Restaurant owners in Manhattan have long had plenty to worry about, like soaring rents and exacting customers, but now they face a new and costly problem: a record number of lawsuits accusing them of stealing tips and cheating on wages. Though battles between managers and workers have been a staple at many restaurants, these lawsuits involve some of the most popular restaurants in New York, including the Old Homestead, the Brooklyn Diner, Smith & Wollensky, Sparks Steak House, Heartland Brewery and Mr. Chow. Waiters, bartenders and busboys say the number of suits has exploded because they have grown tired of what they describe as being shortchanged on wages and tips.
See "Suits Alleging Pay Violations at Restaurants", Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, May 13, 2007