South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker purchased the 52,000-square-foot Mexican restaurant in Lakewood, Colorado, in September 2011 before it declared bankruptcy.
However, for a few nights this summer, the historic local staple opened its doors to the public with ticketed entry. While locals got to marvel at one of their favorite eateries, one thing changed, and it wasn’t the food. For the limited re-opening, customers weren’t allowed to tip.
“We found guests simply weren’t tipping,” says management to The Denver Post. “We believe that’s due to our unconventional, prepay ticketing system.”
During the “re-opening,” management would make a change that’s not an industry norm, but raising the minimum wage.
“In order to provide a higher-than-average, dependable wage, we shifted to a no-tipping model and doubled the hourly rate to more than $30/hr for our service staff. This shift also benefits our guests, who can enjoy Casa Bonita without incurring unexpected costs,” management said.
The only way to buy tickets is to be invited to do so through the restaurant’s email list. It has not yet been announced when or if Casa Bonita will begin welcoming walk-ups.
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