responded back to me. read more